Cranberry Orange Quinoa Salad

When gathering for your Thanksgiving Day festivities focus on making it about the memories and the company, not about the food. Yes, the food is great and delicious- but honestly it's about family, friends, being together, making memories. That's exactly what the term "soul food" means- Cooking became the way we expressed our love for one another. It's more than just eating, it's a time for sharing our joys and sorrows.

Melissa

Cranberry Orange Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

-1 cup quinoa

-2 cup water

-2 large leaves of kale

-2 cup fresh cranberries

-2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

-1 tsp honey

-2 TBS grated orange zest

-6 small oranges

-1/4 cup mixed nuts

-1/4 cup pomegranate arils

-1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Instructions

1. Rinse quinoa with water and strain.

2. In a small pot, add quinoa and 2 cups of water to boil.

I actually used my instant pot to cook my quinoa, it took all of 1 minute to cook. But use a different grain to water ratio than what you would for rice. For quinoa use - 1 ½ cups of water for every cup of quinoa.

3. Once water is boiling, cover pot, reduce heat to low and continue to cook until the water is gone and quinoa is cooked, about 12-15 minutes.

4. Remove quinoa from heat, remove lid and use a spoon to fluff up quinoa. Transfer quinoa to a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool.

5. Wash, remove stems from kale. Finely chop kale and add to the quinoa. I bought a bag of already cut kale and put it in a food processor to chop it up a little more fine.

6. Add cranberries, olive oil and honey in a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. You do not want it to be a puréed or turn to mush.

7. When quinoa is cooled completely, gently stir in the oranges and cranberry mixture.

8. Stir in orange zest in with the quinoa.

9. Peel and coarsely chop oranges and mix in with the quinoa.

10. Stir in nuts, pomegranate and mint.

11. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Recipe By: Melissa