Spinach-Quinoa Salad with Cherries and Almonds
This salad is perfect for picnics because it's filling and won't get soggy. It also works well with couscous or bulgur.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups spinach leaves
- 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved, or 1 cup dried cherries, chopped
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread almonds on baking sheet, and toast 7 to 10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, or until golden brown. Cool.
2. Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil in pot over medium-high heat. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed.
3. Remove from heat and cool, covered, in pot.
4. Lay 5 or 6 spinach leaves flat on top of one another on cutting board. Roll tightly into cylinder, then slice into slivers. Repeat with remaining spinach.
5. Toss together quinoa, almonds, spinach, cherries, cucumber, chickpeas and red onion in large serving bowl. Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in small bowl. Pour over salad, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop, then serve.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/6 of recipe
- Calories 352
- Carbohydrate Content 52 g
- Cholesterol Content 1 mg
- Fat Content 12 g
- Fiber Content 8 g
- Protein Content 11 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1 g
- Sodium Content 492 mg
- Sugar Content 10 g