Avocado and Quinoa Salad for #SundaySupper

Today, the Sunday Supper crew is hosting a Father’s Day feast. When I think of Father’s Day, it usually means there is a lot of meat on the dinner table. Ribs, burgers, steak…very manly meal components! As much as my dad enjoys a great cut of meat for Father’s Day dinner, it just so happens that our family is not the biggest group of meat eaters in the land. Fresh vegetables are definitely up our alley, and a salad filled with a fantastic combination of ingredients is something I love serving up around our table.

I know I am not alone: you are dining at a restaurant and are fortunate enough to order an item so memorable you want to recreate it in your own kitchen. Sometimes the items are simply too complicated to replicate, but other times it seems possible. When Justin and I were in Miami a few weeks ago, we enjoyed an insanely delicious lunch. Both of our dishes were incredible, but I knew from the second I took my first bite of salad that I was going to make my most valiant attempt to create my own unique version in my home kitchen. As soon as I returned home, I was gushing about the salad to my family. Seeing as my dad saw the photo of the dish and was intrigued, it felt oh so appropriate to make one in his honor.

I absolutely adore the combination of textures and flavors in this dish. The arugula is peppery and crisp, the quinoa adds a bit of chewy texture, the corn and tomatoes add sweetness, the avocado imparts a rich and creamy goodness (along with the tangy and smooth goat cheese), and the lemon vinaigrette adds a tartness to balance out the arugula. All together, it is a combination that totally knocks my socks off. It screams “summer” to me, and I know it will become a very regular dish in my meal rotation from now on out.

It wouldn’t be Father’s Day without a bit of wine pairing with our meal! I chose to pair this salad with Gallo Family Vineyards’ Café Zinfandel. It is light, it is served chilled, and is a great complement to picnic fare, which I think fits the bill for today’s salad. Now, the salad as-is happens to be vegetarian, but it would also be amazing topped with something like salmon. In that case, you might want to pair your salad with Gallo Family Vineyards’ Pinot Noir. The berry and subtle earthy flavors would pair well with a meaty fish like salmon! If you’d like to see where you can pick up a bottle of Gallo Family Vineyards’ wine, check out their store locator and their website for more information (and pick up your $1 off coupon!). Make sure you find them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram as well!

So, what are you waiting for? Whip up this salad, stat!

What are your favorite salad combinations?

 

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Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.

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Make sure you stop by all of the other Sunday Supper contributors to see their incredible Father’s Day recipes today!

Father’s Day Salads and Main Dishes:

• Avocado and Quinoa Salad by Ruffles & Truffles
• Baked Lentil Chilaquiles Casserole by Shockingly Delicious
• Barbecue Chicken with Pinot Noir Blueberry Sauce by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Chicken in a Caramelized Onion Wine Sauce by Family Foodie
• Filet Mignon with Mushrooms and Pinot Noir Sauce by Hip Foodie Mom
• French Onion Soup au Gratin Stuffed Meatballs by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Southwestern Zinfandel Glaze by Cooking On The Ranch
• Jambalaya Kabobs by Foxes Love Lemons
• Man Burgers Stuffed with Pinot Noir Caramelized Onions by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Marinated Flank Steak by The Foodie Army Wife
• Mushroom Topped Pinot Noir Burgers by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pinot Noir Glazed Salmon by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Pinot Noir Mushroom Reduction Sauce with Grilled T-Bone Steak by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Red Wine Meatball Subs by Momma’s Meals

Father’s Day Sweets and Treats:

• Angel Food Cake Smores Skewers by Melanie Makes
• Cafe Zinfandel Cake & Pinot Noir Quinoa by NinjaBaking.com
• Cherry Pinot Noir Pie by girlichef
• Chocolate Decadence with Cafe Zinfandel Whipped Cream and Raspberry Sauce by Desserts Required
• Hot Fudge Pudding Cake by Magnolia Days
• Pinot Noir Dark Chocolate Truffles by Alida’s Kitchen