Autumn Quinoa Salad
This versatile Quinoa Salad is perfect for meal prep and can be customized with a variety of colorful, seasonal ingredients. Quinoa cooked with aromatic spices and broth serves as the base, and then you can mix in your favorite additions. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can follow the stovetop instructions on the quinoa package, replacing water with broth infused with the specified spices.
Ingredients
- Quinoa:
- 1 tablespoon preferred oil avocado, coconut, olive
- 2 teaspoons granulated cumin
- 2 teaspoons granulated turmeric
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste once cooked
- ½ teaspoon granulated cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon granulated ginger
- A pinch of saffron about 15-20 threads, crushed
- Freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 2 cups quinoa rinsed thoroughly in a fine colander
- 3 cups chicken broth homemade or store-bought
- Garnish:
- 3 cups arugula
- ½ cup dried unsweetened cherries
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- Easy Vinaigrette:
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar
- 1 shallot
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Makes: 10-12 servings
Instructions
- Use the sauté function of the pressure cooker to heat the oil.
- Add all the spices and sauté briefly to release their flavors, then turn off the sauté function.
- Add the quinoa and broth to the spices, and stir well to combine spices, broth, and quinoa.
- Close and seal the pressure cooker, setting it to high pressure for 1 minute.
- It will take several minutes to build pressure but will count down once pressurized.
- Turn off or unplug the pressure cooker once the timer notifies you that the minute is up.
- Set a timer for 10 minutes to allow the pressure to release naturally.
- While the quinoa is cooking, blend the vinaigrette ingredients together, or use your preferred store-bought dressing.
- Quick-release any remaining pressure, then fluff the quinoa with a fork while transferring it to a large baking sheet to cool.
- Serve the quinoa salad warm or cold with the arugula, dried cherries, and slivered almonds.
- Toss the salad with the vinaigrette.
- Enjoy the leftovers throughout the week, customizing your salad with different dried fruits, nuts, seeds, greens, or dressings to find your favorite combinations.
Notes & Wine Advice
Nutrition Analysis:
300 calories19g fat
0mg cholesterol
220mg sodium
26g carbohydrates
3g dietary fiber This Autumn Quinoa Salad is a delightful blend of flavors and textures, offering a satisfying and nutritious option for your meal prep routine. Feel free to adapt the ingredients to suit your preferences and embrace the beauty of the season’s produce.