Goodies Mandarin Quinoa Salad

Can I offer you a shot?

of goodness….

Topped with more amazingness?

Can you say “tastes like Spring?” This isn’t your ordinary shot of liquor. It’s a shot of Mandarin Quinoa Salad

This recipe was actually inspired by one of the dishes we demonstrated this week in Cooking Matters! I made a few tweaks and healthified it a bit more. SO GOOD. The roomies even liked it

Before I share that recipe…LOOK WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL!!

Love Grown Foods sent me 4 different varieties of their newly released granola line. asdf;jasfdkljadfs!! You probably don’t know this, but I LOVE GRANOLA! I don’t buy it very often because I will eat the entire bag in one sitting. Control yourself Lee…. I am already pumped for tomorrows breakfast. Which should I try first: Sweet Cranberry Pecan, Apple Walnut Delight, Cocoa Goodness, or Raisin Almond Crunch?

Remember yesterday when I told you I purchased an obscure kind of pasta from the co-op? If you guessed it was made from Quinoa [which only one reader did! Hey Carmen :)], then you’re pretty much a genius!

Organic and Gluten Free! YAHOO! Take a look at the nutrition stats…

I was pleasantly surprised to find out the price of this pasta was $1.29! I had to get it…they had so many different varieties, but “stringy spaghetti,” as I called it as a child, is my favorite :)I also ended up picking up a giant bag of whole grain cereal made from a mixture of grains: Kamut, Spelt, and Quinoa. Again, I don’t buy cereal because I’ll EAT IT ALL! This guy was on sale and there is absolutely no sugar added…had to try! Plus, I’ve been craving cereal lately! Tastey tastey….my oh my, I can’t wait until tomorrow’s breakfast. I’m going to have to make a mash of oats, granola, and cereal.

Now on to the recipe…..

Ingredients

2/3C uncooked quinoa (I used a mixture of red and white)
1 1/3C water
1/3 C dried cranberries
1/3 C sunflower seeds
12 oz. can of mandarin oranges
2T honey
2T EVOO
pinch of salt

How to make Goodies Mandarin Quinoa Salad

In a medium sized sauce pan, bring quinoa and water to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and let simmer on low for 10-12 minutes or until all of the water has fully absorbed. Set aside
Over a small bowl, drain the liquid from your mandarin oranges, keeping the liquid as you will use it as part of the dressing.
Transfer your cooked quinoa into a large bowl and add in mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds.
Gently toss the mixture together. Don’t mix it too much or be too aggressive because the mandarin oranges are fragile!
To make your dressing: Use the the liquid from your mandarin oranges, as your base and add in 2T honey, 2T extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Wisk together.
Poor dressing over your quinoa mixture and give it another toss. Let your salad chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving!

This could serve as a delicious breakfast or sweet side dish. Either way, watch out it is ADDICTINGLY SCRUMPTIOUS! Did I mention that the color of this salad is beautiful? Well it is!

Enjoy your weekend bloggies

What is your favorite kind of pasta? Do you like macaroni, angel hair, fettuccine?

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Lee Hersh