Not-Your-Average Quinoa Salad with Cherries and Creamy Vinaigrette
Make this ahead and have lunch on hand for several days - simply refrigerate salad and dressing separately and combine in the morning or right before eating.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sliced unsalted almonds
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups spinach leaves, thinly sliced
- 1 15-oz BPA-free can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/3 inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup dried unsweetened cherries, chopped
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest + 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustarf
- 2 tsp raw honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast 7 to 10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package directions.
3. In a large serving bowl, toss together quinoa, spinach, chickpeas, cucumber, cherries and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Add almonds and gently stir. Chill for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1.5 cups
- Calories 488
- Carbohydrate Content 56 g
- Cholesterol Content 3 mg
- Fat Content 22 g
- Fiber Content 10 g
- Protein Content 12 g
- Sodium Content 235 mg
- Sugar Content 14 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 4 g