Quinoa Salad with Apple, Chickpeas, Toasted Almonds & Apple Cider Vinaigrette
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This was a nice, light meal. We felt like it needed a little something else to make it stand out, though. It’s definitely filling, and it makes a lot, so there are plenty of leftovers if you’re feeding 2 people.
Quinoa Salad with Apple, Chickpeas, Toasted Almonds & Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Cookin’ Canuck
Yield: Serves 4 as an entree
The salad:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 can (14 oz.) chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
1 large Gala apple, cored and chopped
3 tbsp Gorgzonzola cheese
2 green onion, thinly sliced (green & white parts)
The vinaigrette:
1/3 cup apple cider or apple juice
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp agave nectar or honey
1/4 tsp kosher salt
The salad:
In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse quinoa well and drain.
In a medium pot, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn heat to low. Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, fluff the quinoa and transfer to a cookie sheet, spreading the quinoa in a thin layer, to cool.
In a large bowl, mix together cooled quinoa, almonds, chickpeas, apple, Gorgonzola cheese and green onions.
The vinaigrette:
Whisk together white apple cider, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, agave nectar and salt.
Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and toss to coat. Serve.
Big Flavors Rating: 3 Stars
Ashley
Ashley Covelli is a food photographer, recipe developer, and culinary instructor based in Ossining, New York. She loves helping people become enthusiastic and adventurous in the kitchen so that they can build skills and confidence to cook for themselves and their loved ones. She can almost always be found with at least 3 different beverages within arm's reach.
