RPL Recipe Club – September 2023

For September’s edition of #RPLRecipeClub, treat yourself to the delightful textures and vibrant flavors of my Quinoa Salad. Take it from me, a former quinoa hater, this salad is far from the mundane quinoa salads you’ve encountered in the past!

For September’s edition of #RPLRecipeClub, treat yourself to the delightful textures and vibrant flavors of my Quinoa Salad. Take it from me, a former quinoa hater, this salad is far from the mundane quinoa salads you’ve encountered in the past!

Table of Contents
1. What is the RPL Recipe Club?
2. Last Month’s Winner
3. September 2023 Recipe
4. September 2023 Prize
5. Details and FAQ

What is the RPL Recipe Club?

Each month, I’ll choose one Rainbow Plant Life recipe that anyone in the RPL community can choose to make. 

You can make it just for fun OR you can enter to win an amazing prize each month! This month’s prize is listed below.

How to participate:

Participating couldn’t be easier! Just follow these steps:

  • Sign up for the Rainbow Plant Life newsletter (only newsletter subscribers are eligible to win the monthly prize, though you can of course still participate without being signed up).
  • Make this month’s recipe, take a picture of it, and email it to me at contest@rainbowplantlife.com with the subject line “Recipe Club” by 11:59pm on September 29th. By sending your picture in via email, you’ll be entered to win a prize. 

At the end of each month, we will randomly select a winner and share our favorite photos here!

Not signed up for my newsletter yet? Sign up here:

Join the RPL Recipe Club!

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    Last Month’s Winner

    The winner of the August 2023 RPL Recipe Club is Vanina Salgado!

    Congratulations, Vanina, and thank you to everyone who entered August’s contest. I had so much fun seeing all of your entries and I’m already looking forward to this month’s contest.

    Grid of 16 remakes of Baingan Bharta.

    September 2023 Recipe: Quinoa Salad!

    Prepare to transform your summer picnics and weekday lunches with this exciting version of a Quinoa Salad, one of my surprise favorite recipes from this year!

    I say “surprise favorite” because I’ve historically not been the biggest fan of quinoa. But this salad is Actually Good™️. It’s bursting with irresistible and complex flavors and textures and is nothing like the boring quinoa salads I know you’ve had in the past.

    Large oval white plate with quinoa salad, pickled onion and vegan feta.

    Swap in whatever seasonal veggies are stealing the show at the market, sprinkle in your favorite herbs, and let your creativity run free. In late summer, some of my favorites are tomatoes, grilled corn or zucchini, or roasted eggplant. But if it feels like fall where you are, try winter squash or carrots.

    The blog post linked below has full written instructions, tips for making the recipe, and ingredient substitutions, so be sure to check it out!

    Actually Good Quinoa Salad

    This Actually Good Quinoa Salad is no ordinary quinoa salad. Featuring toasted quinoa tossed with marinated chickpeas and seasonal vegetables, it’s a textural feat with layers of complex, mouth-watering flavors! It’s still quick and easy to make, and perfect for lunches, weeknight dinners, picnics, and potlucks.
    Check out this recipe
    Large white plate with quinoa salad, pickled onion and vegan feta.

    September 2023 Prize: Brightland Pizza Oil + Essential Capsule

    This month, we’re delighted to give away a bottle of Brightland’s Pizza Oil and The Essential Capsule!

    RPL recipe club graphic with brightland pizza oil and essential oil capsule.

    I’m delighted to present this month’s prize, featuring products from Brightland that I use on a day-to-day basis!

    The main prize for this month’s contest is The Essential Capsule! It comprises an exceptional quartet of essentials that enrich and complete any kitchen. This collection of olive oils and vinegars elevates everything from salad dressings to dips, soups and stews, and more.

    And as a bonus, I’ve added Brightland’s Pizza Oil to the mix! Made from California-grown olives cold-pressed with raw jalapeños, garlic, oregano, and basil, this Pizza Oil is custom blended for drizzling on deep dish, dunking thin crust, and dressing up delivery pizza.

