What is Quinoa?
This amazing gluten-free grain provides all 9 essential amino acids, making it a completely source of protein. It has been called as a superfood. Quinoa is also a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, and fiber.
I personally love to make salads with quinoa. This is the best lunch for me, because you spend around 10 minutes to make it, it tastes delicious, and makes you full by dinner time.
One of the recipes, that I used recently, I will share with you today.
This salad has the fall flavors because you use pears or apples in the recipe, and the maple vinaigrette adds the sweetness to this delicious dish.
Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach and Chickpeas.
Ingredients:
1 cup organic quinoa
Sea salt
2 good handfuls of organic baby spinach leaves, washed, drained
1 large ripe pear, washed, stemmed and cored, cut into pieces
1/2 cup chilled chick peas, rinsed, drained
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
A handful of pecans, pan toasted and salted to taste
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions:
Place the quinoa in a saucepan or a rice cooker. Add 2 cups fresh water, and a pinch of sea salt. Cover and cook on a low simmer until all the water is evaporated and the quinoa is tender- roughly 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and dump it into a large salad bowl.
Add the baby spinach, pear, chickpeas to the quinoa and fluff.
Whisk together the vinaigrette, pour it over the quinoa salad and toss gently to coat. Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper.
Just before serving, add the toasted pecans and lightly combine.
Healthy Living, Healthy Us 