This recipe was developed in partnership with the Florida Department of Citrus.

 

Spring is FINALLY here (although it snowed today, GAH!!!)

Living through the winter in Toronto is brutal!  As soon as the calendar flips to April and the weather gets a bit warmer, it’s as though a fog lifts and everything just feels brighter.

The temperature thaw gets me thinking about fresh spring ingredients too, because I’m a huge fan of the new greens and fresh tastes that come with this season. I want less meat, more plants, and lighter textures, which is why this spring quinoa salad with a fresh Florida Orange Juice vinaigrette is the perfect recipe for right now. Even the quinoa is cooked in Florida Orange Juice so the beautiful orange flavour is infused in every part of the dish. When I make the vinaigrette, I usually add additional elements sweeten it, but with this salad, the Florida Orange Juice has the perfect amount of natural sweetness! Plus, 100% orange juice does not contain added sugars, only those that naturally occur in the orange. Aside from its naturally sweet taste, Florida Orange Juice provides calcium, Vitamin C, Folate, and Potassium.

 

 

I’m lucky that my girls and my husband love chickpeas and vegetables, so this quick and easy grain salad is a family-friendly, protein-packed, vegan meal. For all of you who meal prep, this recipe gets better the longer it sits.

Feel free to use different grains (like wheatberries) and any vegetables you love in this quinoa salad. You can also experiment with using both cooked and raw in-season veggies, which would be incredible. If you don’t like chickpeas, feel free to replace them with any sort of protein. You can also sprinkle this dish with feta or goat cheese. It’s all good!

 

 

Note: make sure you rinse your quinoa well before cooking it. Swish it around in the water and drain in a fine-mesh strainer. Quinoa has saponins on it which make it super bitter if you don’t wash them off!

 

 

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Spring Quinoa Salad with Florida Orange Juice Vinaigrette

This fresh, easy grain salad has spring vegetables, chickpeas, and a vinaigrette made with Florida Orange Juice! Your whole family will love it.

Ingredients
Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons Florida Orange Juice
  • 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 smashed garlic clove
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon
Quinoa:
  • 2 cups dry quinoa rinsed
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup Florida Orange Juice
  • 3 + cups of mixed vegetables: I used shredded purple Brussels sprouts steamed asparagus, red onion, and microgreens
  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas
  • 1.5 cups fresh mixed herbs chopped: I used flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, and marjoram
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.
  2. Place broth, Florida Orange Juice and quinoa together in a pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 40 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and cool slightly (adding some herbs to hot quinoa will turn the herbs brown).
  4. Fold in vegetables, herbs, and chickpeas,
  5. Add dressing and toss to combine. Serve.

For more recipes and information on Florida Orange Juice, visit www.floridacitrus.ca/oj

#AmazingInside #sponsored #FLOJ

 

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