Quinoa Salad with Basil, Berries and Butternut Squash

Recently, I finished reading Finding Ultra by Rich Roll. The book focuses on how he became dependent on alcohol, found his way to sober, and turned to whole foods veganism and ultra endurance sports to change his life. At the very end, Rich provides some of his favorite recipes. This recipe for vegan quinoa salad with basil, berries and butternut squash takes inspiration from Rich’s Superfood Salad. It shares many of the core ingredients, but then, I added the UVK touch with a dynamite salad dressing, even more berries, and fresh herbs.

This recipe serves ~8-10

A few things…

• ・Quinoa has a bitter outer coating. It’s designed to keep predators from eating it. Before you use dry quinoa, you need to thoroughly rinse it off. I like to use a sieve for the job, so I don’t lose any down the drain.

• ・I wouldn’t skip the fresh basil in this quinoa salad, because it’s super nice with the berries and butternut squash. I’m not sure if dried basil would bring enough flavor. If you decide to try it dried, it would be great to learn from your experience.

• ・How do you massage kale? You crush it in your hands over and over until it turns bright green and feels softer.

• ・If you want to make this ahead of time, reserve the avocado until right before serving. With time, avocado has a way of turning brown and mushy.

• ・If you have any leftovers and plan to enjoy them the next day, you may want to refresh it with a little vinegar or lemon juice. Give it a taste, and see if it’s needed.

This salad works great for lunch or as a side. Enjoy it any time!

And discover other UVK recipes, like Orangy Quinoa Salad with Cranberries, Pears and Pumpkin Seeds, Butternut Squash Spinach Soup, Arugula and Butternut Squash Salad, Vegan Tater Tot Casserole with Broccoli and Mushrooms, Seitan Wheat Berry Chili and more.

Quinoa Salad with Basil, Berries and Butternut Squash

10 ounce frozen package of cubed butternut squash (OR ~1¾ cup cubed fresh butternut squash)

1⅓ cup dry quinoa, thoroughly rinsed (see notes above)

2⅔ cup water

⅓ cup olive oil (+ more to drizzle)

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp agave

1 tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp salt (+ more to season)

Black pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp torn fresh basil leaves (see notes above)

1 English cucumber, sliced into half moons

2 cups torn pieces of massaged kale (see notes above)

⅔ cup quartered strawberries

⅔ cup blueberries

½ cup pomegranate seeds

⅓ cup raw sunflower seeds

1 avocado, peeled and diced (see notes above)

1. Preheat the oven to 400º F. In a mixing bowl, drizzle the butternut squash with some olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Spread it in an even layer over a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake at 400ºF for ~20 minutes or until roasted. Remove and set aside to cool.

2. While the butternut squash roasts, cook the quinoa for the salad. Add the quinoa and water to a pot. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, and cover with a lid. Boil for ~15 minutes or until the quinoa is fully cooked. Drain and rinse it with cold water.

3. As the butternut squash and quinoa cook, it’s time to make the salad dressing. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, dijon, agave, salt, black pepper and parsley.

4. Stir together the quinoa and the salad dressing. Then, stir in all the remaining ingredients, except the butternut squash. Finally, gently stir in the squash. Taste and adjust flavors, if needed (more vinegar? salt? basil?). Serve.