Quinoa and Water Chestnut Salad

By Kristen Rasmussen, MS, RD

For this month’s Well Being Challenge, we encourage you to eat at least seven servings of fruits and vegetables and two servings of whole grains every day for one week. Visit cafebonappetit.com for resources to help determine what is a standard serving of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Share your experiences by posting comments or photos of foods in proper portions on our Facebook page wallHere’s a recipe to get you started. 

Makes six 3/4 cup servings

Ingredients

– 3/4 cup quinoa, dry
– 2 cups water
– 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
– 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
– 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
– 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
– 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
– 3/4 cup canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced
– 2 tablespoons orange juice
– 1/2 cup red bell peppers, diced

To Prepare

Place water, quinoa, soy sauce, and ginger into a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and steam for another 10-15 minutes. Fluff grains and cool.

Once the grain is cool, add the water chestnuts, green onions, cilantro, orange juice and vinegar. Mix well to incorporate. Serve 3/4 cup portions cold.