Detox Quinoa Salad
Happy New Year! I thought I would share a healthy recipe to get this party started right.
This time of year seems to be when everyone attempts to start a new healthy diet or exercise routine and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the same way right now.
Actually, I don’t believe in “dieting” so I can’t say that I feel the same about that, but I tend to fall off track amidst all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Too many cookies, too little sweating. The beginning of a new year is a nice reminder to focus on following through with my workouts and keeping my eats as clean as possible.
That’s what exactly what this salad is. A clean and simple dish to keep you feeling top notch for all of those body bangin’ routines you’ve got on the books.
The quinoa and almonds provide you with a good dose of healthy protein and fiber, while the leeks and parsley offer an energizing source of vitamins and minerals.
Add some dried cranberries for an antioxidant boost, dressing made with detoxifying apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, and a little healthy fat {olive oil} to help your body properly absorb all of those nutrients; and you’ve got yourself a powerhouse salad.
I like to make this to have on hand for lunch during the week but it would also make a great side item. It’s surprisingly filling with a nice crunch from the almonds and a touch of tangy sweetness from the cranberries.
The key to keeping it as healthy as possible is to find dried cranberries without any added sugar. Of course it will still taste delicious with sweetened dried cranberries but if you want it to be detoxifying then I suggest trying to find unsweetened or naturally sweetened cranberries, such as Eden Foods organic dried cranberries.
I also prefer to eat it at room temperature but it’s just as good cold if you want to eat it straight from the refrigerator.
Ingredients
1 cup dry quinoa (yields 4 cups cooked)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup sliced almonds
2 leeks, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup parsley, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Start by cooking the quinoa. I prefer to soak mine overnight with one tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar which allows the quinoa to sprout, making it easier to digest. If you decide to soak the quinoa, rinse it well (with a fine mesh strainer) and then combine with 1 and 1/4 cup water in a medium size pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low then cover with a lid and cook for about thirty minutes (until water has absorbed), fluffing with a fork half way through.
- If you choose to skip soaking the quinoa, rinse it well then combine with 1 and 3/4 cup water in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for about 35 minutes (until water has absorbed), fluffing with a fork half way through.
- Meanwhile, prepare your dressing by combining the olive oil, finely chopped parsley, apple cider vinegar, and lemon. I used a food processor to mince the parsley and then blended the rest of the ingredients together.
- Once quinoa is cooked, add it to a large bowl along with the leeks, cranberries and almonds. Pour dressing into the bowl and mix until well-combined.
- Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
*you can prep while the quinoa is cooking for a total time of 30min
I hope your New Year is off to a great start!
Happy New Year Sarah! I’m guilty of the too many cookies, for sure ;) This salad looks like exactly what I need. I actually dried my own cranberries yesterday, so it’s perfect timing. All the best for the exciting year you have ahead :)
Drying your own cranberries is a brilliant idea! I’m going to have to give it a try. :)
I’m the same way – I don’t believe in “dieting” either but this time of the year is perfect for refocusing on eating well after the holiday craziness! I’m actually at the point where I don’t even want sweets at the moment – my body is craving good-for-me food! Which is a good thing I think : ) This salad looks wonderful. Happy 2014!
Happy New Year, Sarah! I though of you today when making a detox kale salad for lunch :)
This looks super tasty. David’s not a fan of quinoa though because it hurts his stomach.
I’m all about healthy starts to the new year but not dieting like you mentioned. David and I just got back from the Nike outlet to help inspire us to a better beginning w/ some new workout clothes. Now we’re off to do a hike w/ Ryder.
That’s too bad that David doesn’t like quinoa. Have you tried sprouting it? That’s supposed to help with digestion.
It sounds like you started off the year right! We also went for a hike with Miss Coco today and the weather was gorgeous.
