How to Make a Quinoa Salad with Almonds and Dates

This quinoa salad can easily be served as a side dish. Consider serving it instead of green bean casserole at Thanksgiving. You will save yourself considerable amounts of calories and will be surprised at how much you will not miss the traditional casserole.

Quinoa is very nutritious. It is loaded in protein and has all amino acids that you need plus iron and calcium. It is an Andean grain that has become very popular around the world. I grew up eating quinoa in Bolivia. We had it in all sorts of forms but quinoa salad was always a favorite.

The crisp green beans and toasted almonds compliment this quinoa salad beautifully. I kept it simple and clean by dressing it only in olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Balanced simplicity.

Here is what you are going to need for this healthy quinoa salad:

Serves four

10 oz. of frozen or fresh baby green beans
½ cup sliced almonds
3 cups cooked quinoa — which is ¾ of raw quinoa
½ cup seeded and halved dates
1 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS olive oil
Salt

Get a big bowl with iced water ready and start boiling a large water of salted water. Add your green beans once you have a rolling boil. If you are using fresh green beans they will take 5 to 6 minutes to be ready. If you are using frozen green beans they will be ready in 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure you do not overcook the beans. You want them to be cooked through and still crunchy – not soggy.

Once the beans are cooked dump them into a colander and transfer them into the ice water bowl. Cool them down completely and cut them in 3 parts.

While the beans are cooking, go ahead and place the almonds in a dry skillet. Toast them, for about 2 to 3 minutes, constantly shaking the pan. You will know they are ready when you can start smelling them.

Place the cooked quinoa, green beans, almonds and dates in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Toss to mix well and serve. You can serve this as a salad or a side dish. Enjoy!

CALORIES 375.72; FAT 15.31 grs (sat 1.72; mono 9.22; poly 3.65); PROTEIN 10.16 grs ; FIBER 9.20 grs; CARBS 53.57 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 3.23 mg; SODIUM 592.52 mg; CALCIUM 93.04 mg

Print the Quinoa with Green Beans Recipe Here

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