Cranberry Pomegranate Quinoa Salad
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This Cranberry Pomegranate Quinoa Salad has happy holidays written all over it! Full of winters finest produce and the colors and flavors of the season.
Being married into a Persian family means eating lots and lots of pomegranates his time of year, and I’m not mad about it! Did you know pomegranates actually originated in Iran and “Anar” is pomegranate in Farsi? (Just some fun facts thanks to my hubby!). Pomegranate seeds or arils are packed with antioxidants, dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and folate. I love eating it by the spoonful or added to salads and my yogurt for some crunch and sweetness.
Example A, this delicious Cranberry Pomegranate Quinoa Salad! The Pomegranates and oranges give the dish a sweet fresh taste while the cranberries give it a slight tart bite. The kale is there for some added nutrition and color. And for some protein and more texture and bulk I added in quinoa and a nutty crunch from pistachios.
Not a quinoa fan? Give this salad a try and I promise you won’t be disappointed. With all the flavors and different textures in the salad you will barely even notice it. This salad is a perfect colorful side dish for your thanksgiving or holiday party. It’s also a great make ahead dish to have with lunch or dinner that you can enjoy all winter long!
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- 5 clementines
- 1 tablespoon clementine zest
- 2 cups kale, stems removed and torn into small peices
- ⅓ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
- Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- pinch of salt
- Wash quinoa, add quinoa and water to medium sauce pan. Bring to boil, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.
- While quinoa is cooking. Place cranberries in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped.
- Zest clementines then remove skin and segment.
- In a medium bowl add processed cranberries, pomegranate arils, clementine zest and clementines. Mix to combine.
- To make dressing whisk together olive oil, orange juice, honey and salt.
- In a large bowl add cooked quinoa, cranberry mixture, kale, pistachios and dressing. Mix to combine.