When I let it soak for a long time (over an hour) that helps, but during the week I just don’t really have time for that always. I’ve never tried sprouting it though. Maybe I’ll look into it. :)
I usually let it soak overnight with a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and that does the job. Requires a little thinking ahead, of course. :)
Happy New Year! The salad looks great, I never would have thought of pairing leek and cranberries. I might give it a try :)
Happy New Year Anne! I hope you 2014 is full of wonderful memories for you. :)
Mmm, I absolutely LOVE quinoa salads like this. This is my kind of detox — no juice cleanses or sugar-free diets for me (anymore).
I don’t believe in dieting either, but I do prefer to eat healthier versions of stuff after indulging on too many cookies ;–) And salads like this one are lovely as well! I love the cranberries addition, and the dressing sounds great!
Happy New Year! x
My holiday definitely involved too many cookies and too little sweating. This quinoa salad looks like just what I need! Wishing you a happy new year, Sarah, even if I have totally been slacking on the reading & commenting front lately :) Your blog has come so far in the past year, and I can’t wait for a 2014 full of your beautiful recipes! xoxo
Don’t even worry about it, Erica. I’m guilty of neglecting blog reading/commenting from time to time too. It can be overwhelming to keep up with everything on top of real life- which should always come first.
Happy New Year to you too! 2014 ought to be a great one for both of us. :)
This is so pretty – and like you said, perfect for healthy eating after the holidays. I ate waayyy too much sugar and other unhealthy foods the past few weeks and am happy to be jumping on the healthy bandwagon today :)
You are absolutely right! I’m certainly feeling all those extra cookies and too little gym time, but you know what? I loved every minute of the holidays. However, I’m ready to get back on track with clean eats like these. I love the idea of making a batch for lunches throughout the week. I’m adding it to my list!
Yes, I loved it too. So much, in fact, that I’m about to have a left over cookie in a minute. :)
This looks delicious! I CERTAINLY need to detox haha. I loved being home, but I’m looking forward to being back in my kitchen and cooking clean healthy foods again!
This is right up my alley–seriously looks delicious! I am defffffinitely ready to stop eating cookies (not permanently of course) and to get back in the gym. Happy New Year!!
This salad sounds perfect! I love dried cranberries paired with almonds. Hope that your 2014 is off to a fab start!!
This looks delicious! I love quinoa and could really use some pure and healthy eats after all the holiday craziness. And I can’t wait to try mincing parsley with my new food processor! :)
I also don’t believe in diets. Best is to just eat healthy and balanced. This salad is complete and nutritious, I should prepare more recipes like this one.
this looks perfect to get on track with healthy eating! it reminds me of tabbouleh ;)
I just made my first quinoa salad last week, and it was delicious. This is reminiscent of that salad with the parsley and lemon, but the addition of the cran and almonds and leeks make it sound like a winner!
Love, love, love, love, love!! I’m not into dieting either and this is the perfect healthful recipe to keep things tasty and in moderation. Happy New Year, lady!
Love this. I am a quinoa fanatic now that I bought the large bag from Costco- and this salad looks delicious! I love bringing salads for lunch that aren’t fussy and this looks great.
We basically wrote the exact same post today if you switch the quinoa with kale ;) Happy New Year beautiful lady! Serious detoxing happening on this end but like you detoxing means eating a lot of the RIGHT foods and not eliminating anything!
Happy New Year! I totally know what you mean about not wanting to diet but get back on track….I’m feeling the same way. I love quinoa and cranberries so this salad looks like a winner :)
I love new ways of eating quinoa! And I am on board with the healthy eating and exercise right now – I need it after the last month!
Looks delicious! I recently got into apple cider vinegar and I’ve been loving it on everything. I also jumped off the “dieting” train… I’d much rather a healthy, balanced lifestyle :)
There are definitely lots of friends of mine who I’m trying to convince of the merits of quinoa, and I might start directing them here- your photos would make anyone want to dive into a quinoa salad!
I love adding herbs to my vinaigrettes, so the parsley you added makes this sound delicious to me :) Happy new year!
I just made this, but instead of parsley, I threw some kale into a food processor and added a tiny bit of ginger with a teeny tiny bit of honey. Sooo good! Thank you!
That sounds delicious! :)