Monday, January 10, 2011

Golden Quinoa Salad


I do not like calling things "healthy", but I do enjoy eating healthy things if that makes sense.  For some reason the word healthy sounds like unappetizing bland food, but it doesn't have to be.  I was feeling like I needed something protein packed and energizing, and well I guess you could say nutritious, so I got to work creating a grain salad.  Since quinoa is a powerhouse, I thought it would be the perfect base for my salad.  I raided my fridge and came up with a color scheme, gold!  Mostly because I needed a bit of sunshine, even in my food being that it is winter.  I grabbed a golden beet, a carrot, some golden raisins, as well as some pecans, and walnuts for protein.  For my dressing I made a citrus vinaigrette laced with tumeric to give my salad a lovely color.  The finished salad was delicious but most importantly it was satisfying and beautiful!  The bright citrus along with the toasty nuts, sweet raisins and crunchy veggies was wonderful!  Here is the recipe if you would like to eat a bit of sunshine!


Golden Quinoa Salad
Serves 3

2 cups water

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 medium golden beet, cut julienne
1 large carrot, cut julienne
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1 cup golden raisins

Dressing:
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed about 15 minutes, or when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Drain, and let cool. When quinoa is cool, combine with the beets, carrots, walnuts, pecans, and raisins.  Whisk together dressing ingredients, and pour over salad.  Toss to combine, and for best flavor let sit a few hours or overnight in the fridge before serving. 

13 comments:

Sandra said...

Amy this is wonderful dish, and sorry to say sounds really healthy:) I never ate quinoa..but it would be interesting trying new thinks!Great photos!

Charlie @ SweetSaltySpicy said...

This salad looks incredible! And with that delicious, flavorful dressing, it has to be!

Christina-Marie Wright said...

I'm always looking for ways to use quinoa creatively. Thanks for sharing this!

Ilke said...

What a great way to combine the veggies and grain. The more I read about quinoa, the more I admire this grain. But my quinoa always is bland. This will be a great go-by.

Medeja- CranberryJam said...

Looks nice and colorful.
Quinoa is something I havent tried yet..

Ms. F said...

Lovely salad! It has so many flavours of summer (what you were going for!) and it's still hearty for the winter because of the quinoa. What is it about the cold that makes us craving belly-filling food?

Tiffany said...

I love the inclusion of the pecans! :D

Cook in a Bar said...

Looks lovely!

Kate @ Diethood.com said...

That's a beautiful salad ... I want a bite of that healthy dish! :)
I have a friend that won't eat anything that is described as healthy, low fat, low cal, etc... She says not to tell her that until after she is done eating it. :)

Anonymous said...

This dish looks so delicious and refreshing too! This is the perfect dish for me to make and bring to lunch for a few days. Thanks for sharing!

Suchitra Vaidyaram said...

healthy and look super delicious! I love quinoa

Amy Bakes Everything said...

What a gorgeous salad! Love the colors, photos are great!~ I've wanted to try quinoa for a while now...

Belinda @zomppa said...

I LOVE quinoa and always looking for new creative ways to eat it, so thank you!!