Quinoa is my favorite gluten free grain  and this rainbow quinoa with apple, cranberries, and mint salad is to die for. I’ve been on an adventure to use fresh herbs and my herb of the moment is mint. I am loving the flavor it gives to food. It pairs well with fruit, and lamb in my experiments thus far.

I absolutely love the explosion of flavor that happens with every bite. It makes a significant amount making it perfect for meal prep for the week. It’s a great lunch as is, on a bed of greens, or as a side for dinner. You can keep it all to yourself, or meal prep with friends and share. This recipe does make quite a bit. It is also perfect for the cook-outs that will be happening all summer long.

Making quinoa can be tricky so I made  a video to help.

Once the quinoa is done and resting off the burner, chop up you apple, bell pepper, red onion, and mint. Then in a large bowl, add in quinoa, chopped ingredients, cranberries, extra virgin olive oil, and spices. Mix together really well and salt to taste.

This recipe is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, coconut free, and not to mention absolutely delicious, it is sure to be a summer staple.

Rainbow Quinoa with Apple, Cranberries and Mint

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup rainbow quinoa
• 2 3/4 cup water
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 medium gala apple
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 3 sprigs mint leaves
• 5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
• pink himalayan sea salt to taste

Instructions

 

• In a medium sized pot, bring your water to a boil. While the water is warming up, rinse quinoa thoroughly to remove phytic acid coating. I rinse for about 5 minutes under cold running water. Once water is boiling, add quinoa and reduce to medium-low heat. Let cook for about 30 minutes, until water is completely absorbed.
• Dice your bell pepper and apple into small pieces.
• Finely chop mint.
• Add to cooled quinoa, along with cranberries, sunflower seeds, EVOO, red pepper flakes (optional) and salt. Mix will.
• Refrigerate until you are ready to eat.