A seasonal colorful and crunchy salad to decorate your festive table, and it's also perfect for guests on a vegan and gluten free diet. The recipe is more greens than grain, but you can change the greens to quinoa ratio for a heartier dish.
Ingredients
Salad
½ cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
2 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion or shallot
2-3 cups baby arugula
2-3 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
Crumbled soft goat cheese (optional)
Dressing
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest from one lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon honey or agave
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
In a small pot bring quinoa and 1 cup of water to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa starts to get translucent and small curly tails sprout (the tail is the quinoa's germ). Let cool
Combine the rest of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add cooked quinoa
To make the dressing whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl
Just before serving, pour the dressing, toss, test and correct seasoning and serve immediately.
Enjoy,
Dr. Ayala