Sweet Lemon-Herb Quinoa Salad
I only have a few short weeks before I can no longer justify eating what I want, whenever I want.
Bummer. *Sigh*
This little one has wanted to nurse every waking moment of her days, and consequently my appetite is rather beast-like. I told Steve yesterday that I’d keep the baby fed if he’d keep me fed. Our grocery bill may just go up a smidgen.
That doesn’t mean I need to give in to every 9PM Nutella-on-ice-cream craving. I need to reign in my cravings and get ready for my July paleo cleanse (Which, by the way, means I’ll simply be eating strictly paleo. Not restricting calories or fat because I’ll be nursing.), so I’m gathering some healthier options, like this refreshing summer salad!
This one is similar to the Lemon Quinoa Salad, but has a sweet-ish dressing and a few other ingredients that turn it into a completely different salad.
And it’s totally sun-safe. No nasty, warm mayo to fear!
Sweet Lemon-Herb Quinoa Salad
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
2 lemons
1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral-tasting oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 tsp packed brown sugar (or honey)
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 whole shallot, thinly sliced (or 1/4 of a medium red onion)
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup diced jicama
1/2 cup raw cashews (or peanuts, if you prefer)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed, leaves torn (or a couple handfuls of baby spinach)Directions:
Remove 2 wide strips of the zest of 1 lemon with a vegetable peeler. Combine 1 strip of zest with oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until the edges of the zest turn slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Let the lemon oil cool. (That's what you have now -- lemon oil. Cool, huh?)
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa as directed on the package, adding the remaining lemon zest strip to the water. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl, discarding the zest, and fluff with a fork. Let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the dressing by juicing both lemons into a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar, brown sugar, 1 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Keep whisking until sugar dissolves. Discard the zest from the cooled lemon oil, then whisk the oil into the dressing. Add the shallots and let it marinate for 15 minutes.
Add the carrot, cucumber, jicama, nuts, cilantro, mint, basil and watercress/spinach to the bowl with the rice. Add the dressing and gently toss.
adapted from Food Network Magazine May 2012
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Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar — June 14, 2012 @ 4:02 am
Such a perfect summer salad! Yum!
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Redd H from Salted Spoon — June 14, 2012 @ 12:36 pm
This looks yummy and perfect. I feel like you could make this and then eat it for lunch a few days in a row when things get busy!
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Jenna@littlekitchenbigflavors — June 14, 2012 @ 2:40 pm
This looks like a great dish to try quinoa. I gave it a shot once before and didn’t like the flavors too much so I haven’t really ventured out with other recipes. Any other suggestions for recipes that will make me love this healthy grain? Thanks!
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Heidi @ Food Doodles — June 14, 2012 @ 4:23 pm
Oh my goodness, I know what you mean. I thought I was hungry while I was pregnant? Not in comparison to now! Hah.
Your salad looks delicious – I love quinoa salads! The cashews in yours sound so good :)
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Joanne — June 14, 2012 @ 6:06 pm
Even though I am NOT breast feeding, my nutella-on-ice-cream cravings have been in full force also. I need more recipes like this in my life!
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Bree — June 15, 2012 @ 10:29 am
Looks delish!
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Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy — June 16, 2012 @ 1:31 pm
looks delicious! i love the combo of herbs!
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Karen | The Food Charlatan — June 18, 2012 @ 4:12 pm
I used to not understand the whole “midnight snack” thing. As if people really get up in the middle of the night for food, I thought. And then I started nursing. And then I started to get up in the middle of the night to eat…like every night. Those 3am feedings were almost always feedings for myself as well. And now I feel like livestock, referring to my midnight snack as a feeding.
PS, I need to hop on the quinoa train, this looks delish.
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Natalie replied: — June 19th, 2012 @ 3:28 pm
Ditto. It wasn’t until I was pregnant and/or nursing did I understand it, too. Use that excuse while you have it though! :)
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily — July 8, 2012 @ 3:02 pm
I just got back from an Alaskan cruise so I have 10 extra pounds to lose! I don’t really get the paleo “diet” while this quinoa looks like it belongs, I’ve seen muffins,cake ect on other sites listed as Paleo. I understand it to be a cave man diet. Is this just a way of saying eat natural foods? If so, how is cake paleo regardless of the ingredients do you think?
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Natalie replied: — July 8th, 2012 @ 3:23 pm
Ah, you’ve targeted my biggest peeve with so-called “Paleo” recipes. The Paleo diet is whole foods diet without grains, dairy, legumes, or sugar. Some people take a lot of liberty with that and make a muffin (or cookies, or a cake) from all “paleo” ingredients and call it a paleo muffin. The idea of a muffin isn’t paleo at all. I’d just call it a grain-free, dairy-free muffin. Those “faux paleo” recipes do come in handy sometimes when craving baked goods, though.
P.S. A cruise!! How fun!!
Natalie replied: — July 8th, 2012 @ 3:24 pm
And… the amount of sweetener in “paleo baked goods” is totally unnatural as well. Yes, honey is a natural sweetener, but I doubt Grog would have come across those amounts while foraging.
Jeannie — July 26, 2012 @ 3:44 pm
I have made this recipe 3x’s now I love it so much!!! But have been substituting what I have for the vegetables. I never buy jicama so have used onions, sugar snaps, cauliflower arugula,and yellow squash. Avocado and pine nuts sound good but add good fat also I had seasoned rice vinegar so I did not add the sweetener. Thank you so much!! May you and your family be blessed on this and every day.
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