Not only is this salad gorgeous to look at, with the vibrant colors coming from the cranberries, green onions, and apples it's loaded with protein packed quinoa. Quinoa tossed with Ocean Spray Dried Cranberries and chopped almonds, apples and celery tossed in a delicious oil and citrus dressing.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 1/2 cup water, for quinoa
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 stalks of celery, finely diced
1 cup chopped, toasted almonds
1 bunch (about 5 to 6) green onions, chopped (green parts only)
1/2 cup Ocean Spray® Dried Cranberries, chopped *see note
1 gala apple (or other variety)
1 large lemon, juiced
Generous drizzle of any kind of olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Rinse quinoa well. Boil the water with a pinch of salt, and add your rinsed quinoa. Turn your stove down to medium-low and let it cook for roughly 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Fluff quinoa with a fork, and let it cool in the fridge.

Preheat a skillet with 1 tbsp of oil and soften your finely chopped onion and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Try not to brown them, 5 to 7 minutes on medium - low heat. Set aside in a large salad bowl.

Add dried cranberries and green onions to the onion and celery mixture.

Core and dice the apple, put your apple chunks in the bowl with the other ingredients. Squeeze the entire lemon over the apple to season the salad and prevent the apple from turning brown.

Add your quinoa and almonds to the mixture, drizzle with the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Season with more lemon juice if you like.

Mix well and cool completely. Allow the flavors to meld for 20 minutes before serving.

Yield:

4