I’ve been taking soups and stews for lunch recently so I decided to try something new when I came across this quinoa salad recipe.  Every time I eat this I’m left wanting a second helping.  There are so many different tastes in it you can’t get bored with it! I made a double recipe of it because it’s only supposed to serve 2 or 3.  I’m not sure I needed that much.  I gave Rob a bunch to take home with him!

1 1/2 cups quinoa

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

1 crisp apple, cut into small chunks

3 celery stalks, cut into thin half-moons

1 small red onion, minced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons raw cider vinegar

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

Unrefined sea salt

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (if available)

Before preparing this recipe, it is very beneficial (but optional) to soak and sprout the quinoa.  I did not have time to do this with mine but I will give you the directions for both ways:

Soaking the quinoa:

Soak the quinoa in a bowl in 3 cups of water.  Lit it sit at room temperature for 2 hours, then strain and rinse well.  Return the strained quinoa to a bowl and let it sit at room temperature for another 8 to 12 hours.  You should see little tails shooting out of each little quinoa seed.  Rinse again.  In a sauce pot, bring 2 3/4  cups water to a boil, then add the quinoa.  Cover and simmer over medium heat for a total of 10 minutes, but around 5 minutes into cooking, add the turmeric to the water.  Once done cooking, turn off the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes before emptying the quinoa into a bowl. Cool to room temperature.

Not soaking the quinoa:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pot, then pour in the quinoa and lower the heat.  Simmer covered for 12 to 15 minutes.  Repeat the same final steps described above, adding the turmeric and letting it cool.

Once the quinoa has fully cooled (I put mine in the freezer cause I didn’t want to wait), stir in the apple, celery, onion, cilantro and parsley.  Stir in the olive oil and apple cider vinegar.  Season with the cumin and coriander, and a touch of sea salt, as desired.  Garnish with the pumpkin seeds and pomegranate seeds, if available.

This is a good one.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have been this week!  Happy cooking!