Zesty Quinoa Salad for the quinoa haters

Want to hear a secret?  You know quinoa, the super food that everyone tells us we need to be eating more of?

Not a fan.

I think it tastes like gritty bland poop.

Now there is a visual for you!  Not exactly a culinary delight in my opinion.

I recently challenged myself to make a quinoa salad that even I would eat.  After a few tries, I felt like Doc Brown in Back to the Future realizing that the Delorean had to go 88 mph.  Not 87, not 89, but 88.

Zesty Quinoa Salad
Salad fixin's
1 cup quinoa
1.5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tblsp butter
2 carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 cup frozen edamame, thawed
3 green onions, sliced small (I love green onions.  If you don't, reduce to 1 or 2)
Few sprigs of cilantro

Salad seasoning
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
3 tblsp rice vinegar
1 tsp honey
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 inch piece of ginger, minced or crushed
Juice of 1 lime
1 tblsp olive oil

1) In a heavy saucepan, like a dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the quinoa and toast for 5-8 minutes, or until you can smell the nutty undertones from the pan.

2) Add the chicken broth and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute, and then reduce to a lower heat.  Put the lid on, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is completely absorbed.  Let cool.


3) Meanwhile, dice your veg and mix up your sauce.  Once the quinoa has cooled, add the ingredients together, and stir to combine.  Store in the fridge.

If you are a quinoa hater, like I used to be, I'd highly recommend you give this one a try before writing it off completely.  This is super cheap to make, it produces a ton of food, and it's perfect for when you don't want to heat up your house by using the oven for more complex side dishes. 


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