Roasted Fennel and Squash Quinoa Salad

April 7th, 2012 | Salads, Side Dishes, Veggies | 0 Comments

I just found out my sis-in-law is on a gnarly diet and unfortunately won't be able to partake in much of the deliciousness I am planning for tomorrow. Lucky for her my CSA basket this week was packed with tons of beautiful spring vegetables so I thought I'd throw something light and delicious together to add to my overly rich Easter spread.

If you've read my blog for very long you know I am absolutely coo coo over roasted vegetables of any kind. The sweet caramelization of the fennel and shallot really make this one special though! The vegetables can certainly stand alone, but I thought I would add some quinoa to give it a slight crunch and add a little protein to the mix. While we'll be having this for tomorrow's holiday, this recipe would be fabulous to prepare and pack for weekday lunches as well!

Ingredients:

2-3 cups zuchinni and/or yellow squash, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 fennel bulb, core removed and sliced
1 large shallot, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup olive oil
sea salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup dried quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to Convection Roast setting at 375 degrees (or bake at 375 if your oven does not have that feature). Place all chopped vegetables and thyme into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet.

Roast vegetables for about 20 minutes and then flip them over to ensure even cooking and caramelizing. Place back into the oven and roast for another 20 minutes.

While vegetables roast, bring 1 cup rinsed quinoa to a boil with two cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, then remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Remove vegetables from oven and toss with prepared quinoa.