Autumnal quinoa salad
Indulge in the warm flavors of fall with our Autumnal Quinoa Salad. Packed with seasonal produce, this dish is a flavorful delight for your taste buds.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa (color of your choice!)
- 1 acorn squash, cut into 1 inch slices
- 2 northern spy apples, diced
- 1 cup Arugula
- 1 small bunch of chard, about 5 leaves
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon vietnamese cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Toasted Pecans
- 1/4 cup Toasted Pepitas
- Simple Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- juice of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions:
- To start, cook the squash in the oven. Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Grease the pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ensuring it covers the surface evenly to prevent sticking. Drizzle the squash with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne, salt, and pepper together. Sprinkle the spice mix over the squash. Use your hands to coat the squash evenly with oil and spices. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. While the squash is roasting, prepare the quinoa following the instructions on the package.
- After 15 minutes, add the apple pieces to the roasting pan. Roast for an additional 10 minutes. Test the acorn squash with a fork to check for doneness. It should be tender but still firm.
- While the roasted squash and apples are cooling, remove the chard leaves from the stems. Cut the leaves into thin strips, reserving the stems for another use.
- Make the vinaigrette by combining all the ingredients in a mason jar or a container with a tight lid. Shake vigorously until the ingredients form a well-blended mixture.
- Peel the skin off the squash and cut it into small bite-sized pieces. Mix together the squash, apples, warm quinoa, arugula, and chard in a bowl. The heat from the quinoa will gently wilt the arugula and chard, so they are cooked but still have a bit of crunch. Add the vinaigrette and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle toasted pepitas and pecans on top before serving.
Summary:
- Calories: 2006 kcal
- Fat: 101 g
- Protein: 49 g
- Carbs: 258 g
- Potassium: 4845 mg
- Magnesium: 1025 mg