Servings: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 ⅓ cups water (or broth)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ medium lemon)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey (use maple syrup or agave for vegan)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup dried apricots, diced or sliced
- 2 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves (may substitute parsley)
- Fine salt and black pepper
- Arugula for serving
- Optional: Feta cheese or goat cheese, if desired (omit for dairy-free and vegan)
Instructions
- Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cool water for 20-30 seconds. Shake the strainer gently after rinsing to remove excess water, then transfer the rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan or pot with lid over medium-high heat along with the water (or broth) and a pinch of salt.
- Bring just to a boil then cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before removing the lid and fluffing with a fork. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and stir every few minutes to release some of the heat.
- While the quinoa cooks, add the lemon juice, oil, honey, and garlic powder to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked quinoa to a medium bowl along with the apricots, onions, almonds, cilantro, and mint. Pour dressing over the quinoa and toss gently to combine. Serve over a bed of arugula, if desired. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Note: To toast the almonds, place a small skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the almonds and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until the almonds are lightly toasted and aromatic.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: About ¾ cup (without cheese)
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 10 g
- (Sat Fat: 0 g)
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Carbohydrate: 25 g
- (Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 5 g)
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg