QUINOA POMEGRANATE AND ORANGE SALAD

Jan 18, 2013

smitten ⋅ gluten free, quick and easy, side salads, sides ⋅ beans, cilantro, honey, lime, orange, pomegranate, quinoa ⋅ 2 comments

•So my last 2 posts have been sandwiches…..delicious, juicy, rib stickin sandwiches!!  It’s hard not to make heartier recipes when it’s cold out and all you want to do is snuggle up on the couch and watch movies.  Getting back on the new year healthy track I made this quinoa salad filled with protein, super foods and antioxidants.  I ain’t gunna to lie, my husband HATED it (he’s a texture and I think anti quinoa person).  I, on the other hand, loved it!!  I cook a lot of quinoa at work and have really come to enjoy it.  I love the crunch of the pomegranate seeds, the sweet oranges and the bright cilantro and lime.  Make this for somebody you love, but remember, if they don’t like it, it doesn’t mean they don’t love you=)

 

  

for the salad

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 15oz can of black beans-drained and rinsed well

2/3 cup pomegranate seeds-rinsed and drained well

1 15oz can of mandarin oranges-drained well

1/3 cup chopped red onions

1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro

 

for the dressing

juice of 1 lime

2 tbls honey

1 garlic clove-minced

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

2 tbls olive oil

 

serves 4-6 (about 6 cups)

prep and mingling time-1 hour

 

Rinse quinoa in a strainer.  Add to 2 cups water and a healthy pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer 20-30 min, stirring a couple times until most of the liquid is absorbed and the germ or “tails” start to release.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  While the quinoa is cooking, get the other ingredients and dressing ready.

Pour cooked and cooled quinoa into a large bowl.

Add the rinsed and drained black beans.

Add in the chopped onions.

Add in the drained mandarin oranges. 

Sprinkle in the pomegranate seeds.  Make sure to run these under some cold water in a colander so their juice doesn’t discolor the salad.

I just love those two colors together=)

Add the chopped cilantro-yes, you are smarter than me, that is parsley!!! I didn’t realize it until I ate the salad!!! LOL, but saved myself by adding cilantro to the rest of the salad, it definitely needs that brightness.  Give it a quick stir and start on the dressing.

In a smaller bowl, juice the lime.

Add in the salt.

Add in the black pepper.

Squeeze in the honey.  Give it a whisk.

Add in the garlic.

Add in the olive oil, whisk again and taste for seasoning.

Pour over the salad and give it another careful stir. 

Cover and pop into the fridge for at least 30 min to overnight.  It was still beautiful the next day for lunch♥Enjoy

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