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I used to think quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) was a rather strange ingredient. And I vowed to never post recipes on this blog that call for strange ingredients. But it seems as though quinoa is becoming more commonplace, and I am certain some of 
you have a bag of it sitting in your pantry and don’t know what to do with it. I admittedly let our first bag of quinoa just chill for about six months before I worked up enough courage to try something so unusual and different. It’s funny how new ingredients can do that to us.
Long story short quinoa is very similar to couscous. You can eat it plain or add all sorts of seasonings and other fresh flavors to it. And we happen to think this recipe below is a real crowd pleaser. It can be eaten as a side with your lunch or dinner or brought along as the perfect addition to a potluck gathering. We also brought this salad camping the other weekend, and it would work great at an outdoor cookout as well. Trust me – you can’t go wrong so just make it, and I promise it will be gone in no time!
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 cups quinoa cooked (or 1 cup dry)
- ¾ cup dried fruit (we used raisins, golden raisins, chopped dried apricots, and dried currants)
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 bell pepper diced (any color)
Dressing
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
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Mix all salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
-
In a separate, smaller bowl whisk together all dressing ingredients.
-
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly.
Can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge.
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Loved this! Subbed black beans for the fruit, and used sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts (pine nuts are too expensive).
Love your recipes.. Would this be considered gluten free?
Yes. :) That said, if it is medically important that you not have any gluten (Celiac), you always need to be certain that all ingredients are fully gluten free.
Yes! Quinoa is a wonderful gluten free food. I use it in baking as well.
This was delicious! I just scanned the ingredients, so I didn’t realize it was supposed to be served cold. But because I omitted fruit and nuts, and used a can of rinsed/drained black beans instead, (I also added cumin to the dressing) this was a perfect last minute dinner.
Might be good with halved grape tomatoes too..
Can you make this the night before and it still be good the next night? (Wanting to make for a get together
You can. I would wait to add the dressing.