Arugula Pear Quinoa Salad

I am so excited to share a guest post from the beautiful (and YOUNG!) Ali from aliandheralmondbutter.com She has such a great spirit and takes the most gorgeous pictures. She has created a perfect fall salad for you to munch on this season. Hope you love it!

Here is a little from Ali about her recipe :

The salad is simple.
Just cook up some quinoa. Toast some pecans. Sauté your mushrooms and pears together and make a sweet sauce to go with them. And stir all your wonderful ingredients together in a bowl.

It’s healthy.
What I love about quinoa is that it isn’t an “empty carb” like potatoes (though I do love potatoes; don’t get me wrong). It is full of iron and fiber, and—most importantly—it’s very protein-rich (for any protein-seeking vegans or vegetarians). I am obsessed with quinoa. Considering the well-known health benefits of the other ingredients in this recipe (i.e. garlic, arugula), this is a very wholesome meal.

It’s delicious.
A little sweet, but not too sweet. A touch of thyme. A sprinkling of scallions. My whole family loved this recipe (even the 8-year-old, I might add). So let’s get cooking!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• olive oil
• 1 large asian or bosc pear (sliced to make heaping 2 cups)
• 6-8 white button mushrooms (sliced to make heaping 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 T water
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 2 T maple syrup
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 4 cups arugula

Directions:

1.Place the quinoa, water, minced garlic, and salt in a medium-sized pot or a rice cooker. Cook on low with the lid on for about 30 minutes. Or you can just follow the directions on the quinoa package.

2.Chop up the pecans and roast either in a skillet on the stovetop or in the oven until they smell toasty. Directions on toasting pecans here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/cooking-tips/ask-the-test-kitchen/toasted-pecans

3.Now wash and slice the pears and mushrooms. Lightly grease a large skillet with olive oil. Place the pears and mushrooms in the skillet and place over medium heat. Let them cook, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes.

4.Once the mushrooms are soft, add in sherry, salt, cornstarch-water mixture, thyme, and maple syrup. Turn up the heat a bit and cook until the sauce thickens—about 4-5 more minutes.

5.Place the quinoa in a large bowl once it is done cooking. Now add in the rest of the ingredients: toasted pecans, cooked pear-mushroom combo, scallions, and arugula. Stir and serve warm.

About Ali and Her Almond Butter:

Hi, I’m Ali, a 17-year-old girl who loves food. I believe that living a healthy, gluten-free life should be easy and super fun. Join me as I create recipes that are simple to make, healthy for your body, and totally delicious. Simple. Healthy. Delicious. Check out my blog aliandheralmondbutter.com