Quinoa, Cabbage and Almond Salad

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Do you know why I love salad? In addition to it's nutrition values, I'm in love with the fabulous colors and texture.  But mostly, when making salads, you take the simplest, in-expensive ingredients and make a beautiful, nutritious dish.This quinoa salad is very popular in my restaurant especially for people who are allergic to gluten.Open your refrigerator and just pick all  the vegetable crisper, cabbage, celery, broccoli, peppers and scallions.  Go the pantry and get the cranberry, the almonds and your good olive oil.Chop the cabbage and fresh fennel into thin strips, dice the carrots and the celery.  Dice the red pepper and  yellow pepper. Add the cranberry, the slivered almonds.  Toss well.Whisk the lemon juice with the olive oil, the lemon zest, the fresh ginger and the the pureed candied oranges.  The candied orange is optional but I think it add unique flavor to the salad.  Drizzle the dressing over the vegetable and toss until well coated.Boil the quinoa until it is done but not mushy.  Spoon the hot quinoa over the vegetable and mix.  Wait about 10 minutes.  Toss again, add salt, adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with chopped scallion and serve.For tips on how to cook quinoa and the healthy benefit of quinoa check this link.

Quinoa, Cabbage and Almond Salad
Recipe Type: Salads
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Author: Sanaa
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Unique salad with amazing colors, textures and flavors and it tastes better the next day.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups dry quinoa
  • 1 head fresh fennel, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 4 celery stalk, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 4 cups florets
  • 1/2 head red cabbage, chopped
  • 1 . cup cranberries
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 . tablespoon pureed candied orange, optional
  • lime zest
  • 1 . teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
  • salt to taste
  • 2 . scallions, diced
Instructions
  1. Place all vegetables, the cranberries and the almonds in salad bowl. Toss well.
  2. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, fresh ginger, candied orange, lime zest and salt. Drizzle this dressing over the vegetables mixture.
  3. Place the quinoa in pot, add 2 1/2 cup water, stir and bring to a boil. Boil until the water evaporated.
  4. Spoon the hot quinoa over the vegetables and toss.
  5. Taste, adjust the seasoning --maybe more lemon juice, salt or more of lime zest--.
  6. Allow the salad to cool, sprinkle with scallion and then serve.