This Quinoa, Apple and Almond Salad with Honey Lemon Mint Vinaigrette makes a delicious, healthy lunch or side dish that the entire family will love.
Could I have possibly eaten more junk food over the holidays? I don’t think so. I’m guessing I’m not alone here, right? What can I say, the holidays are a time for splurging. We always visit Jeff’s family in Tucson, Arizona where the Mexican food in plentiful and my sister-in-law’s dinners are not to be missed.
This is mildly embarrassing since less than a month ago I was all “I’m on Weight Watchers, blah blah blah.” But you know what? Who cares, it’s fine. I had some fun and now it’s time to get back on track in the New Year. So here’s one of my absolute favorite quinoa recipes: Quinoa, Apple and Almond Salad with Honey Lemon Mint Vinaigrette. The granny smith apples are tart, the almonds add an earthy crunch, the honey provides just the right amount of sweet and the mint is, well, awesome. I know you’ll love this salad just as much as I do.
How To Cook Quinoa
If you’re new to quinoa and want a step-by-step tutorial on preparing it, check out my post: How to Cook Quinoa.
Quinoa, Apple and Almond Salad with Honey Lemon Mint Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 3 cups quinoa, cooked
- ¼ cup scallions, sliced thin
- 1 granny smith apple, diced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup almonds, toasted, rough chopped
Honey lemon mint vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons honey,
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl or blender, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, olive oil, mint, and warm water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Combine cooked quinoa with apples, toasted almonds, scallions and dried cranberries.
- About 30 minutes before serving drizzle with ½ cup prepared vinaigrette and toss to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)
This is a beautiful salad and I look forward to making it! I especially love your vinaigrette – adding mint sounds so fresh and tasty. Happy 2013 to you!
Quinoa is so versatile… it’s become a regular on my dinner table for both sweet and savoury dishes! loving your addition of apples, nuts and vinaigrette. It’s always exciting to try new combinations and I’ll be experimenting with this one soon. Thanks heaps! x
This looks amazing and so clean! Pinned!