pop pop popular salad

I have brought this salad as a pot-luck dish to many parties over the years and everyone always asks for the recipe. I brought it again last weekend and promised the recipe would be here this week. Promise kept!

I use already toasted and peeled hazelnuts from Trader Joe’s for this recipe.

If you have raw hazelnuts, go to this LINK to learn how to toast and skin them.

I almost never go to all that trouble anymore. Just another reason I am always so grateful for Trader Joe’s! I also used TJ’s quinoa, a mix of red and white.

Fruity Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, red or white, or a mix
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch Italian parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 cup Trader Joe’s Triple Fruit Treat dried fruit mix or ¾ cup of dried cranberries
• 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, toasted and skinned, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup Manchego cheese cubes
• 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
• Juice of 1 large lemon

Place quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse well under cold running water.

Bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then add a pinch of salt and the rinsed quinoa.

Turn heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.

Fluff quinoa with a fork. Let come to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.

Heat a small skillet and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft and translucent. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the green onions, parsley, and hazelnuts to the bowl and toss to combine.

Add the cheese and apple to the bowl and toss with the juice of the lemon to not only season the salad but to prevent the apple from browning. Toss in the dried fruit.

Mix in the chilled quinoa, and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Taste and season with more lemon juice, if needed. Allow the flavors to come together for about 20 minutes before serving.

I like to lay out butter (Boston) lettuce leaves on a large platter and top them with the salad to serve. It adds a much-needed pop of bright color.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side salad