Red Quinoa Salad w/ Roasted Carrots
A hearty quinoa salad with roasted carrots and beets over greens, finished with avocado and an orange-balsamic dressing. It holds up well chilled, so it works as a make-ahead lunch or a side.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 cup red quinoa
- 1¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 piece beet, small, red or golden
- 3 piece carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2 x 4 inch sticks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 piece orange, large; zested, plus 1 tablespoon juice for dressing
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus pepper to taste
- 1 piece avocado, peeled and diced
- 4 cup watercress, or 4-6 cups mixed spring salad greens
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese, toasted nuts and/or raisins, for topping (optional)
Orange Dressing
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Method
- MAKE QUINOA: Rinse quinoa in a strainer for several minutes. Place in pot with water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and let cool. You can cool in the fridge if time is short.
- PREPARE CARROTS AND BEETS: Heat oven to 425F. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and spray well with oil (or use parchment paper). BEETS: Scrub the beets under running water to remove dirt and sand. Oil the beets, then wrap tightly in tin foil. Place them on one end of the pan. For a big shortcut, buy roasted beets instead. CARROTS: In a medium bowl, mix together oil, honey, nutmeg, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Add carrots and toss. Lay in single layer on the prepared pan.
- ROAST CARROTS AND BEETS: Roast vegetables for about 20-25 minutes, turning carrots once, until carrots are tender and caramelized. Spoon onto a plate. If beets pierce easily with a knife, they are...