Magenta Quinoa with Beets and Microgreens

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styling by Catrine Kelty

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Earthy and sweet flavors mingle in this unique and versatile salad. The color comes from raw beets grated and added to the quinoa. The dressing tastes so fresh from the citrus with nice note of sweetness in the fig spread or honey.

Serves 4–6

½ cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 medium beet, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup)
¼ cup dried apricots, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
2–3 cups microgreens of your choice (depending on how much green you want)

Lemon Fig Dressing
1/3 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 orange)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fig spread (or honey)
1 teaspoon minced shallot
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 good pinches salt, or to taste

Add quinoa, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and set aside to cool completely.

While the quinoa is cooking, shred the carrots and beets in a food processor and mix with the cooled quinoa, mixing until the quinoa takes on a slightly pink hue. Gently mix in the apricots, cranberries and greens.

Make the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, fig spread or honey, shallots, olive oil and salt. Whisk until all the fig spread or honey is dissolved. Taste dressing on a bit of the salad, then make any adjustments, adding additional salt or lemon if too sweet for your taste.

Dress the salad just before serving. It can be made ahead and dressed later.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2020 issue as part of a larger story on Microgreens.