Beetroot and Quinoa Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 4 medium Beetroot
• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 cups Water
• 0.25 cup Orange juice
• 3 tablespoons Olive oil
• 0.25 medium Red onion
• 4 oz Feta cheese (optional)
• 4 cups Baby spinach
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Orange zest
• 1 teaspoon Honey

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. 2Wrap each of the 4 medium beetroots individually in aluminum foil. Place them on a baking sheet and roast for 40 to 60 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce them. Once tender, remove from the oven and let them cool completely. After cooling, peel the skin off the beetroots and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. 3Rinse the 1 cup of quinoa thoroughly under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa with the 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.
4. 4While the beetroots and quinoa are cooking, prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the 0.25 cup of orange juice, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of orange zest, 1 teaspoon of honey, 0.5 teaspoon of salt, and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper until well combined.
5. 5Prepare the red onion by thinly slicing the 0.25 medium red onion.
6. 6In a large bowl, combine the cubed roasted beetroots, the fluffed cooked quinoa, the thinly sliced red onion, and the 4 cups of baby spinach. If you are using the 4 oz of feta cheese, add it to the bowl now.
7. 7Drizzle the prepared orange vinaigrette over the salad ingredients in the large bowl. Toss everything gently to ensure all components are lightly coated with the dressing.
8. 8Serve the beetroot and quinoa salad immediately, or cover the bowl and chill it in the refrigerator for later enjoyment.

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