Here's an autumn quinoa salad that's delicious, filling, and perfectly seasonal. It's tender baked sweet potatoes, fluffy quinoa, pecans, and greens tossed with an easy maple dijon dressing. It's a quick and healthy side dish or light main, and it's ready in just 35 minutes!
Ingredients
1lbsweet potatoes, chopped
1tablespoonolive oil
¼ teaspoonEACH: cinnamon, cayenne, and sea salt
½cuppecans
⅔cupquinoa
1cuparugula, or spinach
Maple Dijon Dressing
1tablespoonEACH: olive oil and maple syrup
2teaspoonsEACH: balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar
½teaspoonDijon mustard
A generous pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potato pieces with olive oil, cinnamon, cayenne, and sea salt and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 -25 minutes, turning once, until they are soft and starting to brown.
1 lb sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon EACH: cinnamon, cayenne, and sea salt
Place the pecans on the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they will burn easily at this temperature if you leave them in longer.
½ cup pecans
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, cook the quinoa according to package the directions. Usually, 1:2 quinoa to water ratio and cooked for 12-15 minutes. When the quinoa is cooked, fluff it with a fork and set it aside with the lid off.
⅔ cup quinoa
Make the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
1 tablespoon EACH: olive oil and maple syrup, 2 teaspoons EACH: balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, A generous pinch of sea salt
When the sweet potatoes are cooked, mix them and the pecans with the quinoa and arugula in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well.