    A note for international readers: Due to the exorbitant cost of international shipping, we can only ship the above prize within the 48 contiguous United States. However, you can still enter to win if you live elsewhere. If your entry is selected as the winner, we’ll send you a payment of $150 in lieu of the prize. Payment will be sent via PayPal.

    Other important details and FAQ

    Can I make modifications to the recipe and still enter?

    Absolutely! But your entry won’t count if you use any kind of animal product – Rainbow Plant Life is a vegan blog, after all!

    How old do I need to be to participate?

    You must be at least 18 years old to participate.

    I don’t live in the United States. Can I still enter?

    Yes! You can still enter the monthly contest, with a caveat.

    Due to the exorbitant cost of shipping, we can only ship the above prize within the 48 contiguous United States. However, you can still enter to win if you live elsewhere. If your entry is selected as the winner, we’ll send you a payment of $150 in lieu of the prize. Payment will be sent via PayPal.

    How is the winner chosen? 

    We’ll choose the winner at random (based on email entries). The quality of your photography is not a factor but we encourage you to try to make your photos look nice anyways!

    I’m looking forward to seeing this month’s entries!

    Hugs,

    Nisha

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @rainbowplantlife and hashtag it #rainbowplantlife

    Leave a Comment & Rating

    If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider giving it a star rating along with your comment! It helps others discover my blog and recipes, and your comments always make my day :) Thank you for your support!

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    10 comments on RPL Recipe Club – September 2023

    1. Terry Barnett

      My husband and I loved this recipe! The marinated chickpeas and the roasted quinoa are amazing. I used beets, broccoli, and corn for my veggies and used your feta cheese tofu as my feta and some roasted pistachios. We can’t wait to try it tomorrow because we know it’s going to be even better…if that’s possible.

      1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

        It’s great to hear you two loved it, Terry! I’m a huge fan of the marinated chickpeas myself :) Might just have to make some for myself this evening! Thanks for leaving a review!

    2. Sheri

      Made the “Actually Good Quinoa Salad” and now I’m totally obsessed with it. I’ve enjoyed it for lunch/dinner, and I’ve had it for breakfast the past few days! It is SO YUMMY! The crunchy quinoa is delicious and the combination of ingredients incredibly satisfying. I really appreciated the seasonal suggestions, too!

      First time I made the summer version as that is what I had on hand with cherry tomatoes and onions. Then I made it again with roasted cherry tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and broccoli that needed to be used! Both versions were amazing.

      THANK YOU for another winning recipe. I’ve never has a miss with any RainbowPlantLife recipes. Thanks again for amping up my daily meals.

      1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

        Thanks for the lovely comment and for being a loyal RPL reader! We appreciate you, Sheri!

    3. Rachel Stengel

      We were hosting a potluck with all types of eaters. I wanted to make something I knew I could eat and wouldn’t be tempted by all the crackers & cheese on the table :(

      I had over 2lbs of fresh/frozen haricort vert beans I needed to use — and I wanted it to be dairy-free so I didn’t add Feta (or buy vegan feta). Worked well, the beans tasted great. I easily found the pom molasses at my local Mediterranean market, too. I made the pickled red onions the night before. Everyone raved about this dish, especially the friend who is a professional high brow caterer! Truly delicious!

      1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

        Hi Rachel, thank you so much for sharing that with us! It’s great to hear the quinoa salad was such a hit. :)

    4. Jul

      This is such a terrific recipe!
      Unfortunately I made before I joined the recipe club so I didn’t take a picture! But please make it because I made all kinds of substitutions of ingredients but stayed true to the recipe and it was one of the most delicious salads and filling ones I ever ate. Yum!!!

      1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

        Hi Jul, it’s great to hear you had success with the recipe. Thanks for the review!

    5. Nicola Carpenter

      Say less, hun! BRING IT FOLKS! I can’t wait to participate!

      1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

        We can’t wait for you to either, Nicole! :)

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