Cranberry Tri-Color Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

A healthy Friday start with Cranberry Tri-Color Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette. 

Tri-Color Quinoa is a blend of white, red and black quinoa that is nutritious. It's 100% whole grain with iron, fiber and complete protein. Quinoa is a great salad addition  with  dried apricots and cranberries, a crunch of pumpkin seeds, a healthy dose of matchstick carrots making this dish irresistible.  The vinaigrette can be made ahead and refrigerated. Recipe serves four.

Salad Ingredients:

• 4- 5 cups cooked Tri-Color Quinoa (follow package directions)
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 3/4 cup each dried apricots and cranberries  
• 1/3 cup salted pumpkin seeds
• 3 TB. chopped fresh parsley
•  1/4 cup diced green onions

Salad Directions:

• Mix all salad ingredients. Moisten with dressing and refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Cook's notes: Homemade dressings are always better but in a pinch a store  bought balsamic vinaigrette works e.g. this product from Kraft is thick with a bit of a kick to liven up the quinoa.

Pomegranate Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1- 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 5 tsp. honey
• 1 TB. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Pomegranate Vinaigrette Directions:

• Bring pomegranate juice to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally about 15 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Transfer to a small bowl. Cool completely (about 30 minutes). Whisk in olive oil, honey, vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt and pepper. _____________________________________________________

April Rain Song
by Langston Hughes

Let the rain kiss you.

Let the rain beat upon your head

with silver liquid drops.

Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

The rain makes still pools

on the sidewalk.

The rain makes running pools

in the gutter.

The rain plays a little sleep-song

on our roof at night.

And I love the rain.