Sprouted Quinoa And Beet Salad. Are you looking for an awesome and healthy salad? This one is for you.
I love whole grains in salad and use them often. Sprouted grains are so much healthier, so I try and make sure they are added in occasionally as well. Why sprouted grains? Great question. When you sprout a grain, the enzymatic process that happens allows access to vitamins and minerals that generally aren't available. Sprouted grains are also more easily digestible. If you haven't tried them, you should!
Sprouting Quinoa
The process of sprouting is very easy, but a little time-consuming. Those seeds need time to germinate. I recently purchased these Sprouting Lids and have loved them! They are well worth every dime.
I have included a recipe box below with a more detailed description of sprouting grains, but here are the basics. I like to start in the morning. Rinse your grains well. Cover them in water and allow them to sit in a jar or other sprouting container and allow them to sit like this for about 4 hours. This is hydrating your grain for growth. Drain the water. Rinse and drain again. Now, sit your jar upside down and let it sit like this for the rest of the day. Before you go to bed, rinse and drain again. Now, the magic happens. Usually, when you wake up, you will see a sprout in the grain! It is so cool! For more on sprouting, continued in the FAQ section.
Some grains take a little longer, so don't stress if your grains aren't sprouted in the morning. Simply rinse, drain and keep letting it sprout.
Assembling The Salad
Once the quinoa is sprouted, this salad is simple to make! I like to cook my beets in the pressure cooker, but you can also roast them if you prefer. I included this below in a recipe box as well.
You can add whatever you want to the salad, I used navel oranges, blood oranges, avocado, massaged kale, and the sprouted quinoa.
The Finished Sprouted Quinoa And Beet Salad
Here is the finished, beautiful salad. Some of the components are a little time-consuming, but so worth it! You will want to add this to your to make list soon!
If you are interested in other sprouted grain recipes, let me give you a few suggestions:
- I just posted these Sprouted Sorghum bites the other day. They were so good!
- I made another salad recently with Sprouted Spelt. If you aren't into quinoa, this is a great option.
- Maybe you are into baked goods with sprouted grains. This bread was so good. I think you will love it!
Beets cooked in a pressure cooker
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 3-5 beets
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Prep your beets for cooking by removing stems and washing well. Place in pressure cooker with water. If you have a steam tray, add that in before adding the beets. Seal your pressure cooker. Set for 15 minutes on high pressure. Once the timer has gone off, allow for the natural release. When the pressure has been released, carefully remove the lid. The beets will be very hot, of course, so be careful. They are ready to peel at this point.Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Poppyseed Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar I used a dark vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons poppyseeds
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to small bowl. Whisk well to combine. You can serve right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure if you have stored it for a period of time to mix well.Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Sprouting grains
Equipment
- mason jar, sprouting lids or cheesecloth.
Ingredients
- 1 cup einkorn or other grain of choice I have also done almost all whole grains and had really great results!
- water enough to cover the grains with about 1-2 inches over.
Instructions
- Rinse your grains well. Place in a mason quart canning jar. Add enough cool water to cover the grains about 2 inches over. Allow the grains to sit in the water for about 4 hours. It is important to cover your grains, just so no bugs get in. You can either use a sprouting lid, as I did or even cheesecloth. Place in a dark, warm place.Rinse, fill with water again to cover, and allow to sit another hour. Rinse again and tip your jar upside down to drain. I balanced mine upside down in a small bowl. The jar will need to be covered with a sprouting lid or cheesecloth tied on with a rubber band. Make sure to keep it in a warm, dark place.The grains will need to sit like this for about 12 hours. This will depend on the temperature of your house and the grains. In 12 hours, check again. You may need to rinse and repeat again. for some grains, you may need to do this several times. The grain should be fully sprouted within 24-56 hours. I like to use mine after I see the small sprout starting to poke out. The grains will be nice and tender at this point. You can let them continue to grow if you prefer, up to about ¼ inch. For the salad I created with this recipe, I boiled about 4 cups of water with 1 teaspoon salt. Once it came to a boil, I added the grains and allowed them to boil for about 5 minutes. Once it had boiled for the time, I drained it and added it to the salad. Whatever you don't use right away, refrigerate for safety. I have never had anything happen, but better to be safe!Now, sit back and enjoy any way you prefer!! You deserve it!
Roasted Beets
Ingredients
- 3-4 red beets
- 3-4 golden beets
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.Line 2 8x8 pan with tinfoil. This isn't essential, but makes cleanup so much easier!! Wash your beets and cut off the greens. Place the red beets in one pan and the golden beets in the other. Wrap tightly with tinfoil. Place in oven for baking. Depending on size of beets, it should take about 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check the beets by inserting a sharp knife into the side. Once they are tender, but not mushy. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool, then peel. They are ready to go and use in anyway you choose!Now, sit back and enjoy! You deserve it!
Anything that has not been altered in any way. So it needs to be a whole grain. It cannot have been hulled, pearled, rolled, cut, toasted, etc. That bran needs to be intact.
Very important. Moist, warm environments are perfect for sprouting. They are also perfect for bacteria growth. Make sure you jars, lids, and anything else you are using are clean before starting. After your grains are sprouted, do something with them. What I mean by that is use them, refrigerate them, or dehydrate them.
It is tender. The grains has absorbed a lot of liquid and is swollen. I love the texture, but for some people it takes some getting used to.
There can be a few causes for this. First, make sure your grain is whole. Second, some grains just take longer. Make sure to continue to rinse and drain for another 24 hours. Third, it needs to be fairly warm for sprouting, use warm water to soak them and rinse them with. Then put them in a warm place in your house.