SERVES: 4–6 perfect sidedish!
Ingredients
SALAD
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 ½ cups green beans, sliced width-wise into ¼” lengths
4 cups napa cabbage, sliced into ½” slices
2 cups baby spinach, packed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halves
½ cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
2 cups (about 12 oz) cooked salmon filets*,
broken in ½” – ¾” pieces
Garnish: extra chopped mint, lemon zest
LEMON DRESSING
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup unflavored nut milk
1 lemon, zest + juice
1 clove garlic
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Preparation
INSTRUCTIONS
Start by preparing your dressing—add all ingredients to a hand blender, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
PREPARE QUINOA
1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water. Drain well.
2. Combine 1 cup rinsed quinoa with 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 10–20 minutes.
3. Remove from head, cover and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff quinoa with a fork.
PREPARE SALAD
1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add sliced green beans and boil 2-3 minutes. Beans should be al dente. Rinse in cold water immediately to stop cooking.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine cooked quinoa, cooked green beans, sliced napa cabbage, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes and fresh mint.
3. Add lemon dressing and stir until evenly combined.
PREPARE SALMON
1. Pat salmon dry on both sides with paper towel. Then sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
2. Heat a medium cast-iron pan or skillet to medium heat and add 1–2 Tbsp of olive oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. Add salmon and let cook for 5–6 minutes undisturbed on one side. Flip, and repeat. Cook until the thickest part of the salmon filet reaches 145 degrees.
4. Cut salmon into bite-size pieces. Top with salad with salmon pieces and garnish with extra chopped fresh mint leaves and lemon zest. Serve immediately.
