I came upon some pomegranates at the grocery store the other day and on impulse picked two of them up. I don’t know much about them and hadn’t had one since I was a kid. All I could remember was that you ate the seeds nestled inside them. The first one we ate on its own. The kids loved this juicy, red and jeweled fruit. They put the seeds into their mouths and marveled how they popped, releasing their juicy goodness.
The second one I wanted to incorporate into a dish. I was making some quinoa one night and thought it would be fantastic in a quinoa salad. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Bright citrus dressing paired with earthy quinoa, green onion and fresh cucumber. It was delish. I’ll be making this again and again (even without the pomegranate when it’s not in season.)
This quinoa salad would do just as well with brown rice or even barley if you don’t have quinoa at hand. Also, a bit of cilantro would be a welcome addition. I didn’t have any so I went without. Feel free to experiment with your veggies too. Asparagus spears or zucchini would have been nice too.
And so here I give you:
Ingredients
Dressing
Juice of one lemon
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup olive oil
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Splash of white wine
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of garlic powder (or use a clove of fresh garlic, minced)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Salad
1.5 cups uncooked Quinoa (approx 3 cups cooked)
1 chunk of cucumber, diced
Seeds from 1 Pomegranate
2 green onions minced
Instructions
- Cook your Quinoa and set aside to cool.
- Mix all dressing ingredients together - set aside.
- Once your Quinoa has cooled, add in the Salad ingredients, toss. Pour dressing over the top, toss well and let rest in fridge for at least an hour for the flavors to marry. Serve with a wedge of lime.
Notes
This salad was just as yummy the next day! Make it ahead to save time.
I hope you enjoy this quinoa salad as much as we did! Let me know if you make it!
I have never cooked with Quinoa, but this looks wonderful!
Really? It’s very versatile and filling (lots of protein) and tastes great too. But brown rice would work well too
I’ve never eaten quinoa, either. Is it like couscous?
It’s more like brown rice – has a nice light yet earthy flavor and I like the texture too.
Wow – healthy and delicious = score.
I don’t think I’ve ever had fresh pomegranate! It looks absolutely delicious, I need to pick up a few to try!
I was just thinking of doing a fruit quinoa. Other than the occasional pasta, potato or bread splurge, I pretty much stick to quinoa, bulgur & wheat berries for carbs these days.