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Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

I am just too excited about the seasons changing this year. Don’t get me wrong, I do love winter and all that it entails (see: hot chocolate, big sweaters, Christmas cookies).

But I am a true warm-weather girl at heart. Heck, I live in one of the hottest regions of the country. It does get unbearably hot & humid in the summer, but right now it’s that Goldilocks time of clear skies and perfect 75º weather.

Which means —> fresh berries are BACK in action! I am super duper excited to share this quinoa spinach salad recipe with you in partnership with Pompeian because Louisiana berries > anything right now.

Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!

I deemed this year the year I would create less food/packaging waste. I already knew I was cutting down my carbon footprint big time by being vegan, but of course I wanted to go the extra mile.

I’ve been shopping more at my local farmer’s market and produce market because 1. they don’t wrap all of their produce in plastic bags (ugh Trader Joe’s why!!), 2. it makes you feel all warm & fuzzy inside to support local farmers.

Shopping locally has encouraged me to eat more seasonally, so the foods in my fridge have mostly been flowing with what’s available at the markets.

Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!

Right now, Louisiana berries are starting to pop up. We have the BEST berries in my opinion, I’ll be enjoying them allllll through the summer by the pounds. Heck, I might even turn into a berry.

Be prepared for all of the berry recipes coming this warm season. I don’t think you mind, do you? Let me know what your favorite berry recipes are and I’ll recreate them!

Spinach is also super fresh at the market, so berries + spinach needed to happen. Thus, a quinoa spinach salad with the most refreshing raspberry vinaigrette was born!🙌🏼

Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!

^ Don’t you love GIFs? They’re just so fun.

Anyway, let’s talk about the salad. It starts with Popeye’s favorite leafy green, topped with fluffy quinoa and chickpeas & walnuts for heartiness. Then we top it all off with that drinkable vinaigrette and some fresh raspberries for pizazz.

Come, friends, to the fun salad club, where no boring iceberg lettuce salads are allowed!

Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!

Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!

I’m excited to announce that throughout 2017, I’ll be sharing some delicious and easy recipes with you featuring Pompeian’s products! Seriously, this stuff was on our pantry shelves 24/7 when I was a kid. Pompeian knows food is fuel, but they also know food can be fun & trendy – so this year, I’m staying on top of what’s #TrendingintheKitchen by bringing you delicious recipes with their vinegars & oils that are totally up-to-date with what the foodies are in to.

I used both the Organic Red Wine Vinegar and the Organic Balsamic Vinegar in the vinaigrette to balance out the sweetness of the raspberries. What I love most about the Pompeian Organic Vinegars is that they’re raw, unpasteurized, and bottled with the “Mother” – sounds weird, but it’s those little stringy things you might see that are actually made of protein & enzymes that can improve your immune system and digestion. “Mothers” know best!

To top it all off, Pompeian is committed to reducing their carbon footprint, which is obviously very important to me. They now use 30% recycled bottles – yay!

Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!

If you make this beautiful quinoa spinach salad, let me know what you think! You can also snap a pic, post it on Instagram, and tag me @emilieeats with #emilieeats.

Tell me: which is your favorite berry? I seriously can’t pick because it’s like choosing a favorite child. I eat blueberries almost every day, but the raspberries in this salad are divine. Ah! Good thing I don’t have to choose. 😉

Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!

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How to make:

Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!

Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Enjoy the fresh flavors of the season with this fruity Quinoa Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette! Serve it as a side or a meal. Vegan & gluten-free!
Author:
Emilie
Yield:
4 1x

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups raspberries, divided
  • 1/4 cup Pompeian Organic Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon Pompeian Organic Balsamic Vinegar
  • 23 tablespoons non-dairy milk (use canned coconut milk for creamier)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • 6 cups spinach
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, add quinoa and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 13-15 minutes. Remove from heat; let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then fluff with the fork.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a blender or food processor, add 1 cup raspberries, red wine vinegar, applesauce, balsamic vinegar, non-dairy milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
  3. In a large salad bowl, add spinach, chickpeas, walnuts, and cooked quinoa. Toss to combine. Add 1 cup remaining raspberries, and drizzle the dressing. Toss again.
  4. Serve with extra chopped walnuts and a drizzle of dressing. You can also add avocado, coconut, etc.

Thanks to Pompeian for sponsoring this post! I love working with brands whose products I really love and would honestly recommend. Thank you for supporting this blog that I love oh-so-much!