Isn’t it weird how a salad always tastes better when someone else makes it? Am I the only one who thinks that? You won’t think that after eating this Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad.
I mean, I can try and try again to make a salad as good as my favorite little bistro and it just doesn’t come out the same. However, because I’m a salad girl, and I can’t afford to pay for someone to make me a salad every day, I’m always thinking of ways to mix it up and make things more interesting. This is the latest thing I’ve thrown together, and it’s quite good, and thankfully, has used up some leftovers.
Today’s Sweet Potato & Quinoa Salad is inspired by one that I found in Jerusalem. Bright with color and full of different textures, it doesn’t disappoint and makes lunchtime a little less boring.
Because I used the leftover sweet potatoes from the chocolate cake, these ones aren’t roasted but rather baked. I think roasted would be a bit better, but I used what I had in the fridge. If you have the time or inclination, I’d throw these on a sheet pan and get them a bit crispy. Even tastier!
The quinoa for protein, the figs for sweetness, the goat cheese for tang and the pistachios for crunch, it’s my opinion that this salad has it all! The kicker is a bit of blackberry balsamic vinegar, warmed up with the figs and drizzled on top of it all, but regular balsamic will be just fine.
All in all, a salad that would convert any vegetable hater!
Written with some Frankie Valli
Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad
Sweet Potato & Quinoa salad is an explosion of textures and flavors, with figs, pistachios and cheese to make this anything but a boring salad.
Ingredients
- 3 cups arugula
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked
- 1 baked or roasted sweet potato, sliced into wedges
- 4 TB crumbled goat cheese
- 1/4 cup pistachios, shelled
- 12 dried figs, halved
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Directions
- Step 1 Divide the arugula, quinoa, sweet potato, goat cheese and pistachios on two plates. Set aside.
- Step 2 In a skillet, add the balsamic vinegar and the figs over medium heat, and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes.
- Step 3 Divide the vinegar and figs over the two salads. Toss and eat!
