Superfood Citrus Quinoa Salad
My daughter and I went to lunch at Fig and Olive in Chicago one day and I fell in love with their quinoa salad, I talked about how delicious it was all day! Using that as inspiration, I came up with the recipe for this Superfood Citrus Quinoa Salad! This salad is packed with superfoods and is one of my family's absolute favorites! The ingredients are loaded with tons of nutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and heart healthy fats. It's a flavor explosion! It's a little savory, a little sweet, and even has some crunch...it's seriously delicious!
Ingredients:
3 Cups Cooked Quinoa
1 Avocado - chopped
1 Cup Pomegranate Seeds
1 1/2 Cup Butternut Squash - chopped (bagged Butternut Squash from Trader Joe's is great for this, I just cut each piece into smaller pieces)
1 Cup Red Cabbage - finely sliced
1 Cup Brussel Sprouts - finely sliced
1/2 Chives or green onions - chopped
2/3 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1 Cup Orange - cut into small pieces (to easily cut into small pieces, cut away all of the rind, and then you can easily cut each section out and dice. See the picture below)
Dressing:
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/4 teaspoon Lemon Zest
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Salt
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
(While the quinoa is cooking, I cut up the butternut squash and put in the oven. During the time that the quinoa and squash are cooking and cooling, I prepare the rest of the veggies and fruit)
Cook Quinoa according to package. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once quinoa is cooked, set aside to cool. Lay butternut squash on baking pan and lightly brush with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in oven 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Remove squash when cooked through and allow to cool. (While quinoa and squash are cooking and cooling, cut up all veggies and fruit and set aside.)
For dressing: Zest Lemon in small bowl and add lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk to blend. In a large bowl toss quinoa and dressing, carefully fold in veggies, fruit and sunflower seeds. Refrigerate or serve immediately.