Spring Pea and Quinoa Salad with Honey-Lemon Vinegrette

photo from pinchofyum.com

It's been a while since I shared a recipe and this one was so good, I knew that it would be my next post. Sadly, I did not realize this until after we'd devoured the entire batch...so I have no pics! I'll likely make it again next week, so I'll come back and add some pics then.

So, this quinoa salad is pretty simple; it's nice and light, making it perfect for spring/summer; it's healthy, so you can feel good about eating; and, of course, it's delicious!

Let's get to the recipe!

Spring Pea and Quinoa Salad with Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette*

For the salad:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
3 cups frozen, organic peas
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
6 slices turkey-bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 cup raw almonds, pulsed in a food processor until crushed (or super finely chopped)

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 tbsp raw honey (or to taste)
2-3 tbsp basil paste (or to taste) or 1/2 cup fresh basil minced or pureed
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

Rinse and cook the quinoa according to package directions. (I like to soak my quinoa in water for at least a half hour before I cook it.) You can make the quinoa as you make the salad, or you can make it up in advance and keep it in the fridge for when you're ready to use it.

While the quinoa is cooking, cook the turkey bacon in a pan over medium heat until cooked and crispy. Let cool, then chop or crumble. (You can cook the bacon up in advance as well.)

Pulse the almonds in a food processor until crushed.

Bring a pot of water to a boil then remove it from the heat. Add the peas and cover. Let cook for a few minutes, until bright green. Drain.

Puree all of the dressing ingredients in a food processor or whisk briskly/shake in a shaker or jar with tight-fitting lid. (Just get 'em good and mixed, and emulsified however you can!) Note: I use the Gourmet Garden basil paste shown here and it works great. You can find it near the fresh herbs at the grocery.

Toss the peas with the cooked quinoa, then add the feta, and crushed almonds. Toss the dressing with the salad ingredients; salt and pepper as needed; and top with chopped bacon.

Enjoy!


Until next time, eat more good, whole, healthy foods and you're body will thank you for it!


*Recipe adapted from pinchofyum.com. Check her out. I plan to try other recipes from her site.