Light Quinoa and Cranberry Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 8 ½ cup servings.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed 

½ tsp. salt

2 of each: Red, yellow, and orange small sweet peppers, chopped or sliced thinly

1 red Fresno pepper or ¼ jalapeno pepper, minced

6 to 8 scallions, both white and green parts, finely sliced

½ cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped

Dressing

3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

3 tbsp. orange juice

3 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 to 2 fresh garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1½ tbsp. raw or granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. Chinese chili sauce – optionalpinch salt –  optional

1. Bring salt and 1 2/3 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir quinoa into boiling water, and then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, remove from heat and rest 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with fork before transferring quinoa to a medium serving bowl. Allow quinoa to cool 30 minutes then transfer covered bowl to refrigerator and chill at least an hour before adding the remaining ingredients.

2. To make the dressing, whisk/mix all ingredients together until sugar has dissolved. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble salad.

3. Once the quinoa is cool, add the peppers, scallions, cranberries, mint, and dressing—tossing all ingredients together gently until combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Before serving adjust seasonings if necessary. Salad can be made in advance and keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Information: ¼ cup serving 154 Calories; 3g Fat; 4g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 144mg Sodium.   

Nutritional Information Original Recipe: 215 Calories and 10g Fat per ½ cup serving.

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Reference: “Family-friendly Sangria.” I Heart Naptime, 2016. Web. 10 July 2018. <https://www.iheartnaptime.net/family-friendly-sangria/>