Quinoa and Almond Salad
Prepare nutritious Quinoa and Almond Salad by tossing together spinach and quinoa, and topping it with toasted almonds and sunflower seeds, tart sliced apples, a creamy sliced avocado, and sweet dried cranberries. This salad is dressed with a vibrant raspberry vinaigrette made with fresh raspberries! This salad has all the right blends of contrasting textures and flavors — crunchy and creamy, sweet and tart. Crisp and tart apples with creamy avocados, sweet chewy cranberries, and tender salty sunflower seeds.
It’s also a surprisingly filling salad — the avocados contribute a lot of healthy (and filling) fats while the quinoa contributes substantial protein and fiber which helps you stay fuller for longer.
Naturally, using a store-bought dressing will cut down on preparation time and make this quinoa and almond salad even quicker to make. But, if you have a couple of extra minutes or prefer homemade dressings, the raspberry vinaigrette recipe listed on the recipe below comes together very quickly. Just throw all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and let it whiz. Stir in the poppy seeds, and the dressing is ready to go.
The raspberry vinaigrette is sweet with a little bit of tanginess from the raspberry vinegar and Dijon mustard. It’s one of my go-to dressings and everyone always asks for the recipe. (It’s also featured on this very popular pear salad!) The dressing uses fresh raspberries which adds a natural sweetness and thickness to the dressing, so you don’t have to add too much sugar or mayo to it. I do recommend using very fresh and ripe raspberries — if they aren’t ripe or sweet, the dressing will likely need a bit extra sugar to compensate for the lack of flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (80g) quinoa (tri-colored or plain)
- 1 cup (220g) chicken broth (vegetable broth or water will also work)
- 1/3 cup (30g) sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons (20g) shelled sunflower seeds
- 4 cups (100g) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup (45g) dried cranberries
- 1 Granny Smith or Fuji apple
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Optional: fresh, ripe avocado
Optional: handful of feta cheese (add to personal preference)
Dressing
- Store-bought Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette or Recipe below:
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1/2 cup (70g) fresh, ripe raspberries
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (95g) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds