Quinoa Berry Salad

Have you tried quinoa yet? Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is often touted as a super food and for good reason, it is a complete protein meaning that in and of itself it contains all nine of the essential amino acids. 

Best of all quinoa is very tasty! The texture is similar to rice so I like to swap it out for rice any chance I get! Quinoa has a fairly neutral flavor so when I prepare it to serve with savory dishes I like to cook the quinoa in chicken broth rather than water to boost the flavor. Today, I want to share a sweet way to enjoy quinoa! 

Quinoa Berry Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup apple juice
½ cup chopped strawberries
½ cup blueberries
½ cup blackberries
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 tablespoons raspberry vinaigrette (I used Trader Joe’s)

Directions:
1. Rinse quinoa well. I like to put my quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse it under the faucet until the water runs clear.
2. Combine quinoa, apple juice, and water in a medium saucepan.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.
4. Fluff quinoa with a fork and place in refrigerator until chilled.
5. Combine strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, almonds, and coconut in a bowl. Gently stir mixture into the quinoa.
6. Drizzle vinaigrette onto quinoa and stir until combined.
7. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Enjoy!