Treat yourself to this delicious and easy Autumn inspired Pear, Quinoa, and Spinach salad for just 4 Points per serving. Fresh and light, this quinoa salad makes a wonderful low calorie side dish recipe to serve with a variety of Fall meals, or as a non-traditional Thanksgiving dish. By removing the nuts and the chickpeas, as well as making a few other changes to the traditional version of this recipe, I was able to create a much lighter rendering without sacrificing the fabulous flavors. The slight nutty flavor of the quinoa grains is enhanced with a walnut oil and pomegranate vinegar dressing, and is a tasty contrast to the sweet, delicate pears. Definitely a great salad recipe to try out if you are want to enjoy some fabulous Fall flavors in a new way.
Pear, Quinoa, and Spinach Salad Recipe
The perfect vegetarian side dish recipe, this Pear, Quinoa and Spinach Salad is a fresh and delicious way to enjoy the flavors of the season. And each serving is just 4 Points making it a great low calorie side to accompany any meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 ripe but firm pears, diced
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh chives
- 2 cups and 1 tbsp fat free vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp walnut oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp pomegranate vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of broth to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Add in quinoa, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa has popped, about 15 minutes.
- Whisk oil, vinegar, 1 tbsp broth, chives, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add pears, spinach and onion and toss to coat.
- Drain any excess liquid from the cooked quinoa, if necessary.
- Add the quinoa to the pear mixture; toss to combine.
- Transfer to the refrigerator to cool for about 15 minutes or serve warm.
Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 30 minute(s)
Diet type: Vegan
Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Reduced carbohydrate
Number of servings (yield): 6
Culinary tradition: USA (General)
Entire recipe makes 6 servings
Serving size is 1 cup
Each serving = 4 Points
PER SERVING: 146 calories; 3 g fat; 24 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 5 g fiber
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3 Comments
Love this recipe and only 4 points – excellent. I am always looking for gluten free recipes and also trying to lose weight. You are right – I find it hard to believe that this is a low calorie dish and look forward to making it for the family
Thank you for this recipe. I made it for Thanksgiving dinner and everyone loved it! I added half of a pomegranite and the taste and color were marvelous. You are so generous to revamp recipes and make them healthy for all of your readers. Changing a lifestyle is very difficult but you have made it so much easier for me to stick to the plan and eat healthier.
My most sincere thanks~
Elizabeth
Where are the pecans and garbanzo beans shown in the picture?