Moroccan Carrot and Orange Salad with Toasted Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Quinoa
• 1 cup Water
• 2 large Carrots
• 2 large Oranges
• 1/4 medium Red Onion
• 1/4 cup Fresh Mint
• 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Orange Juice
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/8 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

1. 1Rinse the 1/2 cup Quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water for 30 seconds, until the water runs clear. Transfer the rinsed 1/2 cup Quinoa to a dry 10-inch skillet and place it over medium heat, which is approximately 325-375°F (160-190°C). Toast the quinoa for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns lightly golden and smells fragrant like toasted nuts; then remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the toasted 1/2 cup Quinoa to a separate bowl to cool completely, which will take about 10-15 minutes.
2. 2Peel the 2 large Carrots and grate them using a box grater into a large mixing bowl. Carefully peel the 2 large Oranges, removing all white pith, then segment them over the bowl to catch any juice, discarding any seeds, and add the orange segments to the bowl with the grated carrots. Finely chop the 1/4 medium Red Onion into pieces no larger than 1/8-inch, and add it to the bowl; then coarsely chop the 1/4 cup Fresh Mint and 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley and add them to the bowl as well.
3. 3In a small bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons Orange Juice, 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, 1 tablespoon Honey, 1/2 teaspoon Cumin, 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon Salt, and 1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper. Whisk these ingredients together vigorously for 30 seconds until they are thoroughly combined and the honey is fully dissolved, forming the dressing.
4. 4Pour the prepared dressing over the grated carrots, orange segments, red onion, fresh mint, and fresh parsley in the large mixing bowl. Using tongs, gently toss all the ingredients for 1-2 minutes until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
5. 5Once the 1/2 cup Quinoa has cooled completely to room temperature, sprinkle it evenly over the dressed salad in the large mixing bowl. Gently toss the salad one more time with tongs for about 30 seconds to distribute the quinoa throughout. Serve the salad immediately, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill, which allows the flavors to meld.

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