Description
Savor a delightful blend of chewy quinoa, sweet-tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans in this vibrant salad—perfect for any gathering or as a nutritious side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach (or kale)
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa under cold water to remove bitterness.
- Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan, add rinsed quinoa, cover, and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast chopped pecans for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Finely dice the red onion and wash the spinach thoroughly. If using kale, chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, red onion, and spinach. Toss until evenly mixed.
- In a small bowl or jar, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup. Whisk or shake until well blended.
- Pour dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until everything is coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Transfer to plates as an eye-catching side or main dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: For extra flavor, cook quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water. Customize by adding roasted butternut squash or chickpeas for more nutrition. Letting the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving enhances flavors.