Description
A vibrant and hearty salad that perfectly balances flavors and textures. Featuring fluffy quinoa, fresh peppery arugula, sweet dried cranberries, earthy toasted walnuts, and tangy goat cheese, this dish is a nutritious and satisfying meal. It comes together in just 25 minutes, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights or as a beautiful side dish for dinner parties, combining wholesome ingredients with ease and elegance.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 oz goat cheese
0.5 cup dried cranberries
0.5 cup toasted walnuts
3 tablespoons fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7 oz baby arugula
3 tablespoons fresh mint
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine quinoa and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed; let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with baby arugula, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts.
Add the finely chopped fresh basil and fresh mint.
Fold in the crumbled goat cheese gently.
Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss everything together until well combined and serve immediately.
Notes
To toast walnuts, place in a dry pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. You can prep the cooked quinoa and chopped ingredients ahead of time and store them separately. Toss with the arugula right before serving to maintain freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 10mg