I'm in a salad craze right now, trying new combinations and ways to increase my nutrient density in my meals. Since nectarines are in season and beautiful, I decided to make a nectarine salad today with a tangerine vinaigrette. There's something incredible that happens when nectarines and vegetables come together with a citrus dressing. Not only does this nectarine salad recipe taste like sunshine, but it also is a nutrient-dense superstar.
Recently, I learned how to toast quinoa rather than cook it in water for a crunchy salad topping. Now that I've toasted quinoa, I'm obsessed.
What is nutrient density?
For foods to rank as nutrient-dense, they are calculated by the ratio of quality ingredients, containing more beneficial nutrients compared to calories. Dr. Furhman developed the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index to measure the level of nutrient-dense foods ranking their quality compared to other foods.
What is toasted quinoa?
As crazy as it sounds, I've never heard of toasted quinoa. Then, last week, while eating at one of my favorite vegan restaurants, I ate this fabulous nutty mixture on top of a casserole; when I asked what this wonderful nutty mixture was, I learned about toasting quinoa. So, I tried it myself. Now, I'm hooked.
Although most quinoa is prewashed, washing quinoa gets rid of a funky bitter-tasting substance called saponin. Since rinsing quinoa is the prequel to toasting it, washing it for toasted quinoa is part of the process.
However, if the quinoa is prewashed, rinsing quickly versus prewashing is a quick remedy to washing the quinoa.
- If using prewashed quinoa, measure it, transfer it to a medium-sized bowl, and fill it with water. Next, pour the contents into a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse the quinoa again with fresh water and set aside.
- When using unwashed quinoa, measure the quinoa and place it into a bowl. Then, fill it with clean water and allow it to soak for approximately 20-30 minutes. Now, use a wire whisk to swish the quinoa around to remove the soapy residue that comes out of the quinoa. Next, pour the contents into a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse the quinoa again with fresh water and set aside.
- Once the quinoa is washed or rinsed, it's time to toast it.
- Using a large non-stick pan, heat the pan to medium-low. Put the rinsed quinoa into the saute pan, creating a thin layer. Shake the pan to level out the quinoa.
- Once the quinoa gets hot, the water is absorbed, and the quinoa starts making a popping noise.
- Keep moving the quinoa around the pan with a wooden spoon until the quinoa grains start to brown. It browns quickly, so don't leave it unattended.
- When the quinoa is brown and smells nutty, please remove it from the pan from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
- In fact, if you make a bunch in advance, you can store it in a sealed container, such as a ball jar in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How to cut and pit a nectarine
One of the easiest tricks I've learned about cutting nectarines and peaches is by slicing and twisting. I recommend using a sharp knife and begin from the stem and cut through until you feel the pit all the way around the fruit. Then, with both hands, twist each side, leaving two sides of the nectarine, one with a pit inside.
Another trick is to make sure the nectarines or peaches are at room temperature. Cold, refrigerated nectarines, for instance, are difficult to cut and twist. However, nectarines kept on the counter at room temperature twist nicely.
Next, use the tip of the knife you wedge the pit from the inside of the nectarine and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Nectarine Salad Ingredients
First, I chose a variety of greens for my nectarine salad recipe for a nutrient-dense super salad.
- Savoy cabbage (420 ANDI)
- Romaine lettuce(389 ANDI)
- Shredded Broccoli (the stem) (376 ANDI)
- Parsley
Of course, I chopped everything small to make this salad easier to eat!
Then I added a bunch of other ingredients for both color, nutrition, and density.
- Green Onions (50 ANDI)
- Dried cranberries (34 ANDI)
- Nectarines (41 ANDI)
- Baby bell peppers (258 ANDI)
- English Cucumbers (50 ANDI)
- Grilled Corn (44 ANDI)
- Toasted quinoa (21 ANDI)
- Almonds (optional) (38 ANDI)
And, my favorite part of this nectarine salad recipe is the tangerine vinaigrette dressing. I love making the tasty oil-free dressing, but I also like variety. So, today, I decided to make a tangerine vinaigrette. Using citrus with vinegar enhances flavors. The acidic bite of the citrus accentuates the sweetness of the other fruits and helps bring forward their juices.
My latest passion is roasting citrus until the juices caramelize and the edges brown. So, to get the deepest lemon flavor for my tangerine dressing recipe, I roasted my tangerine with garlic and shallot.
The results will amaze you. Be careful, however, to allow the tangerines to cool before handling them to avoid burning your hands.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Cut the tangerines in half and then cut the bottom of each rind, so the tangerines lay flat cut side up.
- Place all the garlic cloves and shallot in an aluminum foil bundle
- Roast for 15 minutes
Once roasted, allow the tangerines to cool before handling. Beware, the juice and rind juices quickly, so don't be surprised.
Tangerine Vinaigrette Dressing for Nectarine Salad
Tangerine Vinaigrette
- Tangerines
- Garlic
- Shallot
- White balsamic vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
FAQ
What can I substitute for dried cranberries?
- Raisins, dried figs, or fresh cranberries scan replace dried cranberries in a recipe.
Are dried cranberries oil-free?
- Believe it or not, most dried cranberries are made with sunflower oil, but there are oil-free dried cranberries. Make sure you read the label. My Berry Organics Store sells unsweetened cranberries without oil.
