Some friends brought us back a 3-pound bottle of pure delicious honey from Gary, Texas. I quickly put it to good use with this spring salad using everything in season–asparagus, peas, and spinach. I cooked the Quinoa in vegetable stock to add more flavor. The honey-lemon dressing creates a beautiful refreshing bite to this healthy yummy salad. I think it would also be great on a spring dinner party menu. But for now, it’s my new favorite lunch.
Spring Salad--Quinoa and Asparagus with Honey-Lemon Dressing
Author: Tonja Engen
Ingredients
- FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1 Tbls. plus 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbls. Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 1 Tbls. honey
- ½ tsp. chopped thyme
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- FOR THE SALAD:
- 2 cups Vegetable stock
- 1 cup quinoa
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tbls. olive oil
- 1 small bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 5 oz. fresh spinach
- 2-3 oz. honeyed goat cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Shake dressing with the jar lid on tight. Set aside.
- Add vegetable stock, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until stock is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
- While the quinoa is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, the asparagus, and lemon juice. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Add frozen peas (if not using fresh) and stir to incorporate with the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to allow mixture to come to room temp.
- In a large bowl, add spinach, 1-2 cups of quinoa, and asparagus/pea mixture. Using hands, crumble goat cheese over the top. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
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