I can’t say I’m a big fan of “sweet” salads. I like savory, spicy, and salty salads piled high with veggies, beans, salsa, and herbs. There is always an exception though, and summer months mean lighter meals.
I needed to come up with a dish to use up the leftover onion and cilantro I had from this meal. I am not one to waste, and I can only use so much cilantro on my lunches. Thus this quinoa salad was born.
Light, refreshing, and a good balance of sweet, salty, and acidity. The flavor train will be parking in your mouth, and you’ll want it to stay.
Pineapple Cashew Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 tblsp coconut oil
- 1 small lime
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 3/4 cup diced sugar plum tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
- 1.5 cups diced pineapple
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup salted cashews
Directions
- Cook your quinoa in the 2 cups of water. Once cooked, melt in the coconut oil, juice your lime, and zest your lime right into the mix.
- In no particular order, add the rest of your ingredients and stir well. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes: I didn’t buy salted cashews, and ended up adding a bit of salt to my dish. The sweetness of the pineapple called for a salty balance. If you use salted cashews, extra salt might not be necessary.
This is one of those meals that gets better as it sits. Ideally I would let this sit for at least an hour before consuming. This gives the flavors enough time to party together and become one giant ball of delicious.
Suggested toppings: Sliced avocado, and of course more cilantro.
Also delicious with chips, but what ISN’T delicious with chips??
Happy noshing my friends!
Q: What do you typically eat when it’s warm out? LOTS of fruit, and cold salads. Don’t even try to give me something “heavy.”
