Warm Quinoa Salad with Edamame & Tarragon

Quinoa, a super food from South America, is packed with protein and fiber. Toasting it gives it a slightly nutty taste, a complement to the walnuts and a foil to the lemony tarragon dressing. Try this salad over greens of any sort: fresh arugula, Boston lettuce leaves or wilted spinach.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup  quinoa, (see Note)

2 cups  vegetable broth

2 cups  frozen shelled edamame, thawed (10 ounces)

1 tablespoon  freshly grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons  lemon juice

2 tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons  chopped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried

1/2 teaspoon  salt

1/2 cup  drained and diced jarred roasted red peppers, (3 ounces)

1/4 cup  chopped walnuts, preferably toasted (see Cooking Tip)

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until it becomes aromatic and begins to crackle, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly.

2. Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the quinoaand return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook gently for 8 minutes. Remove the lid and, without disturbing the quinoa, add edamame. Cover and continue to cook until the edamame and quinoa are tender, 7 to 8 minutes longer. Drain any remaining water, if necessary.

3. Whisk lemon zest and juice, oil, tarragon and salt in a large bowl. Add peppers and thequinoa mixture. Toss to combine. Divide among 4 plates and top with walnuts.

Tips:
Note: Quinoa is a delicately flavored grain that was a staple in the ancient Incas' diet. It is available in most natural-foods stores and the natural-foods sections of many supermarkets. Toasting the grain before cooking enhances its flavor and rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa's natural, bitter protective covering.

Cooking Tip: To toast walnuts: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 3. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

I work in food services as a caterer at my local Community College and we started making a similar salad to this one and it is a hit. We constantly sell out and there are countless complements on it throughout the week. Feel free to experiment and add your favorite herbs and spices. We don't have nuts in ours or tarragon. We use italian parsley and sesame seeds. And for color we incorporate colored couscous and use red quinoa. 

NUTRITION FACTS

Calories 404, Total Fat 18 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 6 g, Sodium 645 mg, Carbohydrate 46 g, Fiber 16 g, Protein 17 g, Potassium 319 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin A 20%, Vitamin C 20%, Iron 25%. Exchanges: Starch 3, Lean Meat 1, Fat 3.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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