Warm Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

In Day 9 of the Authors’ Gluten-Free Recipes and KitchenAid Pro Stand Mixer Giveaway Event, Robert Rose Inc Publishers present one of the amazing gluten free recipes from 500 Best Quinoa Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury. Quinoa salads are very popular among gluten free dieters, and I have never been a big fan of them, however, this is one of my exceptions! Flavor bursts out from almost every ingredient. I hope you enjoy it!

The focus of Camilla’s cooking is healthy, natural, quick-to-the table dishes that make the most of a broad range of superfood ingredients. She also indulges her sweet-tooth, but tries to balance them equally with superfood ingredients.

You may connect with Camilla through her blog, Enlightened Cooking or via her Facebook or Twitter.

Warm Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

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Yield: Makes 8 side-dish or 4 main-dish servings.

Warm Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

"This warm salad combines several of fall’s best flavors and textures, with complementary exotic nuances. Sweet roasted squash, tart cranberries and earthy quinoa are irresistible partners for crispy, Indian-spiced chickpeas and citrus yogurt."

Ingredients:

  • Large rimmed baking sheet, lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 large butternut squash, cut into 1-inch (1) (2.5 cm) cubes
  • 1 can (14 to 19 oz/398 to 540 mL) chickpeas, (1), drained, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 teaspoons mild curry powder (10 mL)
  • 11/2 teaspoons garam masala (7 mL)
  • 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (45 mL)
  • Fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup plain yogurt (250 mL)
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided (30 mL)
  • 3 cups cooked red or white quinoa (750 mL), cooled
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries (150 mL)
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped (125 mL)
  • 1 Tablespoon finely grated orange zest (15 mL)
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (60 mL)
  • 6 cups packed baby arugula leaves (1.5 L)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. In a large bowl, combine butternut squash, chickpeas, curry powder, garam masala and 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and chickpeas are crispy. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, combine yogurt and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the lemon juice.
  4. In a large bowl, combine squash mixture and quinoa. Add cranberries, mint, orange zest, orange juice, the remaining oil and the remaining lemon juice, gently tossing to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Arrange arugula on a large rimmed platter or in bowls. Spoon quinoa mixture on top. Drizzle with some of the yogurt mixture and serve the rest on the side.

Tips

Carla's Note: This recipe is sugar-free only if you use dried cranberries that do not contain sugar. Craisins brand contains sugar.

Excerpted from 500 Best Quinoa Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Photos by Colin Erricson. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved: Not to be reprinted without publisher permission.

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