Summer Sides: Curry Quinoa Salad with Granny Smith Apples & Walnuts
When it's summer and all you want to do is grill, you have to get your side dish game on track. My two favorite things to grill this summer have been brats (cheddarwursts to be precise) and buffalo blue cheese chicken burgers from Whole Foods. They require no work on my part, as they're already prepared and ready to grill, and my husband does the grilling! Voila!
So yeah, sides. I've gotten a quinoa salad similar to this at Lakewinds Co-op and love it. I was craving it one day and figured I'd just throw together something similar at home.This isn't an exact replica, but it's equally successful in filling a fresh, tangy and somehwat nutty void. It's light, it's refreshing...it's perfect for pairing with your grillables on a hot summer day.
Curry Quinoa Salad with Granny Smith Apples & Walnuts
Serves: 2-4 as a side
Preparation Time: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)
Ingredients:
1 c. quinoa, well-rinsed
2 c. water
1 granny smith apple, cored & diced
3-4 green onions, diced (trim ends first)
1/2 c. walnut halves, toasted
1/4 c. olive oil
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
pinch of salt
Method:
1. Bring two cups of water and the rinsed quinoa to a boil in a sauce pot. Once it reaches a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 20 minutes until the water is absorbed. Drain any excess if the quinoa finishes cooking before all the water is absorbed. Remove from pot and place in a glass bowl and place in refrigerator to cool.
2. While the quinoa is cooking and cooling, diced the apple and green onions. Briefly toast the walnuts in a frying pan and remove from heat. Make the dressing by whisking together the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Remove quinoa from refrigerator, add apples, onions and walnuts. Pour dressing over the salad and stir well until the dressing is evenly distributed throughout. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
