Crispy Quinoa Crunch Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
I eat a salad every day for lunch. Then I eat salad for dinner as a side dish. I guess that means I’m no stranger to salads and to be honest, I have no problem making the same one every day but that sounds boring right? Good thing I have a long repertoire of favourite salad recipes and this one is on my top ten list.
When I make a salad, the crunchier it is, the better it tastes. I loved the thought of adding quinoa into a salad but adding crispy quinoa is a whole different ball game. The arugula, toasted walnuts, bell peppers, pear, apple and carrots pair beautifully with the easy raspberry vinaigrette.dressing. And it’s all perfectly balanced with nutrient-packed crispy quinoa.
I DEFINITELY feel like this is my new power salad. Does this not look powerful to you?
I’m sure you have never heard of a baked salad. Who in their right mind bakes a salad? No one. I have heard of a warm salad so this isn’t as far fetched as you think it is. You’re not going to actually bake this salad but you are going to bake your quinoa and that sounds pretty darn good to me.
Baking the quinoa with a drizzle of olive oil is going to get you a first class ticket to the island of crunch. The quinoa gets crispy shmipsy and you are going to never want to top your salad with croutons again. Watch how it’s done here -> Crispy Quinoa
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ⅔ cup (120 g) raw quinoa
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 2 cups (130 g) arugula
- 1 yellow, red or orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 small apples cored and sliced or diced
- 1 Bartlett pair, sliced
- ¼ cup of ready to serve match stick carrots
- ¼ cup (30 g) toasted walnuts or pecans roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup (50 g) crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
- Prepare the ⅔ cup uncooked quinoa and water according to package directions.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- When quinoa is cooked place on cookie sheet and spread out. Drizzle with olive oil and sesame oil.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until crispy.
- Meanwhile prepare your salad bowl with arugula, feta / goat cheese, toasted nuts, bell peppers, sliced pear, apple and carrots.
- Top with crispy quinoa and toss.
- Dress with your choice of vinaigrette. I made a raspberry one - see recipe below.
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ cup frozen - or fresh raspberries
- ¼ cup water
- Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and mix until smooth.
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