Citrus Quinoa Salad (Recipe Inspired by NINE PERFECT STRANGERS)

One of the reasons that Tranquillum House in Nine Perfect Strangers seems so ideal for transforming your life is that guests are encouraged (forced?) to eat healthy and clean. Although I love my carbs and cream sauces, there definitely comes a point (usually right after Christmas) when I simply crave lighter meals filled with fresh, green ingredients.

Tranquillum House guests have a limited diet: they aren’t allowed sugar, carbs, alcohol, or dairy. Many of the guests bemoan the loss of their favorite foods in Liane Moriarty’s novel, but I have to say — what they’re given at mealtimes and for snacks doesn’t sound that awful.

This Citrus Quinoa Salad is inspired by the dinner served to main character Frances on her first night at the health resort. Frances admits that her quinoa salad is delicious, though she grumbles that it’s really more of a side dish than a dinner.

I hear ya, Frances. I sometimes try to serve vegetarian dinners (Meatless Monday and all that), but, honestly, I’m hungry again about an hour after eating. (Side note: why do people say this happens with Chinese food? I’ve never had it happen with Chinese food. I’m barely hungry the next morning after a Chinese food feast. Maybe because I gorge myself on fried rice and white rice??? … Moving on!)

As I get older, I’ve discovered that I enjoy salads for dinner, especially in the summer, but only if they’re hearty. This Citrus Quinoa Salad can be eaten on its own as a light dinner, but I feel it works best as a lunch option or side dish. And, in keeping with the resort theme of Nine Perfect Strangers, it’s super healthy and super easy to whip up. No stress here! I’m pretty sure this entire recipe would be totally Tranquillum House-approved.

You start off with crisp, refreshing veggies like Persian cucumber, red cabbage, and fennel. Even though I hate licorice, I love fennel, especially when it’s raw. It has an amazing crunch, and the flavor is only slightly anise-like. The salad dressing uses only natural sweeteners, in the form of freshly squeezed fruit juices and honey.

I accidentally grabbed Cara Cara oranges at the market when I was making this salad, and this turned out to be quite serendipitous. I love their glossy, coral color against the vibrant veggies; they look like little jewels nestled within the salad. If you can’t find Cara Cara oranges, though, you can use another type.

Let’s talk about quinoa for a second. I have a really hard time giving up carbs as part of my meals, and one of the ways I battle against the carb cravings is by eating quinoa. What I really love about, say, rice or pasta is the texture. Although quinoa is a seed, its texture is similar enough to a carb that my mind is easily tricked into thinking I’m eating something I’m not. Plus, it’s incredibly healthy (or, so I’m told; wow, I hope that’s not wrong), so I don’t feel guilty about piling my portion a little high.

I now use quinoa in a lot of my meals, either as a side dish or as main component of a vegetable-based meal like this Citrus Quinoa Salad. It cooks up very quickly and doesn’t require much attention, so in the short time it takes to simmer, you can assemble the rest of your salad. I like tri-color quinoa because of how pretty it looks, but any color will work well with this recipe.

The warm, cooked quinoa in the salad soaks up all the dressing so that every bite is an explosion of flavor, and I love the fresh crunch of the raw veggies against the toothsome chew of the marinated quinoa. The fennel and the red cabbage both carry a sharp, slightly bitter taste that contrasts nicely to the sweet dressing and honeyed orange pieces. The finishing touch is the chopped fresh mint, which brightens up the salad while giving it an exotic, Tabbouleh-esque flair.

You can eat this salad right after you make it, but I find it tastes best when the flavors have had time to meld for a few hours. (However, I don’t recommend marinating the salad for more than a day or so, or else the veggies starts to lose their crunch.) And, while the robust, fruitiness of the oranges makes this dish the perfect summer meal, it’s also the perfect dish to remind you of summer in the dead of winter, a.k.a, citrus season.

This Citrus Quinoa Salad serves 6-8 people for lunch, but it also makes a great side dish at a BBQ or a brunch party.

Citrus Quinoa Salad

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 6 portions

Ingredients

  

SALAD DRESSING INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp onion powder

SALAD INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (any color)
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 2 1/2 cups pre-sliced (bagged) red cabbage
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 large Persian cucumber
• 2 oranges, peeled and cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

Instructions

 

PREP INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine all dressing ingredients to a small pitcher or large Mason jar. Whisk ingredients vigorously in the pitcher to mix, or twist the lid on the jar and shake vigorously. Set aside.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine the quinoa and water in a small pot (with a lid) over high heat. Once mixture is boiling, place lid on the pot and turn the heat to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes, until all liquid has been absorbed. Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork and replace lid to keep warm. Set aside.
• While quinoa is cooking, chop your veggies.
• Start by cutting the cucumber into bite-size chunks (you don’t need to peel the cucumber unless you want to). Add cucumber to a large mixing bowl.
• Fennel: Cut off the green stalks and discard. Then peel back the outside layers of the white bulb, as you would do with an onion, and discard. Cut the remaining bulb lengthwise in half, then cut halves into thin slices. Add fennel to mixing bowl.
• Add the sliced red cabbage to the mixing bowl, then chop up the mint and green onions and add them to the mixing bowl.
• Oranges: Cut off both ends of the orange to make a flat top and sturdy base. Then, take a sharp knife and carefully cut away both the peel and the pith from the flesh in arc-like motion down the side of the orange. (See photos and link above). Discard the peel and pith, then cut the flesh into bite-size chunks and add to the mixing bowl.
• Spoon out the warm, cooked quinoa over the veggies in the mixing bowl, then pour about ¾ of the dressing over the quinoa and veggies. Stir with a large spatula to combine, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 hours, or preferably 3-4. Save reserved dressing for later.
• When ready to serve, taste the quinoa salad and add remaining dressing, if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.