A salad full of healthy ingredients and made for this season of grapes; a quinoa salad with grapes. You can keep it for a few days, so it’s perfect for lunch or dinner during a busy week.
I know, I am on the edge with posting this recipe, because the grapes season is coming to a close, but since there are still enough of these juice fruits available, and there is always next year, please read on.
What’s needed to make this colorful salad:
- Quinoa – basically the color you want; I have used the multi-color version
- Spinach
- Red Grapes – white will do as well, but less colorful
- Cheese curds – you gotta have cheese. Alternatively you can use feta or goat cheese. I like the squeaky cheese in combination with the juice bombs (grapes)
- Pistachio nuts – or any other if you so prefer; pecan, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds
- Parsley
- Orange Dressing consisting of: orange juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, salt & pepper
- Salt and pepper
This is how you make this Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Orange Dressing, quick and simple as always:
Rinse the quinoa. Bring the water to a boil in a small pan and add the quinoa. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered. Simmer until the water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). Take off the heat, cover the pan and rest for approx. 5 minutes. The quinoa is fully. Transfer to bowl and cool.
This is my way of preparing quinoa, but it goes again directions on many packaging, where they want you to cook the quinoa in a closed pan and then rest with lid open. My experience is that my way yields a better result. I will do a separate post on this.
When the quinoa is cooled and you made the dressing/vinaigrette by mixing white wine vinegar, orange zest, olive oil, orange juice, maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste, it’s a matter of combine spinach, quinoa, halved grapes, pistachio nuts, cheese curds, parsley, vinaigrette and salt & pepper to taste. Your salad is ready – almost ready to eat.
Last step is to transfer the salad to bowls or plates and sprinkle with the orange zest.
Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Orange Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa any color you like
- 1 cup water or vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup red grapes halved
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup pistachio nuts chopped
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese curds chopped if needed
- 2 ounces baby spinach
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa. Bring the water to a boil in a small pan and add the quinoa. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered. Cook until the water is absorbed (10-15 minutes). Take off the heat, cover the pan and rest for approx. 5 minutes. The quinoa is fully. Transfer to bowl and cool.
- Make the dressing by mixing white wine vinegar, orange zest, olive oil, orange juice, maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Combine spinach, quinoa, halved grapes, pistachio nuts, cheese curds, and parsley.
- Drizzle with the orange dressing, mix and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the salad to bowls or plate and sprinkle with the orange zest.
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