spring salad. [quinoa, arugula, asparagus & pea salad]

April 13th, 2021 by | comments

With spring in full swing, there’s no better way to celebrate the season than with this delicious, vibrant and healthy salad. It’s packed with arugula, quinoa, asparagus, peas, bell pepper, toasted slivered almonds, pecorino romano…the list goes on! The salad is finished off with a simple lemon vinaigrette, and can be topped with grilled chicken or left as a vegetarian dish.


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quinoa, arugula, asparagus & pea salad
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • Salad recipe:
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • ½ lb. asparagus, tough ends cut off, then cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • ¾ cup sliced mini red bell peppers
  • 4-5 cups arugula, plus more if desired
  • ½ cup pecorino romano, cubed into 1-inch pieces (could also use crumbled feta or goat cheese)
  • ½ cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted and lightly salted
  • Vinaigrette recipe:
  • ¼ cup good quality olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. country Dijon
  • 1-2 large garlic cloves (approximately 1 tsp.), crushed
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
Instructions
  1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Once cooked, set aside.
  2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook 2 minutes. Add the frozen peas and cook another 1-2 minutes until the asparagus is vibrant and firm, but tender and the peas are no longer frozen.
  3. Drain and run cold water over the asparagus and peas to stop from cooking further. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, toss all of the salad ingredients together to combine.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients until emulsified.
  6. Drizzle desired amount of vinaigrette over the salad and toss to mix. Season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.

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