Quinoa Medley Salad

When most people think of salads, they usually imagine something leafy, with a dressing and some toppings. However, these days salads are much more diverse than that. They can be hearty salads made with beans, legumes, and nuts that fulfill your daily requirement for protein using vegan sources. This quinoa medley salad is a great example.

For this salad, it is better to have the quinoa slightly undercooked or al dente in order to keep its texture more distinct. If overcooked, it becomes too soft and mushy.

Quinoa_Slider.jpg

Ingredients:

Cook time 40 minutes

  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa

  • 2 1/2 cups water

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

  • 2 cups pomegranate

  • 2 cups hazelnuts, pecans or sunflower seeds

  • 1/3 cup dried currants or raisins

  • 1/3 cup mint, minced

  • 1/4 tsp cumin

  • 1/4 tsp pepper

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1 tbsp Black Maple

  • Salt to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F and toast the nuts for 10-15 minutes. Remove nuts from the oven and set aside to cool. If you wish to remove the skins from the hazelnuts, you can do so by following this technique. Using both hands, grab a handful of hazelnuts and enclose them with both hands, then rub the hazelnuts together in the same motion you would if you were scrubbing your hands. Repeat this process over and over until most of the skins have fallen off

  2. To cook the quinoa, place it in a pot with the 2 1/2 cups of water. Set your stove to medium and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the stove to low and hold for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep it in the pot for another 5 minutes. For best results, remove the quinoa from the pot and allow to cool on a tray. Doing so increases surface area and lets it cool faster

  3. Once the quinoa has cooled, you can prepare to fold all the ingredients together. First, mix the apple cider vinegar with the maple syrup and Black Maple. Then, place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and fold together. The salad will stay fresh for 2 days, but if you plan to keep it longer you will need to add more fresh herbs as you enjoy the salad later on

  4. Here’s an idea: If you love avocados, add it in at the end of mixing!

Black MapleVictor Chadarov