Are you feeling like you’d like some more quinoa in your life? Well, thanks to your requests and those of our clients, we’ve been whipping up and creating quinoa dishes like our Quinoa and Veggie Stir Fry or our Greek Quinoa Salad and our Choco-nilla Oats and Quinoa Swirl. And if you want to start your day off with this healthy quality carbohydrate, try our Breakfast Quinoa Nibbles (we couldn’t resist making them since our Quinoa Quiche Tots seem to be a fave!) Thank you for letting us know–you made our day! 🙂
And now, if you’re looking for a delicious twist on traditional quinoa, this Cranberry Almond Quinoa is just the dish to tantalize your taste buds! Made with spinach, butternut squash, and zucchini, this brightly colored dish boasts abundant disease-fighting antioxidants, including beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. Heart healthy olive oil and nuts not only add delicious flavor, but they enhance the absorption of and absorbance of the fat-soluble nutrients and antioxidants.
This nutty and sweet nutrient powerhouse dish is guaranteed to dress up any plate with color, zest, and nutritional benefits—a triple threat side dish.
Cranberry Almond Quinoa
Makes 7 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked quinoa
2 teaspoons olive oil
Olive oil in spray jar
4 diced zucchinis
1 peeled and diced butternut squash
2 cups finely chopped spinach
2 bunches chopped green onions
1/3 cup dried and diced apricots
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup unsalted almond slivers
a squeeze of lemon, optional
Directions:
1. Boil 4 cups water; add the quinoa and return the combination to a boil.
2. Lower heat, cover and simmer about 20 minutes—until quinoa absorbs water.
3. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile, sauté zucchini and butternut squash using 2 teaspoons olive oil and adding several spritz of olive oil until slightly seared.
4. Add spinach and cook until steamed.
5. Combine vegetables and quinoa.
6. Stir in onions, apricots, cranberries, parsley, and almonds. Add a squeeze of lemon, if you like. Toss again. Enjoy chilled for best results!
Nutritional Information per 3/4 cup serving: 189 Calories; 5 g Fat; 0g Saturated Fat; 33 g Carbohydrates; 7 g Protein; 10 mg Sodium; 5 g Fiber g
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Olive oil in spray jar
- 4 diced zucchinis
- 1 peeled and diced butternut squash
- 2 cups finely chopped spinach
- 2 bunches chopped green onions
- ⅓ cup dried and diced apricots
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- ⅓ cup unsalted almond slivers
- a squeeze of lemon, optional
- Boil 4 cups water; add the quinoa and return the combination to a boil.
- Lower heat, cover and simmer about 20 minutes—until quinoa absorbs water.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile, sauté zucchini and butternut squash using 2 teaspoons olive oil and adding several spritz of olive oil until slightly seared.
- Add spinach and cook until steamed.
- Combine vegetables and quinoa.
- Stir in onions, apricots, cranberries, parsley, and almonds. Add a squeeze of lemon, if you like. Toss again. Enjoy chilled for best results!
- Nutritional Information per ¾ cup serving:189 Calories; 5 g Fat; 0g Saturated Fat; 33 g Carbohydrates; 7 g Protein; 10 mg Sodium; 5 g Fiber g