Sweet and Savory Quinoa and Papaya Salad

August 20, 2011 by Leanne Vogel July 25, 2017

This salad is so light and summery, right down to the chopped kiwis. I love preparing these types of grain based salads and using them as a mix-in with my daily greens. Just combine 1 serving of salad with 2 cups of greens and you have one mean meal. No extra dressing needed!

Ingredients

Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups filtered water

Salad

• 1/2 papaya, peeled, seeded and diced (reserve the seeds)
• 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup raw pecans, chopped
• 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Dressing

• 1/4 cup papaya seeds
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon raw unpasteurized honey
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon herbamare
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Place quinoa and water in small saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered while you work away at the rest of your salad. You can cook quinoa ahead of time if you’d rather use it cold.
2. While quinoa is cooking, prepare and mix all the ingredients of the salad in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a food processor or blender, purée all the dressing ingredients until smooth.
4. Combine salad fixings with quinoa and pour dressing over top. Stir to combine.
5. You can serve immediately or allow to chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Store the leftovers in an airtight container. Will keep in the fridge for 3 days.

Nutrition Information Per Serving