Eat a little too much over the weekend? Don’t you worry about it. As always, the solution is simple: food (well, healthy food, to be specific). A salad is always the better option for your metabolism after a weekend binge. Who says a salad always has to be only healthy? What’s healthy can be delicious too. This recipe of Broccoli and Quinoa Salad is full of protein, vitamin C, and just the right amount of carbs and fat; and is so tasty, you will end up craving for more.

There are not many recipes that can be made as quickly and easily as this salad. As I have already told you, I love experimenting with recipes and flavors. A good salad, according to me, should be, first and foremost, crunchy and refreshing. With colorful veggies and a sweet & tangy dressing, this quinoa and broccoli salad can be your choice for a fresh start to a week. You can have a bowl on hand for snacking or pair it with your choice of crackers or bread for a fuller meal.

The real star of this salad is the Honey mustard vinaigrette that is sweet, sharp and zesty enough to soothe your tastebuds. The dried cranberries perfectly balance the flavor of the salad by adding a subtle punch of tart. While this broccoli salad can be served right away, I prefer to let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to let all of the flavors really meld together. This gluten-free salad packs well for lunch too.

The ratio of the ingredients provided serves upto 4 people.

Ingredients:

– 1 lb Broccoli (about 2 broccoli heads)
– ½ cup uncooked quinoa
– ½ cup roasted slivered almonds
– ⅓ cup dried cranberries
– 1 small red onion, chopped

For the honey mustard vinaigrette

– 1/3 cup olive oil
– 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
– 1 ½ tablespoon honey
– 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
– 1 tablespoon lemon juice
– salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

– To cook the quinoa, rinse it in a fine colander under running water. Then add the quinoa along with 1 cup of water in a pot and let it come to a gentle boil over medium heat. Then reduce the heat on low and simmer the quinoa until it has absorbed all the water. Remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.

– Cut the broccoli florets off the stem and thinly slice the florets using a sharp knife.

– To make the honey mustard vinaigrette, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl and whisk until emulsified. The dressing should be tangy with a sharp tinge of mustard. If it’s too sour or acidic, add more honey to balance the taste. Or if you like it to be pungent, add some more mustard and apple cider vinegar to it.

– Now in a mixing bowl, combine the sliced broccoli, cooked quinoa, roasted slivered almonds, dried cranberries and red onions. Pour the prepared vinaigrette over the salad and mix it well until the salad is nicely coated in the vinaigrette.

– Serve immediately or let it marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator.

If you want more veggies you can always add cabbage, kale or Brussels sprouts to it. The more the merrier (or rather, crunchier and healthier). But for this particular salad I always prefer going with only broccoli and not diluting its flavor by adding more veggies. Also, I hope you all will find the homemade vinaigrette easy to make and great in taste.. So go ahead and try your hands on making this and I assure you will have a seriously addictive salad!