Miso Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Quinoa made its way onto our radar two years ago and it’s been a staple for many meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Let’s face it, how many gluten free super-seeds are you eating on a weekly basis?

I love Quinoa’s versatility.  My first dish experimenting with the goosefoot seed was a basic Quinoa, Grape and Toasted Almond Salad.  Then I made a Cheesy, Quinoa Casserole.  Then I decided to try Stuffed Avocados with Quinoa.  Once completely comfy with this seed (that’s cooked like a grain), I switched over and started eating quinoa in the morning with some tasty Greek yogurt and fresh berries.  I almost can’t get enough of it. My kids definitely like it but don’t love it quite the way I do.

This past week I reviewed my friend, nutritionist Lauren Slayton’s new book, “Little Book of Thin.”  It’s become my healthy eating/living go-to guide.  I’ve even purchased some of the recommended daily vitamins too which is unprecedented.  It’s amazing how quickly you can feel physically and spiritually healthier by simple tweaks to your every day diet.  For me, simply cutting out Diet Cokes and unprocessed foods (I found myself enjoying at various witching hours) has made me feel “lighter.”

I was intrigued by Lauren’s Miso Broccoli Quinoa Salad recipe in her “No Rollodex” at the back of the book.  I couldn’t wait to try it for dinner last night, partly because I had never actually purchased miso.  It doesn’t matter how often you cook, you’ll constantly discover new ingredients with which to experiment in dishes.

While I’ve tasted miso at Japanese restaurants in its eponymous soup,  I honestly didn’t even know that miso is actually paste made from fermented soybeans and barley or rice malt. The white miso I used for this recipe actually tastes a bit nutty and very salty, like a mixture of beans, nut butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, with a trace of sugar. It was VERY tasty for the light dressing to this salad; a nice compliment to the crunch of the Broccoli and quinoa.  However, the incredibly high salt content did freak me out.  Only 1 tablespoon of miso can contain over 800 mg of sodium?  But, I figured if Lauren endorsed this recipe, it must be healthy.

I served the salad after an hour in the fridge. I found it to be tangy, tasty, and refreshing.  I’m certain serving it heated would be just as good.

Be careful though, the quinoa is very filling so we had a ton left over…for dinner the next night.

Enjoy.