Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Candied Walnuts

• Produce

  • 1/2 cup Broccoli florets, fresh
  • 1/2 cup Cranberries [or frozen!] or 1 cup, fresh dried
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Green onion

• Canned Goods

  • 1 1/4 cups Vegetable broth

• Condiments

  • 1 tbsp Lime juice, fresh

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1 cup Quinoa, dry

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 dash Black pepper
  • 2 tsp Brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Honey or sugar
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 1 Salt and pepper

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil or grape seed oil, light

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1 cup Walnuts

• Drinks

  • 1 tbsp Orange juice

• Dairy

  • 1 tbsp Butter, unsalted

• Other

  • the teeniest pinch of salt

Found on peasandcrayons.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 + 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries [or frozen!] or 1 cup dried
• 1/2-1 cup fresh broccoli florets
• 2 TBSP chopped green onion
• salt and pepper to taste
• for the candied walnuts:
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 TBSP unsalted butter
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 TBSP honey or sugar, if vegan
• the teeniest pinch of salt
• for the dressing:
• 2 TBSP light olive oil or grape seed oil
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed and minced [1/4 tsp]
• 1 TBSP fresh lime juice
• 1 TBSP orange juice
• a pinch of salt
• a dash of black pepper
• notes and such: If youre using fresh berries, the dish will have an extra burst of tartness that those juicy little buggers are infamous for! For those of you who find cranberries to be super tart when served straight up, grab a bag of dried cranberries. Theyre sweeter and still deliver amazing flavor to this dish! Both will result in some serious deliciousness! Going vegan? Skip the honey and substitute with white or brown sugar.

Directions

• First rinse + drain your quinoa using a mesh strainer/sieve
• Bring a medium saucepan to medium heat and lightly toast the quinoa to remove any excess water. Stir as it toasts for just a few minutes. This step is optional but really adds to the fluff factor of the quinoa!
• Next add your broth and bring pot to a boil.
• Once its boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly ajar, for 12-13 minutes.
• If youre using frozen cranberries, add them to the pot after 6-8 minutes; if youre using dried or fresh cranberries add them in around the 9-10 minute mark and recover.
• Test the cranberries before pulling from heat to make sure theyve had enough time to cook, then remove from heat.
• Once your quinoa and cranberries are done, season with a teeny bit of salt and pepper, fluff gently with a fork, and set aside.
• Add a little water to that same pot and bring to a boil. Gently blanch your broccoli florets until bright green and al-dente [you want it to still be a bit firm yet tender, not mushy] which should only take a few minutes.
• Drain, chop into bite-sized bits, and add to the quinoa along with chopped green onion.
• Place quinoa in the fridge while you prep your dressing and walnuts.
• DRESSING: Smash and mince garlic into a paste and combine with all remaining dressing ingredients. Whisk well and set aside.
• CANDIED WALNUTS: Heat a skillet or saucepan to medium heat and butter to melt. Next add in your chopped walnuts, honey, salt, and sugar. Saute for 5-6 minutes and pour over parchment paper, using a spatula to separate the nuts. Otherwise youll have yummy walnut brittle that youll want to break apart over your salad, which is no big deal either! Yum! Allow to cool for several minutes until the coating hardens and your walnuts have officially been candied! Woot! Try not to eat them all before they hit the salad.
• Grab your bowl-o-quinoa and top with the walnuts. Drizzle with dressing just before digging in! Serve this up as a salad for lunch [I ate the entire thing myself, ha! It can easily serve 2 if needed] or serve it up as a colorful side dish to stretch it to 4 servings. Serve it chilled or at room temperature, its great both ways! Enjoy!