Guest Post from Molly of Duchess of Fork: Roasted Zucchini Quinoa Salad

July 26, 2012

Today, I have yet another great blog you guys should be reading, Duchess of Fork. Molly is an inspirational healthy cook. She always entertains me with her stories about her husband, sweet little girl, doggies, and cooking adventures. I really love her style of cooking, because it is so realistic and easy to accomplish on any weeknight. Get ready for a healthy summer masterpiece. Don’t worry, there is still cheese involved!

Hello Sarcastic Cooking readers! I’m Molly, the queen behind Duchess of Fork.

Queen….ya right. In my head I’m a queen, but in reality I’m a teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mom to a precious 1 year old girl. When I’m not chasing after her I enjoy hosting dinner parties, sweating at Zumba class, and chugging Diet Coke. Oh, I like to cook a bit, too.

Many thanks to Stefanie for allowing me to be her guest today. 🙂

Have you ever tried quinoa? It’s one of my absolute favorite grains because it is delicious and very versatile.

I find that quinoa makes the perfect hearty base for salads and side dishes. I love pairing it with veggies, beans and cheeses for a protein-packed plate that is just as delicious as it is healthy.

For this dish I chose to use some of summer’s finest offerings: grape tomatoes and zucchini. Nothing quite says summer produce like zucchini.

Throw in some black beans, cheddar cheese, and cilantro lime vinaigrette and we’re in business. This may very well be one of my favorite salads OF ALL TIME. It’s just that good. Even my toddler loved it!

Roasted Zucchini Quinoa Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss zucchini and tomatoes with 1 tsbp. olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour onto a jelly roll pan or baking sheet with a rim. Roast for 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are soft and lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  2. In a large bowl combine roasted veggies with quinoa, black beans, and shredded cheddar. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine lime juice, garlic clove, sugar, salt, olive oil, and 2 tbsp. of cilantro. Pulse in food processor until all ingredients are processed. You may need to add a bit more lime juice to get vinaigrette to a pourable consistency.
  4. Pour vinaigrette over quinoa salad and toss to coat. Serve room temperature or cold.

I hope you enjoy this quinoa salad as much as we do. Thanks again to Stefanie for letting me stop by! Y’all are welcome to visit me at Duchess of Fork any time you like.

The Duchess

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  • Jules
    August 24, 2012 at 4:27 pm

    Looks yummy! How many servings does it make?

    • Stefanie
      August 25, 2012 at 12:21 am

      It is two cups of cooked quinoa plus all those veggies, so I would say it serves 2-4 people.

  • Elizabeth [The Waspy Redhead]
    July 28, 2012 at 12:34 am

    Hi there – visiting from Duchess of Fork. Love this recipe Molly! And Stefanie I’m glad to have found your blog. Cheers ladies!

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