The summer heat is finally here. Living in Los Angeles, the summer heat doesn’t get that bad, but when it does, it’s just yuck. N and I went to a potluck barbecue yesterday, and I did not want to bring anything hot or anything that was supposed to be grilled. I wanted something cool and also healthy (since the other people at the potluck were rsvping “I’ll bring dessert! Booze! Chips!”), so I volunteered a side dish.
Rather than a pasta salad, I opted for a cool quinoa salad. I usually eat quinoa warm, but room temperature or chilled quinoa is just as good (if not better!). To give it a kick, I added a curry vinaigrette. This is a pretty versatile salad, so feel free to swap out the garbanzo beans and squash for whatever you have in your house.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled
- 2 medium yellow squash, sliced and quartered
- 1 15 oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 1/2 tbsp curry powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Cook quinoa, place in a bowl to cool. Slice and quarter the squash.
Put a pan on medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add garlic and squash. Cook squash till soft, about 10 minutes.
While the squash is cooking, combine oil, vinegar, honey, curry powder salt in a small bowl for your vinaigrette.
Once squash is ready, add squash, garbanzo beans, and walnuts to the bowl with quinoa. Stir to combine. Once fully combined, stir in curry vinaigrette.
Serve immediately if you want it warm. If you want it cold, chill for an hour or two, then serve.
Notes
Curry Vinaigrette adapted from Poor Girl Eats Well
