Quinoa Salad

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15-20 minutes | Cook Time: add extra time if adding animal protein

A powerhouse salad with a wonderful ginger-curry dressing. I like to add ground beef, grilled shrimp or hard cooked eggs to make this a complete meal. Adapted from Heidi Swanson.

Ingredients

For The Ginger Curry Dressing:

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons grated ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For The Salad:

2 cups cooked quinoa (how to cook quinoa)
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 cups arugula or spinach
2/3 cups toasted cashews, chopped
1 medium cucumber, seeded, cut into 1/4 moons
1 14- ounce can chickpeas, drained
3 ounces / 2/3 cup feta, crumbled
For serving: 1 cup fresh herbs – torn basil, minced chives, torn mint, etc.

Chef Tips

Preparation

Step 1 (Make the Ginger Curry Dressing):

Use a blender or food processor to combine all the ingredients except the olive oil. Slowly drizzle the olive oil in as you’re blending until the dressing emulsifies and becomes creamy in appearance. Taste, adjust with more salt and/or vinegar and set aside.

Step 2 (Assemble The Salad):

Combine the quinoa, red onion, arugula, cashews, cucumber, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Drizzle with about 1/2 cup of the ginger-curry dressing. Toss well, and then toss more. Sprinkle the feta across the salad and gently toss to distribute throughout. Serve at room temperature with fresh herbs added at the last minute.