Bright and fresh asparagus and cherry tomatoes are mixed with healthy and hearty quinoa and then tossed in a simple lemon basil vinaigrette. A perfect springtime salad!
Is anyone else really into springy recipes lately? The weather is warmer and all the trees are in bloom here in NYC – it is so gorgeous! And it has me in the mood to cook lighter, healthier foods. Ok well except for these. But Saturday morning calories don’t count, right? Especially if you work out first!
But in general, I’ve been making lots of spring salads and other dishes to showcase all the great produce of the season. And one of my favorite spring veggies is asparagus. Lucky for me, it was on our Mystery Dish list this month!! When I saw the list, I knew exactly what I was going to make – Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Tomato in a simple Lemon Basil Vinaigrette.
The lovely Jen Nikolaus from Yummy Healthy Easy was our Mystery Dish host this month. She is awesome, and so is her blog. It was featured on People.com the other week!!! How cool is that?!
Here are the ingredients she picked for us: garbanzo beans, eggs, flaxseed, cilantro, potatoes (any variety), bread, quinoa, lime, popcorn, dark chocolate, ground turkey, and asparagus.
I chose quinoa and asparagus for my light and healthy springtime salad.
This salad really couldn’t be easier. First, cook some quinoa according to the package directions. I like to use chicken broth instead of water for extra flavor. At the same time, cook your asparagus. I blanched mine – it makes it tender but still crisp, and keeps the color nice and bright. You could also roast, sautee, or steam the asparagus.
The vinaigrette uses two of my favorite flavors – lemon and basil. It is really simple and so easy to make – just whisk together some lemon juice, zest, honey, salt, pepper, olive oil, and basil! It tastes amazing – so light and fresh.
Then you toss the quinoa with the asparagus, some sliced cherry tomatoes, and the vinaigrette. That’s it! So easy, healthy, and delicious.
This salad is also very versatile. You can add cheese, protein, other veggies, toasted nuts – whatever you like or have on hand, just throw it in! TheBetterHalf and I ate this for dinner with some grilled chicken and feta cheese – a perfect springtime meal.
My blogging friends made some amazing things this month, so be sure to check them out! The links are below the picture collage. And stay tuned next month for a very special Mystery Dish host….ME! Yay!
1. Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake by Culinary Couture 2. Pineapple Cashew Quinoa “Fried Rice” by Blahnik Baker 3. Chili Lime Popcorn by The Pajama Chef 4. Cilantro Lime Hummus by The Weary Chef 5. Gluten Free White Bean Brownies by Yummy Healthy Easy 6. Homemade Popcorn with Cilantro Lime Butter by The Well Floured Kitchen 7. Tex-Mex Chickpea Salad by Joyful Healthy Eats 8. Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Tomato by Chez Catey Lou 9. Key Lime Pie Popcorn by I Dig Pinterest 10. Turkey Sausage Breakfast Casserole by I Want Crazy 11. Frozen Pineapple Cilantro Mojito by Baking a Moment 12. Pretzel Caramel Crunch by The Dessert Chronicles
Bright and fresh asparagus and cherry tomatoes are mixed with healthy and hearty quinoa and then tossed in a simple lemon basil vinaigrette. A perfect springtime salad!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 bunch asparagus, cut into pieces (trim off ends first)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/8 tsp salt
- freshly cracked pepper
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 - 2 Tbsp minced basil, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions - I like to use chicken broth instead of water.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, and add a few tablespoons of salt. Cook the asparagus for about 3 minutes or until tender - the time will vary depending on how thick the asparagus are. Then immediately plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, zest, honey, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Mix in the basil.
- Pour half the dressing over the quinoa and toss to combine. Add the asparagus, cherry tomato, and the rest of the dressing and toss to combine. Serve, garnished with minced fresh basil.
Craving more healthy veggie dishes? Try some of these!
Lentil Salad with Olives, Mint and Feta
Haricots Verts with Caramelized Shallots and Toasted Almonds
Looks delicious! Definitely makes me feel like spring…even though it’s 45 and raining here 🙁
I’m loving spring recipes too at the moment! I love that it’s asparagus season. This looks delicious. I need more quinoa in my life.
I love this light and springy salad!! It looks really delicious. I can’t wait to see what ingredients you pick for next month 🙂
Wow, this ingredient challenge sounds so fun! Kind of reminds me of “Chopped” on the Food Network. I love the dish you came up with. The vinaigrette sounds delicious!
I love quinoa and you pictures are really beautiful. As asparagus is in season now this recipe comes at the right time. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thank you so much, Mlle!
This really is a lovely fresh and healthy salad, isn’t it? I can imagine it being perfect with some grilled meat or fish and a glass of crisp white wine. The other recipes look great, too … especially number 1, the flourless choccy cake!
You are the SWEETEST!!! Thanks for the kind words about me! I love your blog and this quinoa salad looks so flippin amazing!!! Lemon and basil are one of my fave combos too! I’m going to have to give this a try! Cheers to warmer weather, yay! Pinned!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this salad! I adore quinoa, but I’m getting bored of eating it the same old way! Asparagus is my fav Spring veggie, so all over this! Great pics too girl! Pinned 🙂
I’m SO into cooking with all the veggies that have spung with Spring. This salad looks delicious! Perfect for lunch, dinner, or a side dish at a BBQ. 🙂
I love the ingredients you chose, Cate! So seasonal and fresh. And that vinaigrette sounds lovely… Beautiful pics too!
Love this dish Cate! Sounds so fresh and perfect for the spring! My little guy would love this with all the veggies too! Pinned!
It makes me so happy to see those beautiful cherry tomatoes and fresh asparagus! That means warmer weather is coming (well, except for these last two days apparently)! Beautiful looking dish Cate!
i love making salads with asparagus! this looks so fresh and springy 🙂
That salad looks so perfect for spring! I love the ingredients you chose 🙂
This looks awesome! I love simple recipes for a delicious but quick dinner, definitely ear marking this one!