Spinach Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts and Blue Cheese

Ever since we moved, I've been completely slacking on meal planning and eating healthy. Now that we're pretty much settled, I'm back on track and will be posting new recipes more frequently. We loved this salad, the quinoa, spinach, sweet raspberries, crunchy walnuts and the bite of the blue cheese. I served it with flank steak but it would pair nicely with grilled chicken or pork chops. It would also make a great side dish at Thanksgiving!

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1 bunch of fresh spinach, ends trimmed and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup walnuts

2 Tbsp reduced fat blue cheese

In a medium pot, bring the 2 cups of water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed all the water, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Place in a large bowl and allow to cool slightly. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and a teaspoon of salt. Add the chopped spinach, cranberries and walnuts to the bowl with the warm quinoa. Drizzle the olive oil-lemon dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Divide into 3-4 portions and top with a small amount of blue cheese. Serve and dig in! 

Source: Pretty Delicious Cookbook by Candice Kumai