Toasted Sesame & Quinoa Ginger Salad
Today we’re sharing our latest salad creation with detailed instructions and helpful suggestions strewn in. Throughout the next 10 weeks, we’ll be dropping a new salad recipe on the blog each Tuesday. The salad coincides with our Winter Salad Subscription Kit, but our goal is to make our creations accessible all!
This weeks choice greens include:
baby leafy greens (mizuna, kale, pac choi, mustards, arugula)
microgreens (sunflower, pea and radish shoots)
Suggested salad toppers include:
black quinoa
toasted sesame seeds
Our Toasted Sesame Dressing gives this salad the perfect zing, and we highly recommend using toasted sesame oil if you can get your hands on it. Read the full recipe for the dressing, toasted sesame seeds, and black quinoa below.
Side note to our salad kit subscribers: We highly recommend you prepare both quinoa & toasted sesame seeds all at once and in advance to allow for cooling and ease of salad assembly.
Sesame Ginger Dressing
Yields: 1 1/2 Cups Dressing
Total Time: 12 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup sesame oil (toasted sesame oil, if available)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup reduced sodium tamari (substitute coconut aminos or soy sauce)
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons agave (substitute pure maple syrup or honey)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3- 4 tablespoons freshly minced ginger
2 tablespoons tahini
Side note: If you prefer a more pourable consistency, add water to thin out the dressing.
DIRECTIONS:
Add all ingredients, besides the oil, into a blender. Once the ingredients are incorporated, slowly add the oil.
This dressing can be stored in the fridge for one week.
SUGGESTIONS:
This dressing can be used in many ways: marinade tofu, dizzle over stir fried veggies and rice, coleslaw with crunchy ramen noodles, or toss with microgreens.
How-to Cook Quinoa
Rinse well with a fine-mesh strainer. Why, you ask? The seeds have a bitter coating that needs to be rinsed off, and the taste will be off if you skip this step.
Combine 1 cup of (rinsed) quinoa and 2 cups of cool water in a medium saucepan, uncovered. Bring to boil, then cover and reduce to low heat. Simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
Use your fine-mesh strainer to drain thoroughly after it’s cooked. Quinoa holds lots of water, and you don’t want a watery dish!
After draining, return your quinoa back to the warm saucepan, covered, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. This step will prevent your quinoa from drying out or clumping up.
Side note: For those who do not own a fine mesh strainer: tip the pot (very carefully) to drain as much of the liquid as possible with the lid or your hand. Since the difference in taste and texture will be subtle, it’s not necessary to go out and buy a special strainer if making quinoa isn’t a regular occurrence.
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat.
Pour seeds into skillet and watch them closely. Stir seeds frequently so they do not burn.
Once they start to pop and brown, remove from heat.
We hope you enjoy it! To stay in the loop with future garden happenings, sign up for our Newsletter, or give us a follow on instagram.
