Cherry Quinoa Salad Recipe

This delicious quinoa salad recipe is packed with almonds, cherries, arugula, and parmesan – is your mouth watering yet? We think this dish, created by Pamela Salzmanis the perfect lunch and easy to make, pack and take to work. We love her recipes, for healthy meals we can actually make, and her weekly meal plans for delicious and well thought out dinner ideas!

Cherry Quinoa Salad Recipe - Inspired by This

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 ¾ cups water
4 cups of lightly packed arugula leaves
2 cups cherries, pitted and quartered (use a cherry pitter to make this job easier)
2 stalks celery, diced
½ cup parsley leaves, chopped
1/3 cup raw almonds, toasted*, chopped

shaved parmesan to taste, about ½ cup shaved pieces (use a vegetable peeler)

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup or raw honey
3 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Cherry Quinoa Salad Recipe - Inspired by This Cherry Quinoa Salad Recipe - Inspired by This

Instructions
1. Place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, lower to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Allow to sit covered off the heat for at least 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.
2. Add arugula, cherries, celery, parsley, almonds and parmesan to the quinoa.
3. Prepare the dressing: combine all dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake until emulsified or whisk in a bowl.
4. Pour as much dressing over the salad as is need to coat everything lightly. Add additional as
needed.

*toast in a skillet with a smidge of olive oil and a pinch of salt

Cherry Quinoa Salad Recipe - Inspired by This
Cherry Quinoa Salad Recipe - Inspired by This Cherry Quinoa Salad Recipe - Inspired by This

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