Quinoa and mango salad with arugula

6
Points®
Total Time
30 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Here's a little bit of trivia for you: Quinoa was one of the most sacred foods of the ancient Incas. It was so nourishing and delicious that it was named their “mother grain.” It's little wonder why we enjoy cooking with it so much. Before cooking, be sure to rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water for as long as a full minute to remove the natural outer coating, which is bitter. For this salad, which also features mangoes, bell peppers, and jalapeños, you can make it ahead of time (omit the arugula and almonds) and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Stir in the arugula and almonds just before serving.

Ingredients

Cooked quinoa

1 cup(s), rinsed well under running water and drained

Water

2 cup(s)

Fresh lime juice

¼ cup(s)

Honey

2 Tbsp

Olive oil

1 Tbsp, extra-virgin

Table salt

¾ tsp

Mango

1 large, ripe, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Red bell pepper

1 medium, seeded and diced

Yellow bell pepper

1 medium, seeded and diced

Scallions

4 medium, chopped

Jalapeño pepper

2 medium, seeded and minced (wear gloves to prevent irritation)

Arugula

3 cup(s), coarsely chopped

Sliced almonds

¼ cup(s)

Instructions

  1. Combine the quinoa and water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until most of the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together the lime juice, honey, oil, and salt in a small bowl.
  3. Add the lime mixture to the quinoa; toss to coat. Add the mango, red and yellow bell peppers, scallions, and jalapeño peppers; toss to coat. Gently stir in the arugula. Serve at once sprinkled with the almonds. Yields 2 cups salad and 1 tablespoon almonds per serving.