This Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets and Almonds is one of my all-time faves! The combination of quinoa, beets and almonds tossed together with fresh basil, garlic and a tangy orange dressing is amazing. Adding a little raw or low-temperature pasteurized goat, sheep or homemade nut cheese complements this salad very nicely.
Quinoa is an excellent source of iron, magnesium, potassium and folate, and one of the few vegetarian sources that make up a complete protein. Quin-what, you ask? Just think of it as a seed that contains all of the nine essential amino acids that are needed as building blocks in our body. There are 20 universal amino acids in total. With all nine essential ones present, the body is able to make the other 11 non-essential amino acids from them. (Hence, why the first nine are called essential!) We refer to these amino acids as the protein part of our diet. Protein is important for building muscle, hair, nails, skin, organs, enzymes, hormones, white blood cells and much more. A great analogy that I use a lot is comparing amino acids (protein) to the bricks needed to build a house. They provide us with a lot of structure and strength, while also defending our immune systems from attacks; much like a brick home does against the elements of nature.
This Quinoa salad with Roasted Beets and Almonds is hearty enough to enjoy on its own for lunch, or on a nice bed of mixed greens or arugula as a light dinner. For we flexitarians, it makes a nice side dish and pairs well with spicy black beans, grilled fish or chicken.
Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets and Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 cups Filtered water May substitute with vegetarian broth
- 1 cup Quinoa Comes in white, red or black
- 3 cloves Garlic whole 1 minced and 2 roasted
- 2 pinches Sea Salt
- 4 medium Beets, Roasted cooled, peeled and diced
- 4 Green onion minced
- 12 Raw almonds Best to pre-soak and dry ahead
- 2 tbsp Olive oil Extra Virgin and Cold-Pressed
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice, freshly squeezed Freshly squeezed
- 1/4 tsp Herbamare or to taste
- 1 tbsp Fresh Basil minced
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper Freshly ground
- 2 tbsp Soft Cheese Goat, sheep or nut, optional
Instructions
- Heat a pot over medium heat. Once heated, sauté minced garlic with a pinch of sea salt for about 30 seconds. Careful not to burn.
- Add the remaining water or broth and bring to a boil.
- Place quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. Rinse well under running water to remove the bitter coating (saponin). Rinse until water runs clear; drain well.
- Add quinoa to the boiling liquid.
- Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Don't overcook!
- Remove from heat and let stand for covered for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. If any liquid remains, drain in a strainer.
- Add hot quinoa and chopped beets into a large salad bowl. Mix well.
- Add minced green onions, almonds, basil, olive oil and orange juice. Squeeze roasted garlic and combine all together.
- Season with herbamare, sea salt and pepper to taste. Top with a homemade nut cheese or a soft goat/sheep cheese if desired. Serve at room temperature.