Spring Salad with Honey Sesame Vinaigrette
Packed with nutrients and protein, this spring salad is made with spinach and arugula, red quinoa, chickpeas, cranberries, shredded butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds and a bit of crumbled goat cheese. The dressing is a tangy homemade vinaigrette of white balsamic, tahini, olive oil, honey and kosher salt. Colorful and delightful!
Ingredients
Spring Salad (measurements can be adjusted to taste)
- 8 cups spinach
- 4 cups arugula
- 1 cup cooked red quinoa
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries sweetened with apple juice
- 1/2 cup raw butternut squash shredded or grated--we just used a cheese grater, a mandolin would also work great
- 1/2 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup almonds sliced or slivered
- 1/2 cup goat cheese
Honey Sesame Dressing
- 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp raw honey or whatever honey you have on hand
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Quinoa
- Rinse and cook quinoa according to package or bulk food bin directions, i.e. Rinse well, then cook in pot on stovetop: 1 c quinoa to 1 1/3 cup water for about 20 minutes. Cover 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Allow to cool.
Honey Sesame Dressing
- Blend in blender white balsamic, tahini, olive oil, honey, and salt.
Spring Salad
- Toss all ingredients together. Drizzle with dressing to taste.