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Fall Gratitude Quinoa Salad with Maple Seed Clusters || #vegan #antiinflammatory #glutenfree || Eat Spin Run Repeat

Fall Gratitude Quinoa Salad


  • Author: Angela Simpson
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Warm roasted veggies, quinoa, crunchy seed clusters and fresh pomegranate make this Fall Gratitude Quinoa Salad an extremely flavourful, texture-rich, vibrant dish that’ll keep you feeling full for hours. I recommend adding roasted chicken or maple marinated tempeh for extra protein to make it a complete meal.


Ingredients

Scale

For the sweet potatoes + Brussels sprouts:

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 cups diced peeled sweet potato
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp each ground cumin and paprika
  • 5 cups trimmed + halved Brussels sprouts
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar

For the seed clusters (see note):

  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp each sunflower and hemp seeds
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

For the rest:

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 46 cups shredded baby spinach
  • arils from 1 pomegranate

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Prepare the roasted veggies: In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes in 1 tbsp of the olive oil, plus the cinnamon, cumin and paprika. Toss well to coat, then scatter in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Do the same with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, Brussels sprouts, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. If you like, switch to the broil setting for the last 5ish mins of cooking to create some crispiness on the edges.

For the seed clusters: Mix the seeds and maple syrup together in a smaller bowl. Add a pinch of sea salt to enhance sweetness, then pour the seed mixture out in a flattened layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, stopping half way through to break the layer into clusters. Let them cool completely (which will help them solidify after you take them out of the oven.)

Once the roasted veggies are ready, combine them in a large mixing bowl with the quinoa, shredded spinach and pomegranate arils. Stir well to combine, then distribute between 4 bowls.

When the seed clusters have cooled, use them to top each salad.

Notes

  • If you’d like to boost flavour further and don’t have time to let the salad sit for a while (which helps flavours develop), mix 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, plus some sea salt and black pepper into the salad when you mix everything together in the mixing bowl.
  • I often bulk up my meals with shredded greens, which is why I’ve indicated 4-6 cups for this salad. If you want to make the portions even bigger without adding heaps of calories, feel free to toss in as many shredded greens as you like!
  • This salad tastes great as leftovers – I actually prefer it on day 2!
  • If you prefer not to make the seed clusters or don’t have time, you could mix in whatever combo of raw seeds you like, or use something like Navitas Organics Coconut Hemp Pumpkin Seeds.
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: salad
  • Method: roast