Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds

Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds
Serving Size
2
Ingredients


    • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
    • 1/2 cup (3 ounces) quinoa
    • 4 teaspoons olive oil
    • 1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
    • 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
    • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
    • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
    • 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
    • 1 large celery stalk, diced
    • 1 lime, halved
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well. 

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow pepper, garlic, scallions, and red-pepper flakes; cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in quinoa, thyme, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from heat. 

Stir in celery, almonds, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt, and fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before packing into two containers and refrigerating. When ready to eat, squeeze lime over salad, if desired.

Nutrition Information
368 calories; 11 g protein; 19 g fat; 44 g carb; 7 g fibe