Chilled Spring Cucumber-Dill Salad with Cashews and Quinoa
Try this Chilled Spring Cucumber-Dill Salad with Cashews and Quinoa recipe
Try this Chilled Spring Cucumber-Dill Salad with Cashews and Quinoa recipe
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- for the salad:
- 1 large cucumber
- for the dressing:
- 1/2 up dry quinoa
- 12 large asparagus spears tips and bottoms removed
- 1/4 up unsalted cashews
- 1/2 easpoon lemon zest
- 1/2 easpoon country dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced dill
- Carbohydrate 4.11704999827983 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.920275 g
- Fiber 0.408515625452187 g
- Protein 0.520748437471269 g
- Saturated Fat 0.6958045 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (148g)
- Sodium 22.5034557310492 mg
- Sugar 3.70853437282764 g
- Trans Fat 0.1580895 g
- Calories 59 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the quinoa and water in a small pot, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes or until quinoa fluffs up with a fork. If water evaporates completely, add more in tablespoons.
- Once the quinoa is cooked, immediately transfer to a bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably for 12 or more hours.
- While quinoa chills, prepare the rest: peel the asparagus using a vegetable peeler and set aside. Then, spiralize the cucumbers with Blade B or C. Pat the noodles dry thoroughly, using paper towels. Roughly chop the cashews. Set the asparagus, cucumber noodles, asparagus and cashews aside in the refrigerator in a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare the dressing: combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- Once the quinoa is done chilling, add it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients, pour over the vinaigrette and toss to combine thoroughly.
- Serve immediately or chill again in the refrigerator for future use.
Cooling cooked grains before mixing prevents delicate vegetables from wilting and releasing unwanted water into the bowl. Hot quinoa placed directly against raw cucumber noodles breaks down cellular walls rapidly, turning a crisp dish watery within minutes. Chill the grain base for at least two hours so internal temperatures drop fully below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Planning ahead simplifies assembly during busy prep windows. Cooked quinoa holds safely in refrigeration for up to three days before dressing contact. Spiralized cucumbers release moisture when salted early, so pat the strands thoroughly with paper towels immediately after cutting. Keep toasted or raw cashews separate until the final toss to preserve their crunch.
Testing grain doneness requires visual inspection rather than a timer. Look for the tiny white germ ring to detach from the outer seed coat while the grain turns translucent. Fluffing with a fork reveals whether moisture remains trapped at the bottom of the saucepan. Substitute toasted almonds or pine nuts at a one-to-one ratio if cashews are unavailable.
