I was thinking about how much my kitchen, pantry and I, myself, have changed since I started diving into food blogging. Prior to all of this when I was burning microwave popcorn, eating cereal for dinner (pre-marriage) and for a special night, heating up some Prego and tossing it with some spaghetti, I barely had anything in my fridge or my pantry. And my spice and herb rack was nonexistent. Really it was. I think I had salt, pepper and maybe some garlic salt and that was it. It was very sad to say the least.
I’ve come a long way since those days. . and you can tell just from opening up my refrigerator, looking in my pantry and admiring my spice rack. I’m quite satisfied with it now. And my shopping habits have changed. Now, I get all kinds of giddy when I see pretty plates or cake stands. I love reading recipes and feel really happy and at peace when I’m flipping through Food & Wine or Cooking Light.
If I’m ever in a store that sells dishes, placemats, napkins, whatever, I always have to check out their sale items. . and well, every aisle or display. So, needless to say, I now own a lot of single plates, place mats and cloth napkins. If I had to set the dining room table for more than 4 people, beyond my standard white everyday use plates, I wouldn’t be able to do it without pulling out some mis-matched plates and placemats. . wait, would that look cool?
And now I kind of know what I’m doing in the kitchen. I’m not burning much and it’s been fun thinking of different ways to enhance or improve recipes and creating some of my own. Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner- can you believe it’s already October? What?!- I’m already starting to think about Thanksgiving dinner and trying some recipes. . . because I learned this lesson a while back. . from my experience, it’s always to test your recipes beforehand and never make something you’ve never made before when you’re having special guests over. . and God forbid, never ever ever try a recipe for the first time for Thanksgiving dinner. This is just me.
So, here’s a fabulous Roasted Carrot and Red Quinoa Salad to share. I might be whipping this one up for the big Turkey Day. . The spices and roasted vegetables, for me, take this salad to a whole other level. This is not a salad. It’s beyond a salad. And I think it’s quite amazing.
If you like quinoa, I hope you give this one a try. I’m sharing this one today at #SundaySupper. Hope you enjoy!
Roasted Carrot and Red Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large carrots thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup red quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water for the quinoa
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 5 ounces mixed salad greens
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cups black beans; drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small bowl, whisk the paprika with the turmeric, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne pepper if using, cardamom and 1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the carrots with the sliced onion and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add 1 tablespoon of the spice mix and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until tender.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa with 2 teaspoons of the spice mix and the vegetable broth (or water) and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 17 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of the oil with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Add the salad greens and toss to coat. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and the zest, dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon of the spice mix; season with salt. Add the quinoa, beans, and raisins and toss well.
- To plate: Spread the greens on a large platter. Spoon the quinoa salad on top of the greens and then add the roasted carrots and onions. Top with fresh parsley.
Recipe adapted from 
Sunday Supper
This week, Pam from The Meltaways is hosting an All Things Orange #SundaySupper on October 7th. Just look at all of the fabulous dishes being offered up today!
Sunrise (Breakfast and Brunch)
- Paula from Vintage Kitchen Notes is bringing her Orange Ricotta Pancakes
- Erin from Dinners Dishes and Desserts is baking up some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Heather from Girlichef is bringing Pumpkin Doughnuts with Spiced Buttermilk Glaze
- Nicole from Daily Dish Recipes is making Pumpkin Donut Puffs
- Patti from Comfy Cuisine is bringing Classic Orange Marmalade
- Sunithi from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz is making Spiced Pumpkin Ricotta Muffins with Craisins and Walnuts
- Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet is cooking up some Pumpkin Maple Oatmeal
- Jamie from Mama Mommy Mom is bringing Butternut Squash Butter
- Chelsea from Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence is bringing Pumpkin Spiced Donuts with Chai Icing
- Kris from In The Kitchen With Audrey and Maureen made Sweet Potato Pancakes
High Noon (Soups, Salads and Sandwiches)
- Renee from Magnolia Days is serving up some Butternut Squash Soup
- Beate from Galactopdx is bringing her Carrot Ginger Soup
- Jen from Juanita’s Cocina is making some Curried Sweet Potato Salad With Cranberries and Pecans
- Megan from I Run For Wine is making Skinny Roasted Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Soup
- Sarah from What Smells So Good is filling our bowls with some Spicy Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup
- Alice from Hip Foodie Mom is coming with her Roasted Carrot and Red Quinoa Salad
- Susan from The Wimpy Vegetarian is making Cider – Spiced Sweet Potato Soup
- Tora from Tora’s Real Food is bringing Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup
