Toasted Quinoa Salad With Pomegranate, Blood Orange, And Spinach
About Quinoa: Quinoa, a nutritionally dense superfood, is technically a seed that contains a whopping eight grams of protein per serving (1 cup). It's a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids, something rarely found in plant-based food. And if that wasn't enough, quinoa is high in fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals, and gluten-free. This salad can easily be a main course!
RATING
SERVES
4
PREP TIME
15 min
COOK TIME
15 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 tbsp extra virgin Greek olive il
- 2 cups water or a combination of water and vegetable stock
- Salt to taste
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach trimmed
- 1 pomegranate seeds removed, or 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 blood or navel orange
- 1 small firm but ripe avocado
- ½ cup hazelnuts toasted
- ⅓ cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
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Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under running water and drain well. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan and add the drained quinoa. Stir over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until the quinoa begins to toast lightly. Add the water and/or vegetable broth and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, place the lid on the pot and cook the quinoa for 15 minutes. When the quinoa is ready and has absorbed all the liquid, fluff it with a fork.
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While the quinoa is cooking, rinse and spin dry the baby spinach and set aside. If you’re using a whole pomegranate, cut it in half across the width (not from stem to base) and place the first half openside down in the palm of your hand. Using the back of a heavy tablespoon, tap out the seeds into a bowl. Repeat with the other half.
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Zest the orange and set the zest aside. Cut the orange into sections. Halve the avocado, remove the pit, score the flesh and set it aside until you’re ready to mix the salad.
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Place the cooked quinoa in a salad bowl. Toss with the spinach leaves. Add the orange pieces, pomegranate seeds, grated zest and hazelnuts. Gently spoon the scored avocado flesh into the salad.
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Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar and season lightly with salt. Pour it over the salad, toss gently, and serve.
Want to learn more easy, healthy Mediterranean diet recipes? Sign up for my online course “Mastering the Mediterranean!“
Want to learn more easy, healthy Mediterranean diet recipes? Sign up for my online course “Mastering the Mediterranean!“
