How is everyone doing? I know I have been super busy since labor day and work has been hectic. I guess that means summer is over and fall is upon us. For my work lunches, I have been really into packing salad jars with healthy and delicious ingredients. This crunchy quinoa salad is a perfect meatless option for fall.
I really like making this salad because it uses up any leftover quinoa I have. Of course, you can make this with any grain– millet, rice, wild rice– but quinoa is easy to make and I usually have leftovers in my fridge.
However, quinoa is not the star here, it’s really all about texture. Rather than the lengthy roasting process for beets, I spiralize them and keep them raw. I also personally find cucumbers boring, but spiralizing them brings new life to your basic cucumber. Wonton strips and sunflower seeds give an awesome crunch with a slightly Asian flair.
Making the dressing
I used miso for the base of this miso ginger dressing. If you have never tried miso, I highly recommend it! It is a Japanese fermented bean paste that has a slightly sweet and very salty taste. It honestly lasts forever in the fridge and is a great way to make a creamy dressing without dairy. Simply mix it with some ginger, rice wine vinegar, and a few flavoring for a great dressing.
Making a crunch quinoa salad jar
As I said, this is my go-to salad jar for work. To make a salad jar, layer your dressing on the bottom. The avocado goes right into the dressing to prevent browning and oxidization. Then add in the wetter vegetables like cucumber and beets. Next, add in the dried vegetables and quinoa. Ideally, the greens go on top of grains so they don’t wilt from the moisture in other vegetables. Lastly, the wontons strips go on top to prevent them from getting soggy. There you go– an easy salad jar!
Let me know what you guys think! Check out some more salads https://hemingwaycollective.com/2021/08/19/grilled-panzanella-salad/ https://hemingwaycollective.com/2021/07/29/summer-farro-salad/
