quinoa salad

What better way to enjoy the delicious flavors of winter than in a heart healthy, protein packed salad that features our favorite winter vegetables and the superfood grain quinoa. This quinoa salad recipe combines the sweet and nutritious qualities of butternut squash, cabbage and apples into a colorful, vitamin rich dish that makes a perfect packed lunch or side dish for dinner. You can serve it with a dressing or vinaigrette, but we think a naked version is just as tasty.

Ingredients
1 organic butternut squash, diced (other winter squash will work too)
1 bundle organic kale, chopped
1/4 head of purple or green organic cabbage, thinly slice
1/2 organic lemon, juiced
2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp organic apple cider or other fruit vinegar
2 organic carrots, shredded
1 organic red pepper, diced
1 cup cooked organic quinoa
2-3 stems organic celery, chopped
1 organic apple (of your choice!), chopped
1/2 cup organic parsley, chopped
1/4 cup organic raw pumpkin or sunflower seeds
salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Steam the diced butternut squash until tender, but not mushy. Prepare the vegetables while the squash is steaming. Place the kale and cabbage into a large bowl. Pour the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil into the bowl and gently massage the greens. Add the carrots, pepper, quinoa, celery, apple and parsley to the bowl, mixing evenly. Once the squash has cooled, season it with salt and pepper to taste and add it to the bowl. Sprinkle with optional pumpkin or sunflower seeds and serve with dressing of your choice on the side.

Image Myrtle Glen Farm

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