Asian Quinoa Salad
June 3, 2013 • Beans & Grains, Vegetables
Do you ever get an order of edamame beans when you order in Chinese food? The place we love in Denver sends a HUGE order, which means there is no way we can finish them with our meal unless we want to be helplessly bloated. I created this warm Asian salad with the leftovers after our last takeout feast.
You’ll want to remove the beans from the inedible shells/pods. If you aren’t dealing with leftovers, you can simply purchase shelled edamame beans from the freezer section of the store.
Some carrots diced small make a nice addition to the salad – so would red cabbage, slivered red peppers, or many other vegetables. But I was trying to use up what I had on hand before leaving for Europe so went with just these two veggies and some sliced green onions.
You simply sauté the carrots and edamame for a quick minute or two in some sesame oil, add the quinoa, onions, and other seasonings, and in just a few minutes you have a fabulously healthy and delicious lunch. Remember, quinoa is a complete protein, so you don’t need to add other protein to this, but certainly could also add some chopped cooked chicken or shrimp if you wanted to. Here’s to eating lighter with spring!
- 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil (toasted or chile)
- 1 medium carrot, diced small
- ½ cup shelled edamame beans
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- Heat sesame oil in a skillet and add carrots; cook for 1 minute then add edamame and cook just to heat through. Add onions, soy sauce, vinegar, water and ginger and stir together. Add quinoa and stir to heat through. Serve warm or cold.