Apple & Cranberry Quinoa Salad - Bakemas Day 12

Sometimes in the middle of copious amounts of mince pies and truffles you just need a big ole’ bowl of salad...just sometimes!
I’ve been going a little overboard on the sweet recipes this bakemas, don’t worry I’m not planning on slowing down, although I have been keeping them on the healthier side of 'treats' but if this isn’t the time to indulge a little I don’t know when is.

Is that a sign of transitioning into adulthood, craving a salad after you ate a few too many cookies?
This is a bit of a twist on one of my favourite salads, the mixture of sweet, tart and savoury in a salad is one of my favourite combinations, well tangy food in general is always a winner. The mixture of the lemon soaked tart granny smith, the sweet cranberries and the spring onions and radishes with the salt and pepper balance out the sweet and tart elements; probably my favourite thing.

This recipe originally started with sultanas but it’s Christmas so I had to add cranberries and of course pecans which are my favourite. I actually went on a pumpkin seed binge this summer because aside from the fact I already liked them I realised how high in protein they were, I even carried around a little zip lock bag full of them, yeah apparently I’m one of those people that carry nuts and seeds around, I would eat them with pretty much anything. Side note: pumpkin seeds on a jam scone, delicious!

Anyway, this salad is fresh and slightly festive and will make you feel so much better after eating a few too many sweet treats.

You will need
¼ cup of quinoa plus water for cooking
½ granny smith apple
juice and zest of half a lemon
2 spring onions
4 radishes
handful of cranberries
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tbsps pumpkin seeds
Handful of pecans
Large handful of lambs lettuce/spinach or salad leaves of your choice

Cook the quinoa and leave in the saucepan with the lid on to fluff up and cool down.
Cut the apple into small pieces or slices and place in a bowl, zest and juice half of a lemon into the same bowl as the apple and mix to coat the apple in the juice.
Once the quinoa has cooled add the oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Add the apple mixture, sliced spring onions and radishes, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and pecans to the quinoa and mix then add the salad leaves and toss. Spoon the salad into a bowl and top with a few extra cranberries, pecans and pumpkin seeds.

Serves 1