Fruit Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Blueberries and Pine Nuts

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A cool, refreshing and delicious fruit and quinoa salad with grapes, blueberries, pine nuts and an apple cider vinaigrette will be a welcome addition to any menu.

The summer months are a time for cookouts, picnics, and impromptu parties.  I love making favorite picnic dishes like this potato salad, a savory zucchini pie, or mac and cheese bites. Why not shake up your next menu with something new.  Reach for the quinoa and prepare a cool fruit and Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Blueberries and Pine Nuts.

the ingredients in fruit and quinoa salad

• low sodium chicken stock
• quinoa
• green and red grapes
• blueberries
• pine nuts
• parsley
• blue cheese
• apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Pine Nuts is an appealing dish with its many textures and flavors.  The nutty and tender cooked quinoa contrasts with the other ingredients. The sharp bite of the blue cheese, the crunch of the pine nuts, and the sweet and juicy red and green grapes and blueberries make this an interesting salad.  A light vinaigrette made with apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and extra virgin olive oil adds just a touch of zing. But, it does not overwhelm the other ingredients in the salad.

what is quinoa?

Even though quinoa is a seed, it is often used interchangeably with grains.   The versatile ingredient can be substituted in recipes that call for barley, rice, or farro.  The gluten-free seed cooks in about the same amount of time as white rice and packs a powerful nutritional punch.  It has a mild nutty flavor and is chock full of protein, eight amino acids, B vitamins, and is a good source of dietary fiber.

 The quick-cooking tiny seed can be served for any meal of the day.  Top it with berries, nuts and brown sugar and serve warm in place of oatmeal or blend quinoa into a smoothie for breakfast.  Stir it in to soup instead of noodles or sprinkle on a salad for lunch.  Or serve it along with a chicken and broccoli stir fry in place of white or brown rice for dinner.

chef cooking tips for this healthy quinoa salad

• To save time when preparing recipes that call for quinoa, cook a large batch. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• After the quinoa finishes cooking, make sure to let it rest in a covered pot for about 5 minutes. This allows the quinoa to soak up any remaining liquid making it light and fluffy.
• To make this a vegan recipe, cook the quinoa in vegetable stock and leave out the blue cheese.
• Substitute your favorite fruits and nuts in the recipe. Some options are sliced peaches or plums, chunks of apples, orange wedges, walnuts, pecans, or almonds.

I love this light yet filling fruit quinoa salad with all its bold flavors.  Serve it as a side dish or an entree option for vegetarians or vegans (just cook the quinoa in vegetable stock and leave out the blue cheese).  The cool and refreshing salad holds up well in the refrigerator. It’s an ideal make ahead dish for your next summer party.

If you make this delicious zucchini pie, I’d love hearing from you all. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.

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