- Melanie from From Fast Food to Fresh Food is making Monty’s Pumpkin Soup
- Lyn from The Lovely Pantry is bringing Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup
- Kim from Cravings of a Lunatic is whipping up some Mandarin Chicken Salad
Sunset (Dinner and Main Dishes)
- Sarah from Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends is offering up some Pumpkin Ravioli
- Shelia from Pippis In The Kitchen Again is serving her Roasted Squash and Ricotta with Honey
- Pam from The Meltaways is making Spooky Stuffed Peppers
- Patsy from Famfriendsfood is bringing her Carrot Souffle
- Laura from Small Wallet Big Appetite is bringing Chicken and Sweet Potato Fritters
- Mehereen from Chattering Kitchen is making Sichuan Orange Glazed Chicken with Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Tammi from Momma’s Meals is making Hearty Pork Stew
- Kristin from Kwistin’s Favorites is making Orange Chicken
- Soni from Soni’s Food For Thought is cooking up some Rigatoni with Pumpkin Ricotta Sauce
- Shelby from Diabetic Foodie is cooking up some Moroccan Vegetable Stew
- Dara from Generation Y Foodie is bringing Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Brandie from Home Cooking Memories is sharing a DIY Baked Sweet Potato Bar
- Amber from Mama’s Blissful Bites is bringing Rice and Fig Stuffed Mini Pumpkins
- Valerie from Val’s Food and Or Art made Double Stuffed Roasted Acorn Squash
By The Bonfire (Sweets, Snacks and Sips)
- Brie from Brie’s Bites is making Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bites
- Carla from Chocolate Moosey is making Pumpkin Tiramisu with Pumpkin Butter Caramel Sauce
- Heather from Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks is offering up some Pumpkin Cake Truffles
- Shelia from Cooking Underwriter is bringing Sweet Potato Bacon Beet Salsa
- Anne from Webicurean is making some Drunken Pumpkin Bread
- Karen from In The Kitchen With KP is making Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips
- Leslie La Cocina De Leslie is making Sweet Potato Atole
- Seet Fei from My Trials in The Kitchen is bringing Sweet Potatoes Mini Balls
- Tara from Noshing With The Nolands is bringing Oranges En Suprise
- Susan from The Girl in The Red Kitchen is making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scone with Pumpkin Glaze
- Conni from Mrs. Mama Hen is making Orange Glazed Poundcake
- Isabel from Family Foodie is baking up Moist Pumpkin Bread
- Cindy from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings is baking up a Vegan Pumpkin Orange Cake
- Brenda from Meal Planning Magic is whipping up some Creamy Pumpkin Dip
- Laura from Family Spice is making some Unprocessed and Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Kathya from Basic and Delicious is baking up Butternut Squash and Carrot Bread
- Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake is serving up Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
- Stephanie from The Cookie A Day Challenge is whipping up some Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Katie from She Like Ruffles, He Likes Truffles is bringing Pumpkin Harvest Cookies
- Nancy from Gotta Get Baked is baking up some Orange Macadamia Dark Chocolate Cookies
- Angie from Big Bear’s Wife is bringing Orange Soda Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
- Katy from Happy Baking Days is bringing Carrot Cake with Orange Glaze
- Sandra from Midlife Road Trip is bringing Orange ya glad it’s fall! Hungarian Apricot/Walnut pastries
Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm(Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite recipes featuring our favorite fall color. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat.
We’d also love to feature your easy go to recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.
Come hungry!
Your salad looks amazing and so totally worth making for Thanksgiving – just stunning. Thank you so much for joining in this week!
Thank you so much, Pam! 🙂 Thank you for hosting!
I am always on the lookout for Quinoa recipes! Can’t wait to try this one!!
I hope you do, Sandi. This one requires a lot of spices but is amazing!
I pretty much can relate to your whole post. A big difference this food blogging made in my life. I do have a bag of quinoa that I never used! Wonderful salad for the spring that we are enjoying here. I´m pinning this recipe. Have a great Sunday!
I love hearing people’s stories about how they started blogging and how it’s changed their lives. . Thank you, Paula! I do hope you try this recipe! Hope you have a wonderful Sunday too!
What a perfect fall recipe! Love it has quinoa in it!
Thank you, Megan!
I have tried a few quinoa recipes, but nothing like this! Look delish!
Thank you so much, Patti! I hope you give this one a try!
This plate of food looks absolutely delicious! I definitely want to try it out…
Thank you, Katie! I hope you do! This recipe requires a lot of spices but it’s so worth it! Everything really tastes magical together!
This looks amazing and as long as you buy gluten free Quinoa, it’s gluten free!
Nice add!! Love that! Thank you!
This sounds yummy! I don’t know what you mean about not testing new recipes on guests–I do that all the time! I think I’ve trained them to expect that now. O:-)
Hi Anne,
Thank you! 🙂
That was just from my experience. . I have only done that a few times and when I have, it hasn’t worked out well. . I should also add that that was back when my cooking skills weren’t that great so that probably has a lot to do with it!
I do have friends and of course, my husband, that I test recipes with and cook for. . I guess I just meant for special occasions where you want to ensure everything turns out lovely! 🙂
This looks simply fantastic! I will have to add it to our list 🙂
Thank you so much, Bea! I do hope you give this one a try!
