Walnut and Fresh Herb Quinoa Salad with Sautéed Vegetables

Yield: 8 (1½ cup) entrée servings or 16 (¾ cup) side dish servings

Quinoa Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa
• 4 cups cold water or chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon salt

Walnut Pesto Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Sautéed Vegetables Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 cups assorted vegetables, chopped (red peppers, green peppers, green onions, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.)
• salt and pepper to taste

Quinoa

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh sieve under cold water to remove any powdery coating (saponin), which can give a bitter taste.
2. Put quinoa, liquid, and salt in pot. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight lid, and turn heat down to a simmer.
3. Cook for 15-20 minutes until grains are translucent and germ has spiraled out from each grain.
4. Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with lid on.
5. Fluff gently with a fork.

Note: Quinoa expands about four times its original size during the cooking process, so 2 cups raw equals about 8 cups cooked.

Walnut Pesto

1. In a food processor, combine the parsley, garlic, and olive oil. Process until puréed.
2. Add the nuts and cheese and process until smooth.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Set aside.

Sautéed Vegetables

1. Heat medium size sauté pan and add in olive oil.
2. When hot, sauté desired vegetables until slightly cooked but still crunchy.
3. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

To Finish

1. Toss quinoa with pesto and vegetables.
2. Garnish with toasted walnuts and chopped parsley.
3. Serve.

Note: Not only is quinoa packed full of flavor and nutrients, it contains all nine essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles making it a complete protein.

Credits: Recipe by AccentHealth Chef Donna Brousseau.