I A month or so ago we splurged and picked up a quinoa salad from a local organic deli. It was the most amazing quinoa salad I had ever tasted. Since then, I've been trying to replicate it, and this is as close as I have come.
Quinoa is a wonderful grain to have in a diet, its hearty, healthy and very high in protein. Because it is high in protein it will help keep you full a lot longer than other grains such as white rice and corn. The protein content also contains all 9 essential amino acids important for our bones and muscles and brains to stay happy and healthy. Its also a low glycemic index grain, meaning it won't spike blood sugar after eating it, another way it helps to keep you full longer. Complex carbohydrates take longer for the body to break down, so you can have energy longer and not feel sluggish (like you might after eating a giant bowl of pasta!). Some other perks of quinoa are it is high in iron, which is great for helping our red blood cells rejuvenate. Red blood cells are important for oxygenation as well as metabolism maintenance (if we don't get enough oxygen to our tissues our metabolism can slow down) as well as increased brain function (it sure needs a lot of oxygen to work at its best!), as well as high in other essential minerals like lysine (important for tissue growth and repair, and as a bonus there is some studies that show that lysine helps to stave off the virus that causes cold sores as well!), manganese (a natural antioxidant which helps detoxify the body of carcinogens, namely free radicals), Riboflavin (also known as vitamin B2, which helps regulate metabolism and blood pressure), and Magnesium (also good for helping with blood sugar control, which is how quinoa helps keep you full longer, and responsible for strong bones and teeth).
Quinoa is a wonderful grain to have in a diet, its hearty, healthy and very high in protein. Because it is high in protein it will help keep you full a lot longer than other grains such as white rice and corn. The protein content also contains all 9 essential amino acids important for our bones and muscles and brains to stay happy and healthy. Its also a low glycemic index grain, meaning it won't spike blood sugar after eating it, another way it helps to keep you full longer. Complex carbohydrates take longer for the body to break down, so you can have energy longer and not feel sluggish (like you might after eating a giant bowl of pasta!). Some other perks of quinoa are it is high in iron, which is great for helping our red blood cells rejuvenate. Red blood cells are important for oxygenation as well as metabolism maintenance (if we don't get enough oxygen to our tissues our metabolism can slow down) as well as increased brain function (it sure needs a lot of oxygen to work at its best!), as well as high in other essential minerals like lysine (important for tissue growth and repair, and as a bonus there is some studies that show that lysine helps to stave off the virus that causes cold sores as well!), manganese (a natural antioxidant which helps detoxify the body of carcinogens, namely free radicals), Riboflavin (also known as vitamin B2, which helps regulate metabolism and blood pressure), and Magnesium (also good for helping with blood sugar control, which is how quinoa helps keep you full longer, and responsible for strong bones and teeth).
Quinoa Salad
1 c raw quinoa (cook according to package instructions)
3/4 cup red pepper, diced fine
1/4 c craisins, chopped (or use 1/3 c fresh cranberries, quartered)
1/2 of a medium red onion, diced fine
1/2 of a medium red onion, diced fine
1/2 cup walnuts or cashews, chopped
3-4 stalks green onion, diced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cardamom (optional)
freshly ground pepper - to taste
1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1. In small bowl, mix together, vinegar, oil, honey, dill, cayenne, pepper and cardamom and let sit for flavours to infuse.
2. Cook quinoa according to package instructions, transfer to a large bowl and let cool. (You can always speed up this process by placing the bowl into another bowl filled with ice and stir the quinoa every few minutes).
3. While quinoa is cooling, chop peppers, onions, craisins, nuts and green onions.
1/3 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cardamom (optional)
freshly ground pepper - to taste
1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1. In small bowl, mix together, vinegar, oil, honey, dill, cayenne, pepper and cardamom and let sit for flavours to infuse.
2. Cook quinoa according to package instructions, transfer to a large bowl and let cool. (You can always speed up this process by placing the bowl into another bowl filled with ice and stir the quinoa every few minutes).
3. While quinoa is cooling, chop peppers, onions, craisins, nuts and green onions.
4. When quinoa is cooled, add in vegetables and dressing. Mix well.
5. It can be served right away, however I find the flavours meld much better when it has been refrigerated for a couple of hours.
This is a great make ahead salad, and it only gets better as the dressing infuses into the salad! You can always make a but if extra dressing, so you can add more to the salad if needed before serving. Salad is good if refrigerate for about a week!
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