What can I use instead of white balsamic vinegar?
- Although balsamic vinegar is dark in color, it is a natural substitute for white balsamic vinegar. White wine vinegar and rice wine vinegar are also great substitutes.
Tips
- Grilled corn is my favorite, but canned or frozen cooked corn is a simple substitute.
- Make sure to allow the roasted tangerines to cool completely before handling.
- Adding tangerine zest (before roasting) strengthens the taste of the dressing.
- Allow the dressing to chill after making, so the flavors develop in the refrigerator.
- Because of the base ingredients, the salad may be dressed and tossed ahead of time without wilting the ingredients.
- The nectarine salad recipe lasts 3-5 days, dressing ahead of time, in the refrigerator.
Do you need more salad in your life? Then, check out these salad recipes!
- Fall Harvest Salad Recipe
- Asian Crunch Salad
- Citrus Salad Recipe
- Blueberry Salad Recipe with Blueberry Vinaigrette
- Chopped Kale Salad
- How To Make Mango Kale Salad With Cilantro & Lime Dressing
- Charred Corn Salad
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad Recipe
- Fattoush Salad Recipe
- Quinoa Greek Salad
Nectarine Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Nectarine Salad
- 2 cups savoy cabbage or cabbage of choice, chopped
- 2 cups of chopped Romaine lettuce
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- 1 cup of shredded broccoli stems
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
- 5 baby bell peppers sliced thin
- 1 English cucumber quartered and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 ears corn on the cob grille and cut from the cob (or 1 cup canned or frozen cooked corn)
- 3 nectarines pits removed, and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 Tablespoons dried cranberries
- ½ cup toasted quinoa
- ¼ cup sliced almonds optional
Tangerine Vinaigrette
- 2 tangerines cut in halves
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 small shallot
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup or date syrup
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Nectarine Salad
- Chop cabbage, Romaine lettuce, and broccoli stems. Toss to combine. Then place the combination in the base of a large platter, bowl, or individual salad bowls.
- When cooled, grill corn and cut from the husk, or use drained canned corn or frozen cooked corn.
- Cut remaining vegetables and nectarines.
- Add cut vegetables and nectarines to the salad base.
Toasting Quinoa
- If using prewashed quinoa, measure it, transfer it to a medium-sized bowl, and fill it with water. Next, pour the contents into a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse the quinoa again with fresh water and set aside.
- When using unwashed quinoa, measure the quinoa and place it into a bowl.
- Then, fill it with clean water and allow it to soak for approximately 20-30 minutes.
- Now, use a wire whisk to swish the quinoa around to remove the soapy residue that comes out of the quinoa.
- Next, pour the contents into a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse the quinoa again with fresh water and set aside.
- In fact, if you make a bunch in advance, you can store it in a sealed container, such as a ball jar in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Tangerine Vinaigrette
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Zest one tangerine before roasting and set zest aside
- Cut the tangerines in half and then cut the bottom of each rind, so the tangerines lay flat cut side up.
- Place all the garlic cloves and shallot in an aluminum foil bundle
- Roast for 15 minutes
- Allow to completely cool before blending
- Juice the roasted tangerines and put all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
- Blend on high until smooth.
- Refrigerate until chilled.
- Dress salad ahead of time, toss and add the toasted quinoa, almonds, dried cranberries on top.
- Serve.
Notes
Tips
- Grilled corn is my favorite, but canned or frozen cooked corn is a simple substitute.
- Make sure to allow the roasted tangerines to cool completely before handling.
- Adding tangerine zest (before roasting) strengthens the taste of the dressing.
- Allow the dressing to chill after making, so the flavors develop in the refrigerator.
- Because of the base ingredients, the salad may be dressed and tossed ahead of time without wilting the ingredients.
- The nectarine salad recipe lasts 3-5 days, dressing ahead of time, in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Melissa
I'm very excited to try this, but like you, I've never made toasted quinoa. You don't really give instructions on how you toasted it, just cleaning it. I'm assuming you just pour it into a pan over medium heat? About how long does it take to toast? Thanks!
Kathy Carmichael
Melissa, I'm sorry. For some reason, it didn't post correctly. It is fixed. Thank you for letting me know. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Stephanie
How do you toast the quinoa? I just saw the rinsing instructions.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Stephanie, I appreciate the head's up. It didn't post all the way for some reason. I fixed it. Thanks again for letting me know.
Carolyn Cruz
Hi Kathy, Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I'm following the instructions for toasting the quinoa, I finished the rinsing process. How do you toast them, in a pan on the stove or in the oven? I wasn't sure if you toast them while you roast the tangerine and garlic.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Carolyn, I fixed the recipe. It should be updated now. For some reason, it didn't post all the directions. I apologize.
Rodney Robinson
Hi, I’ve been using nut flour to make pastry, but since I’ve gone vegan it needs eggs so I wonder have experiment with nut flour for pastry?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Rodney, I have used almond flour for pastry, but I use flax egg or an egg replacement instead of eggs.
Brian
When I lived in Bolivia, I used to buy bags of puffed amaranth and quinoa - and we'd eat it on all sorts of things. I wish we could buy the pre-popped stuff in North America - at least I haven't seen it.