Tangy Quinoa Salad

Having friends or family over for dinner and looking for fun, fresh menu options? This quinoa salad is sure to impress taste buds!

What’s In It?

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews
• 1 bunch of dark kale, thinly sliced

How It’s Made:

1. Whisk the olive oil, orange juice, zest, and 1 tablespoon of the chives, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Place rinsed quinoa into pot and dry toast for 1–2 minutes on medium heat (to dry toast, just heat quinoa in pan until all of the water from rinsing is absorbed).
3. Add water, and bring quinoa to a boil.
4. Cover, lower heat and simmer for 12 minutes or until the water has been absorbed.
5. In a separate pan, sauté the kale in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until bright green (2–5 minutes).
6. Fluff and stir the quinoa. Add in the cherries, saffron, and cashews.
7. Cover. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the cooked kale.
8. Stir in the orange mixture. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with remaining chives.
9. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Delicious Knowledge

Kale is a dark green veggie with many nutrients jam-packed inside! It is full of vitamins A, C, and K, and contains minerals including copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and manganese. On top of that, this veggie is loaded with protein with roughly 3 grams per one cup. Incorporating kale into your diet can help promote heart and digestive health as well as healthy bones, skin, and hair.

Quinoa is an amazing super food full of proteins and is naturally gluten-free. It contains B vitamins, potassium, iron, and magnesium. It is one of few plant-based foods to be considered as a complete protein! This grain is much higher in fiber than most other grains and has a low glycemic index meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar levels after consuming.