Honey-Roasted Carrot and Quinoa Salad
Another day, another unique salad. This one combining some rather unusual ingredients, including honey-roasted carrots, pickled beets, and dill. The beets and carrots make for a delightfully sweet salad. Darn right pretty too, with Trader Joe’s rainbow quinoa blend and some stunning rainbow carrots.
Just keep an eye on the carrots as they are roasting otherwise you’ll end up with a big mess and a ruined cookie sheet. Curses!
I only realized after the fact that we forgot the arugula the second time we made this, so I’m going to go ahead and call it completely optional (since the salad didn’t suffer without it). We liked the addition of the fresh mozzarella, but feta or goat cheese would be other good options.
Completely un-food-related but definitely relevant if you follow this blog, Google Reader is shutting down as of July 1st. If you use Google Reader to follow me or other blogs, be sure you have a replacement lined up. Over at Purr Design, I wrote a post entitled “Life After Google Reader” that compares two alternatives and will walk you through the process of making the switch. And remember, you can always subscribe to Love & Olive Oil by Email and get new posts emailed directly to you (if you prefer!)
Honey-Roasted Carrot and Quinoa Salad
Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine-mesh sieve
1/4 cup olive oil plus more for baking sheet
2 tablespoons apple cider
2 tablespoons honey
Freshly ground black pepper
3 medium carrots (about 1/2 pounds) peeled, thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup pickled beets, cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill
1 head butter lettuce, leaves torn, or a few handfuls of fresh arugula
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes (optional)Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cook quinoa according to package directions, until tender. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl; let cool.
Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Whisk cider and honey in a large bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper. Add carrots and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spreading into a single layer, and roast until tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
Whisk vinegar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup oil until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add beets, dill, carrots, and half of vinaigrette to quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Arrange lettuce among serving bowls, top with quinoa mixture and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Top with mozzarella cubes, if desired, and serve.
Recipe from Bon Appetit.
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It is crazy about Google Reader, isn’t it? Your salad is so colorful. I love quinoa, carrots and mozzarella :)
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What a pretty salad! :) And thanks for the Google reader alternatives… I will definitely check those out!
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Gorgeous colors and amazing flavors!
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LOVING this salad!
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Love the little mozzarella balls! What a fresh and beautiful salad!
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This is so perfect for spring! Love all that colour!
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How fresh and delicious!
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This looks so fresh and delicious!
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This looks fabulous. I’m always looking for new ways to use quinoa, and I love rainbow carrots! Thanks for the inspiration.
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I love the use of rainbow carrots. My friend’s 5 year old son was over a few weeks ago, and I was cooking with purple carrots. I asked him if he wanted to try one, and he gave me the side-eye, like “Lady, you’re lying. There is no way the purple thing is a carrot.” But he tried it and the look on his face when he realized it was a carrot was priceless!
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I’ve been obsessed with quinoa lately and this looks just perfect! :)
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Such wonderful colors! I love honey roasted carrots…. This would also be awesome with Maple-Butter Roasted Carrots!
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This salad sounds amazing! I love the idea of biting into a surprising bit of pickled beet. And I have to say this is making me want to march right to the store for all the bocconcini. :)
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Nice mix of colours!
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This looks delicious! I want a big bowl now!
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Love the flavor profiles from mozzarella to quinoa..delicious. I think I’m going to roll with Bloglovin. Also wanted to say thanks for adding me to your blog reads :)
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You are so welcome (although, that page may disappear soon since it is also tied to google reader, oops!)
Nice idea for quinoa! Since I bought this foodie-goodie was lacking a bit in ideas how to cook/eat it. Used to serve just as a side dish with main meal, or quick and light lunch with spices (when lazy), but this salad seems to be a tremendously good idea. Will fit my “healthy day a week” lunch perfectly :)
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Looks delicious – need to try it soonest:-)
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Serrrsly gawwwwg. (that’s gorgeous, not gag. thank you.)
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this sounds so yummy! i’d add chicken for a well-rounded dinner.
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Lindsay this salad looks so healthy and delicious. I love your light salad dressing too.
Thanks for the heads up on Google Reader.
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What a gorgeous salad! Love all of the flavors!
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I think I’m the only person I know bummed about Google Reader. But this salad is gorgeous and temporarily made me forget about my blog reading sorrow!
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Fantastic salad full of colors and flavors. Looks delicious and healthy too!
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I love the colors in this and I’ve been meaning to make a roasted carrot dish before the winter season is out – I better get my self in gear!
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I am not a fan of quiona but this really does look awesome!
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I’ve been CRAZY for roasted carrots lately, and I just love the idea of combining them with pickled beets. Thanks!
-Emily K.
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Beautiful dish as always. Honey roasted carrots + beets + quinoa = swoon. Sad about Google Reader, but I’ve made the switch over to Bloglovin’ and added you :)
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I love the combination and it’s so colorful! What a wholesome dish this makes, XOXO
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