Tag Archives: Quinoa

Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Artichokes

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Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with ArtichokesThis quinoa salad is light and lemony and a great side dish. It’s perfect for spring or summer barbecues when you need some good vegetable side dishes.  Roasting the cauliflower brings out the nutty flavor which complements the quinoa and the toasted pine nuts.  I use white quinoa for this recipe because I like how it blends in color with the cauliflower and artichokes; the red onion and parsley offer the hints of color and flavor. The lemony dressing brings the flavors together with a nice acidic punch.

cauliflower roastedTo roast the cauliflower, slice it very thin and season then roast it with olive oil and some salt and pepper. While the cauliflower is roasting, cook the quinoa and slice the artichokes, onion and parsley and add them to a large bowl big enough to hold the rest of the ingredients.  Add lemon juice, remaining oil and vinegar and seasoning to the artichokes.  Add the cooked quinoa, cauliflower and toasted pine nuts.  Mix all ingredients through. Chill for at least 2 hours so the flavors mesh.

Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Artichokes

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower sliced thinly, and into small pies

1 cup of quinoa to yield about 2 cups of cooked quinoa

2 cups water

5 tablespoons EVOO

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 14 oz. can of artichoke hearts sliced

¾ cup diced red onion

¾ cup chopped parsley

Juice and zest of 2 lemons (yielding about 1/3 cup of lemon juice)

½ cup pine nuts, toasted

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

Thinly slice the cauliflower, slice it very thin and into small pieces and season it with salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and roast on a foil-lined pan for 25 minutes in a 400° oven. While the cauliflower is roasting, cook the quinoa in water in a covered pot for about 15 minutes, until cooked through. Add the artichokes, onion and parsley to a large bowl big enough to hold the rest of the ingredients. Add lemon juice and zest, remaining oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper and cumin to the bowl and mix through. When the quinoa is cooked add it to the bowl, then add the cauliflower, cutting the pieces as needed. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt and mix all ingredients through.  Toast the pine nuts then mix them through. Chill at least 2 hours so the flavors mesh.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

 

 

Kale Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

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kale quinoa sharp 2

Ah, Halloween, the season of trick o’ treating and pumpkins…. And where there are pumpkins, there are pumpkin seeds, also known by their Spanish name, pepitos.  Pepitos are rich in nutrition:  magnesium, zinc, Vitamin B, E, K and more.  But what I really love about them is the added protein, crunch, flavor and fullness I get when I eat them.  I like them roasted and salted.  Both roasted and raw pumpkin seeds have nutritional value but raw has more as the roasting process can strip away some of the nutrition.

I try to keep a bag around at all times, not just during pumpkin season, as I eat them as a snack, add them to lentil soup and to my salads. In fact, pumpkin seeds are the big flavor and crunch factor in my Kale Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Seeds.  I love this salad as you can eat it warm or cold, and the ingredients hold up in the refrigerator for a few days without the kale getting soggy or limp, like other salad greens with dressing on them.  You can make this salad with just pumpkin seeds or use the blend of pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds that I use for added depth.

pepitos 2When eating it warm, I use freshly cooked quinoa and toasted seeds and add them to the dressed kale and then mix it through.  The heat from the quinoa and toasted seeds warms up the dish but doesn’t cook the kale.   It’s a great side dish or main vegetarian dish with all the protein provided from the quinoa and seeds.  Plus, it’s really easy to make.

 

Kale Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

6 oz Tuscan kale leaves, stem removed, cut into 1-2” pieces

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (the juice of about 2 large lemons)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1cup quinoa

1 cup water

1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stick)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Add Kale to large bowl.  In a separate small bowl, add oil, lemon juice and salt and mix.  Add dressing to kale and mix through.  In a saucepan on the stovetop add the quinoa, water and stock and cook until quinoa is done.  In a non-stick frying pan, add the pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds and heat on medium flame tossing constantly, until the seeds are heated through but not burnt.  Add the quinoa and seeds to the kale and mix through.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until cool.

Serves 4-6