That looks so different and so good. I could go for that right now!!
Thank you so much, Tara!
A beautiful dish! I love all the colors and seasonings you choose to use.
Thank you so much, Susan!
Hahahaha I totally share the single dish dilemma! Especially if I take pictures before I serve the food, so then I have 3 regular bowls and one special prop bowl because well why dirty another bowl LOL I had quinoa once. I don’t get the big deal over it, but this one sounds very flavorful with all of the spices and I love roasted carrots!!
Thank you, Carla! Hope you give this one a try! Quinoa, by itself, isn’t so great. . but when it’s mixed with other things. . can be pretty darn good! 🙂
It looks hearty and super healthy! Now I’m hungry again!
Haha, thank you Sarah!
Love quinoa and this dish looks so pretty!
Thank you so much, Cindy!
What a lovely salad! I love red quinoa in everything.
Thank you, Dara! This is the first time I’ve made red quinoa and I loved it! And it’s pretty too! 🙂
LOL, I have a plethora of mismatched plates, bowls, cups, and other dishes – and I use them all together. I love it!! I do have a few things that match, but for the most part I love the funkiness of putting them all together to see what I get – a different table setting every time!! 😉 This salad sounds perfect for Fall, and the turkey day table!
Thank you, Heather! And yeah, I like the idea of having a table setting with unpredictable style!
That looks super delicious and right up my alley! I absolutely live on quinoa and those carrots look divine! Definitely making this!!!
Thank you, Brandi! Let me know how you like it!
This looks amazingly good. I’m pinning it and making it this week. Love it. Also, I totally relate to the one of this and one of that. I have 2 plates of all kinds of colors and sizes, 2 napkins same thing, 2 placements same thing. I started looking at silverware thinking maybe I could get a couple of new fun spoons for photos…
Awesome! Please let me know how you like it! Hey, 2 of everything is great! Maybe I should start doing that! 🙂 I always tell the sales guy or whoever is ringing me up that I am a food blogger. . b/c otherwise I get looks like “why is she only buying ONE of everything?” 🙂
Huge Quinoa fan!!!! I am looking forward to making this!
Thank you, Stephanie!
Pretty! This looks wonderful! I love making creative salads.
Thank you so much! I really enjoyed this one!
I thought I was the only one who had lots of single plates and bowls. Lol. I love going in to stores looking for cute props.
You’ve really made a beautiful dish here. Love the red quinoa with the carrots. Just looks so fresh and pretty.
Thank you so much, Kim! 🙂 I really appreciate the comment!
Quinoa is such a versatile grain! I love it! This salad looks quite lovely – certainly something that I would make 🙂 I have tons of single dishes, cups, bowls…I have a serious food prop problem! But its one that I’m happy to have lol – it makes me smile.
Thank you so much, Lyn! 🙂
I love quinoa! I need to find some red quinoa, though. Your salad looks gorgeous!
Thank you, Laura! I got mine from Trader Joe’s.
You’ve totally come a long way! I’m in constant awe of the fantastic, intricate, unique recipes you make. You’re a total kitchen rock star. And this salad is gorgeous and full of healthfulness (is that a word? My computer didn’t underline it in red so it must be!). I’ve been meaning to add more salads and healthy foods to my diet to combat all the baking so this is definitely on my must-made list.
Thank you so much, Nancy! I hope you like it! It was a little too healthy for the Hubs but he ate it anyway! 😛
Lovely idea. Yeah, I hear you – now I’m more excited to shop for plates and love colors. And yes, sale/ clearance items apply most of the time. 🙂
Loved hearing your story. I can totally relate to having 1 of everything 🙂 The flavors in this salad are calling my name and I love new ideas for quinoa. Thanks for sharing!
Love this ! So wholesome & healthy. Use quinoa , but never used the red variety. Now am tempted 🙂 Thanks for sharing !
What a great salad. I love quinoa, and am always looking for new ways to use it
Love your roasted carrot and quinoa salad! You are really making full use of all your spices:D
I actually wrote about the contents of my pantry in a post once. Like you, I only had salt(the iodized kind yuck!)and pepper in my single days. Now I have so many spices I don’t know where to fit them all. And I have so many mis matched plates and place settings. I couldn’t afford to buy the whole set let alone find a place to put them. I love quinoa but never had red quinoa. I’m putting on my list of foods to try. The salad looks so colorful and nutritious. I’m a dare devil myself and try out new recipes at holiday all the time. hee hee!
That is a beautiful looking dish. I have yet to try quinoa in a green salad and this may be just the recipe to do so.
Have always wanted to try cooking with quinoa, now I know how. Thanks 🙂
YUM. Pinning right now. This looks so wholesome and yummy and perfect for my non-sugar, whole foods “diet” 🙂