I was looking for an easy side dish recipe I could prepare ahead … and that was sorta unique. I asked my friend and registered dietitian, Janet Bissex, one of the Meal Makeover Moms, if she had a recipe I might share.

Janice suggested an Apple Quinoa Salad recipe. Quinoa is a South American plant that is grown for its seeds. Though not a true cereal grain by definition, quinoa is prepared and used in ways similar to grain. Quinoa provides all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source. It is also gluten-free.

Merriam-Webster online dictionary gives two possible pronunciations for quinoa: (kēn-ˌwä) or (kē-ˈnō-ə). The way it is most commonly pronounced is the first example and sounds like KEEN-wah.

Apple Quinoa Salad is filled lots of good stuff — apples, walnuts, dried cranberries and cheese. Except for the quinoa and maple syrup, the ingredients were ones I already had in my house. (After checking the Cook’s Thesaurus website, I substituted honey for the two tablespoons of maple syrup. I wouldn’t have tried this substitution for a larger amount as maple syrup has a truly unique flavor.)

(TIP: Here’s an easy way to toast walnuts for this recipe from the California Walnut Board.)

The thing I liked best about the recipe — it tastes good! My husband gives the salad a “thumbs up!”

Get the Recipe!

Download a copy of the Apple Quinoa Salad recipe from the Meal Makeover Moms (Janice Bissex and Liz Weiss) website. And, find four more recipes made with quinoa!