Quinoa, Red Pepper and Pine Nut Salad

I wish pine nuts weren’t so pricey. I would eat them in everything I’m nearly positive. In a salad like this, a little is all you need, which makes it a nice treat without completely breaking the bank.

To be perfectly honest I have a hard time posting recipes like these because I feel like they aren’t real recipes but me just throwing things together and hoping for the best. But since the end result was tasty and Levi raved over it, I decided I better make it again, take some pictures and post it.

Quinoa, Red Pepper and Pine Nut Salad

 

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Ingredients

• 1½ cups quinoa
• 3 cups vegetable broth (I use 3 cups water + 2 cubes of veg bouillon)
• 1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 green onion, sliced thinly
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped finely
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup grapeseed oil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan bring the vegetable stock and quinoa to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook about 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Let sit a few minutes then fluff with a fork.
2. In a large bowl combine cooled quinoa with red pepper, onion, parsley and pine nuts.
3. In a small bowl combine balsamic vinegar, grapeseed oil, oregano, garlic and salt and pepper. Whisk to emulsify.
4. Pour over quinoa mixture and stir gently until well combined.
5. Let sit a few minutes to let the flavors meld. Serve.

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2.2.2

There’s nothing super special about this salad but the textures are great. The perfect bite includes a bit of everything and the crunch of the pepper and the smoothness of the pine nut as you bite into are both offset by the soft chewiness of perfectly cooked quinoa.

The balsamic vinegar colors the quinoa a nice deep brownish hue which I think looks so beautiful.