#1,731: Quinoa Salad with Apples, Almonds and Dried Cranberries

Now here is a quinoa recipe that I absolutely loved and had to stop myself from eating the entire bowl.  It was THAT good.  I loved the nuttiness of the almonds and quinoa, yet the sweetness from the fruits and the bitter/sourness from the dressing really balanced it out.  Delish!!  Definitely make this one. 

2 crisp apples, cored, cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 tablespoons lemon juice (I omitted)

1 cup red or white quinoa, rinsed well

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup dried cranberries

2 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss apples with lemon juice.
Mix quinoa, 1/4 tsp. salt and 2 cups cold water in a pan. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until most of water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then turn out onto a baking sheet to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Spread almonds on a baking sheet. Toast until golden, 7 to 10 minutes, shaking pan once. Transfer to a plate to cool. In a bowl, whisk vinegar and mustard. Gradually add olive oil, whisking, until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain apples, if necessary, and add to bowl. Add quinoa, almonds, cranberries and scallions. Gently toss; season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.