A Fall harvest salad with savory winter root vegetables, hearty quinoa, and goat cheese. Glazed with sweet honey mustard dressing and crunchy apples I kept this salad gluten free with flexibility. Goat cheese adds creaminess while the honey bite through the vinegars in the mustard. A touch of texture with the fibrous fruit and chew from the root vegetables you basically can add any protein and call it a day! Ground tofu, meat such as chicken, beef and pork pair well or maybe fish is more your style. Consume this Simple Quinoa Salad For Entertaining as is or enjoy with your desired protein.
Quinoa
What is quinoa? Quinoa is a non grain, gluten free, and rich in protein and fiber. It is the powerhouse of plant based foods! I like it for its versatility, chew, and texture. My Simple Quinoa Salad For Entertaining is starting point for your own fun. You can swap vegetables, cheese, seasonings, and add your favorite things. One shoes doesn’t fit all but this hearty vegetable filled salad will be a hit at your next gathering of family dinner. You can see below I used roasted cauliflower, broccoli and whole garlic cloves. Before folding into the quinoa I chopped the vegetables to stretch the vegetables out rather than large chunks.
Root Vegetables
Sweet potatoes are their own food group in my kitchen. Why? Sweet potatoes are loaded with all the good stuff. Especially for the integumentary system which acts on hair, skin, and nails. A lot of beta carotene in orange foods which pairs perfectly in this Simple Quinoa Salad For Entertaining. Guests will fill up quickly, stretching your dollar, and kids love it because sweet potatoes are like candy. Butternut squash, acorn squash, any winter squash is a win for your salad. For picky eaters, white potatoes or golden potatoes are a fabulous swap.
The Best Quinoa Salad
Simple Quinoa Salad For Entertaining
Ingredients
- 3 cups Quinoa uncooked
- 1 head Cauliflower chopped
- 1 head Broccoli chopped
- 3 cloves garlic whole
- 2 Sweet potatoes diced
- 2 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil to coat your vegetables
- 2 14-oz cans Navy beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil for dressing
- 2 teaspoons Dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- 2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tablespoons Honey sub maple syrup
- 1 small Apple diced
- 1/4 cup Goat Cheese
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven to 450°F. Line sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Toss together cauliflower, broccoli, garlic cloves, and sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add to sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes. *Remove garlic cloves and give them a fine chop after roasting.
- In a large saucepan. Add 3 cup quinoa to 3 cup water, allow to come to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
- In a large bowl add cooked quinoa, vegetables, beans, seasonings (thyme and garlic powder), oil, mustard, and honey. Fold to combine.
- Add your goat cheese and apples. Toss gently to mix.
- Serve warm or chilled with your favorite protein. Enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.