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“California Pizza Kitchen” is our favorite restaurant and we visit it at least once a week to enjoy their amazing salads and pizzas. Last weekend, I tried out their new salad, quinoa with arugula, red onions, sun dried tomatoes, asparagus and a sprinkle of feta cheese and was completely blown away by the flavors that I had to recreate it at home as it looked fairly simple.
Just cook the quinoa ahead of time, and keep in the refrigerator. This salad tastes best when all the ingredients are cold. I made just a few changes by substituting the asparagus for french beans and made a white wine vinaigrette (using Ina Garten’s vinaigrette recipe). Needless to say, it’s a hot favorite at home and hubby takes it as lunch to work.
Quinoa (pronounced as Keen-wah) is a gluten free, highly nutritious seed. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and is a great substitute for rice. Quinoa is an exceptional source of protein, dietary fiber and contains B vitamins and iron. Prepare it the way you would cook rice. A lot of my friends are now using quinoa instead of rice.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa- cook the quinoa like rice (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water and salt to taste)
- 2 cups arugula
- 8 sun dried tomatoes, chopped – drained from oil
- 1/3 cup sliced red onions
- 7 to 10 french beans, blanched in boiling water and shocked
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, sprinkled
Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of finely chopped or minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Cook quinoa and cool. Once cooled, put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Cut the ends of the french beans and cut diagonally in 1 inch. Throw it in salted boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, drain and put in a bowl of iced water. Keep aside.
Cut sun dried tomatoes and onions and prepare the vinaigrette.
In a large bowl, throw in the quinoa, arugula, sun dried tomatoes, onions and french beans or asparagus. Pour the vinaigrette and mix. Sprinkle feta on top and serve cold. Enjoy!
Pour vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard , salt and pepper in a bowl. Add oil and whisk till it all emulsifies.
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I love quinoa and your salad would make me very happy right this minute. It’s 1pm and I’m trying to decide what to have for lunch!
Thanks Maureen,
What I love about this salad, is that it’s so quick, easy and super healthy and just bursting with flavor!
Oh Asmita, I love CPK too! But I have not tried this salad yet! You make it look so easy and definitely so delicious. And I will take your suggestion on substituting the asparagus for green beans, too! : )
It’s about time I started using my quinoa again
This looks like my ultimate lunch. I have been playing around with Quinoa lately. Mainly in breads and salads. I made a risotto with it too. So filling and good for you. Loving the photo Asmita
This sounds delicious and full of health.
asmita what lovely salad I love use quinoa:)
I love the inspirations we get from restaurant menus’. This looks absolutely yum, Asmita. And yes, keen-wah is definitely nutritious!
A fantastic combination! Your beautiful salad looks ever so tasty.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love salads, interesting combination, its fresh and soo healthy!
i love to try that…
This is so perfect for my diet Asmita! So full of flavors and colors!
great salad lovely flavors
I havent jumped up the quinoa waggon yt. I dont know.. I still have that odd taste in my mouth from college time. But I am a rocket and asparagus fan so I might just get into your recipe. who knows, right?
Asmita – I love this salad. Great flavor combinations going on here…a must make!
good to know a pizza restaurant serves a quinoa salad, good on them for promoting healthy food.
i love quinoa, would love to try this combo, gotta get some arugula.
Great salad – I really like quinoa, and arugula has such great flavor. Sounds like this would make a very satisfying lunch or light supper. Thanks for this.
I have to try this one when I visit CPK next time…
This sounds fabulous and yours look really well done.
Makes such a pretty presentation! I love all those ingredients and combined they just sound so flavorful. I’m a big fan of quinoa and always looking for new ideas!
I haven’t been to CPK in ages, but I used to love their salads. I’m impressed by this new one!
oh my goodness, does this look good!!
Healthy and tasty salad.
I love arugala, so I will definitely try out this recipe!
What a stunning salad my friend, healthy and beautiful
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
It seems so simple yet so delicious! Hugs Asmita!
Hey Asmita, You have an awesome blog. I will come by aain and sure have a lot of browsing to do here:)
I actually made cupcakes the other day with Quinoa flour… I have to say I wasn’t a huge fan, but hubby was. It might have to give it a go in this form.. the salad looks so good.
I have never been to CPK but there is one just up the street from my work, I might have to check it out, that looks great.
Very healthy and delicious dish.
This combines all my favourite flavours. I’m definitely going to make this…..soon!
delicious. i love quinoa… it doesn’t have too much flavor, but it tastes so good once you flavor it. i recently made quinoa patties and they were so amazing.
Feta cheese is my favourite ‘salad’ cheese. It trasforms every salad in something special. This is a recipe that I will use soon, perfect combination of ingredients Asmita!!
Yum! This looks like it hit all the right notes with flavour and texture!
What a wonderful salad – this looks brilliant!
This would be perfect for lunch this afternoon.
Can’t wait to try it at our house
I need some lighter meals!
That’s my kind of salad too. Yummy!
what a delicious salad!
You are speaking to my soul with this dish!! YUM!!
Quinoa is one of my favorite grains.
i love everything about this salad. Quinoa makes a perfect main for a salad and the arugula was a perfect choice for added flavor
Quinoa and arugula…sounds and looks delicious, a perfect meal
Thanks for sharing this great recipe and hope you are enjoying your week!
I love adding quinoa to salads! Yum.
I rarely see quinoa in the restaurant menu unless we go to a little more fancier restaurants. Hopefully this is a new trend and quinoa will be in salad menu everywhere. Your salad looks delicious!
I love quinoa + this is a way i’ve never tried preparing it. Must give this a try soon. Oh, + we love California Pizza Kitchen, too! =)
I love both these things and cannot wait to put them together!!