Meatless Monday: Red Quinoa & Roasted Root Vegetables

     I have been wanting to make this dish for a while.  Eric has fallen in love with parsnips and turnips and they have been keeping me up at night too.  Thinking of how to use them in a unique dish that is.  Recently he roasted carrots, parsnips and turnips and we had them as a side.  They were delicious.  Sweet, caramelized, earthy and fabulous, I thought they would lend themselves well paired with quinoa. On a recent shopping trip with my mom, I found some red quinoa in the bulk food section of our local Giant Eagle Market District. Those beautiful parsnips and turnips were still on my mind with their dense white fleshy interiors, I realized the red quinoa would be a beautiful canvas on which to showcase them.
       Carrots also star in this salad.  I used two kinds: orange and also a yellow baby variety that looks so beautiful placed on top as an edible garnish.  No parts of these babies (no pun intended) went to waste.  The carrot stalks and tops were also added for extra crunch and garnish, adding some greenery to the salad.  Honey and ginger were also used as flavor profiles which gives the dish a slightly sweet and spicy taste.  This delicious winter salad is a pleasure to the senses and is satisfying on it own.  If serving this to more than two people and wanting to be fancy use additional baby carrots. This can serve 4 as a light lunch or 2 with leftovers.

Red Quinoa & Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

Recipe by Jordan

Ingredients

• 1 medium turnip
• 2 medium orange carrots
• 2 medium parsnips
• 6 baby yellow carrots
• 2 inch piece of fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsp oil olive
• 1 orange
• 1/2 lemon
• 3 Tbsp avocado oil
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 cup red quinoa
• salt
• freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400º.
2. Prepare vegetables: Cut off tops of baby carrots, reserving half of stalks and fronds. Wash carrots with vegetable brush. Wash and peel parsnips and turnips.
3. Cut orange carrots, parsnips (remove hard core if desired) and turnips into 1/2 inch cubes. Leave baby carrots whole. Place all vegetables on large baking pan.
4. Mince ginger, tossing 1/2 of minced ginger and 2 Tbsp olive oil with vegetables on baking pan. Place in reheated oven. Setting timer to 15 minutes.
5. In the meantime bring to boil 2 cups of water in 2 quart saucepan. Once water is boiling add 1 cup of red quinoa, reduce heat to low and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of water. Remove from heat, keep covered and let sit for 10 minutes then fluff with fork.
6. After vegetables have roasted for 15 minutes stir and place back in oven roasting until tender when pierced with fork and caramelized about 15 more minutes.
7. In the meantime make dressing. Juice 1 orange and 1/2 lemon. Mix citrus juices with avocado oil and honey, whisking to combine. Add remaining minced ginger, season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Wash reserved stalks and fronds of baby carrots. Dice stalks, reserve fronds for garnish.
9. Once vegetables are roasted and quinoa is ready, assemble salad. Combine chopped vegetables, diced carrot stalks, and quinoa mixing to evenly distribute vegetables.
10. Pour dressing over salad, stirring to combine.
11. To serve place salad on plate, followed by 3 baby carrots per plate, additional shaved ginger if desired, and carrot fronds.

Hearty healthy lunch, recommended beverage: Tamarind Mexican Soda