Although I am glad that many quick-service restaurants are now offering “meal bowls” (Hi Panera! They’re too costly to eat regularly. It can be difficult to make giant salads at home, as it feels like you need a lot of ingredients. But this Autumn Quinoa Salad With Lemon Turmeric Dressing can be made in a few minutes, and you won’t have to worry about fresh ingredients going bad.
It’s all about the DRESSING…
This salad was inspired by the Almond Butter Turmeric Salad dressing I bought from Trader Joe’s last Wednesday. After trying the creamy bright yellow dressing for the first time, I knew I had to make it at home. Although my Lemon Turmeric Dressing may not be exactly like the Trader Joe version, it is pretty close. This creamy, earthy dressing is delicious on granny Smith tart apples, so I made the salad around it. I added some rainbow quinoa to bulk up (and give it an autumn-like colour) and some sliced almonds and dried cranberries for sweetness and crunch.
ABOUT THE ALMOND BUTTER…
Almond butter’s flavour and texture can vary from one brand to the next. Although I would prefer a natural-style almond butter for this recipe, I only had a solid-style butter with sugar on hand (Simply Nature brand from Aldi). Remember that your dressing will need to be adjusted depending on the brand. You may also require more or less water, depending on your brand.
AUTUMN QUINOA SANTA SALAD WITH LEMON TURMERIC DRESSING
This light and refreshing Autumn Quinoa Salad, with homemade Lemon Turmeric Dressing, balances fall’s roasted and cooked flavours.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Large salads
INGREDIENTS
QUINOA
- 1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa* ($0.85)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
LEMON TURMERIC DRESSING
- 2 Tbsp almond Butter ($0.44)
- 3 Tbsp hot liquid ($0.00).
- 1 Tbsp of lemon juice ($0.12)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger ($0.05)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric ($0.02)
- 1 tsp sugar ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
- Freshly cracked pepper (1/8 teaspoon) ($0.02)
SALAD
- 4 cups baby greens (1.66)
- 1 Granny Smith apple ($1.24)
- 2 Tbsp dried cranberries ($0.14)
- 2 Tbsp sliced almonds (0.33)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Rinse the Quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Add the Quinoa, 3/4 cup water, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil on high heat. Turn the heat down to low once it has boiled. Let it simmer for 15 min. The Quinoa should be softened after 15 minutes. Spread the Quinoa on a baking tray or dish and let it cool in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- The lemon turmeric dressing can be made while the quinoa cooks. Combine the almond butter, hot water (2 Tbsp), lemon zest, ground ginger, turmeric, sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix the almond butter and liquid until it is well combined. Add some water to make the dressing smoother and more pourable (I used 3 tablespoons total). Keep the dressing in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
- Slice the Granny Smith apple thinly.
- Place 2 cups of baby spinach in each large bowl to make the salads. Half of the apple slices should be added to each bowl. Then, spoon 1/2 cup cooked and chilled Quinoa on top. Each salad should contain one tablespoon of dried cherries and sliced almonds. Finish by adding the lemon-turmeric dressing to each salad.
NOTES
*I used rainbow-coloured Quinoa to match the Autumn theme. However, plain white Quinoa will probably be more affordable. For two salads, you will need approximately 1 cup of pre-cooked Quinoa.
NUTRITION
Serving Size: 1 Serving Calories: 153.85 Kilocalories Carbohydrates: 27.5 G Protein: 3.35 G Fat: 3.9g Sodium: 846.7m Fiber: 5.9g