quinoa salad with grapefruit avocado and arugula

Prawn

Quinoa Salad with Grapefruit Avocado and Arugula

Intriguing combination of quinoa, arugula, dried cranberries, avocado and grapefruit with a spicy dressing make this a snazzy side dish or lovely summer lunch main dish.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
4 cups water
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced serrano pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup minced cilantro
1 shallot, minced
½ cup arugula
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
4 cups baby arugula leaves, washed and dried
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
½ grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

Directions

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the quinoa until it has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat, rinse and drain in a fine mesh strainer. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, add salt, and slowly add toasted quinoa. Cook until tender and the outer rings appear on the grains, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh colander. Place in a large bowl to cool.
In a small bowl, combine cranberries, lime juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, serrano pepper, mint, cilantro, shallot, and arugula. Stir into the cooled quinoa and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Place 1 cup of baby arugula on each salad plate. Top with quinoa mixture, avocado, and grapefruit.