VEGETABLE QUINOA SALAD
Quinoa is a great wheat-free alternative to starchy grains that has become very popular in the last few years. Of course, I love my rice, couscous and any other type of grain, but lately, quinoa has been somewhat of an obsession. I love the versatility as you can substitute quinoa in any recipe that calls for rice or use it in hearty bake instead of pasta. And it’s quick-cooking and gluten free! Here, is one of my favorite quinoa salad which is refreshing, crisp and delicious and of course perfect for any season.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup of black eye beans rinsed
- 3/4 cup canned corn
- 1 1/2 cups of kale, chopped - chopped and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
- 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup sliced Kalamata olives
- 1 cup roasted red peppers
- 1 cup of asparagus, sautéed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- ½ cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 shallot, finely minced (1/4 cup)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up, and completely cool.
- Chop kale into small diced pieces and soak in hot boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Sliced asparagus into bite size pieces on an angle and Saute in a skillet with 1tsp of oil for few minutes to welt them. ( you can also grill or bake them)
- Remove quinoa into a large mixing bowl, add the black beans, corn, kale, parsley, olives, roasted red peppers, and sautéed asparagus.
- To make the vinaigrette: Whisk the balsamic vinegar, shallots, lemon juice black pepper and salt together in a small bowl. Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly to emulsify.
- Add the vinaigrette to bowl, and toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
