Recipe: Minty Arugula Salad With Lime Dressed Quinoa And Grapefruit

If you've got loads of arugula in the garden right now like we do, this is a tasty and unique salad, full of fresh summer flavors like mint and lime. Quinoa provides protein and a nice crunch, making this a complete meal for a light lunch or supper - or serve as a side-dish with Wednesday's recipe of pan-fried Balsamic Orange Salmon!

Minty Arugula Salad With Lime Dressed Quinoa And Grapefruit
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
salt and black pepper to taste
4 cups baby arugula leaves, cleaned and dried
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
1/2 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

Directions:

• Put quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat and toss gently until fragrant.  It should smell slightly nutty; remove from heat.
• In a large saucepan, add water and bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low.  Add salt and slowly stir in toasted quinoa. Keep heat on low, cover saucepan, and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and dump into a bowl to cool.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, and shallot, taste and add salt and black pepper to taste, stirring well. 
• Stir 3/4 of this dressing into the cooled quinoa, setting the remaining dressing aside.
• In a separate large bowl, toss together the arugula, mint, and cranberries (if using).
• To serve, using 4 chilled salad plates, divide the arugula mixture onto each salad plate, then top each serving with even amounts of quinoa mixture and grapefruit. Finish by drizzling each salad with equal amounts of the remaining dressing.

Recipe: Cold Quinoa Green Bean Salad

Cold summer salads are one of my favorite ways to eat quinoa. The uniquely crunchy texture provides a nice change from other summer salad options, and the mild flavor goes well with just about any summer veggie and light tangy dressing. This is a variation on one of my other favorites - using green beans instead of cooked black beans. It makes a great lunch or light supper, and lends itself well to all sorts of creative tweaks and additions - have fun, and enjoy!

Cold Quinoa Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes & Feta
(Serves 1.)

Ingredients:

Quinoa salad (Photo credit: markhillary)

For the salad:
1 cup quinoa
9 ounces runner beans (cut off tops and tails, then cut in narrow diagonal strips)
10 1/2 ounces cherry tomatoes (wash tomatoes and cut in quarters)
7 ounces feta cheese
One handful pumpkin seeds (toast in a dry skillet for a minute or so to prepare)
black olives to taste, roughly chopped

For the dressing:
juice from one medium-sized lemon
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Toast quinoa in a pan over medium-low heat until quinoa just starts to change color.
• Stir in three cups hot water and a pinch of salt. Allow to simmer for about 12 minutes, until quinoa is almost tender and white tails start to appear. 
• Add beans, then cover pan and allow to steam for two minutes. Water in the pan should be completely absorbed and the quinoa grains light and fluffy. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

• To make the dressing, mix lemon juice, oil, and balsamic or red wine vinegar together. Add black pepper and salt as needed.  Set aside.

• Finally, add olives, tomatoes, and most of the pumpkin seeds to the quinoa and beans.
• Drizzle dressing over this mixture and crumble in the feta cheese. 
• Top with remaining pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.

Recipe: Mexican Quinoa Salad

Quinoa goes ethnic with this delicious recipe - perfect for a summer brunch or light supper. The mild flavor and nutty crunch of quinoa lends itself well to Mexican spices and veggies. Corn, salsa, cilantro, and black beans meld perfectly for a flavor combo that is sure to please. Make it spicier with medium or hot salsa instead if desired, and feel free to use fresh veggies from your garden when they're available for even fresher and healthier flavors!

Mexican Quinoa Salad
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 large diced tomato
6 green leaf lettuce leaves, torn
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
3/4 cup mild chunky salsa
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 cups quinoa, well rinsed
1/2 large chopped sweet onion

Directions:

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring two cups water to a boil, then stir in quinoa.
2. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer ten minutes. 
3. Add corn, 1/4 cup salsa, beans, salt, black pepper, and chili powder.
4. Return mixture to a boil, then cover and cook two to five minutes more, until quinoa is just tender. 
5. Stir in olive oil, 1/4 cup salsa, and cilantro. Simmer until thickened. 
6. Top lettuce leaves with quinoa mixture, onion, tomato, and remaining 1/4 cup of salsa for individual servings.