Ah! I don’t even know what I’m going to do when fall ends because I’m so in love with all the season flavors!! As you guys know, I went cranberry picking a couple weekends ago and loaded up on the little tart treats so I’ve been having a lot of fun in the kitchen using them as accents to some of my favorite dishes. This particular dish is a sweeter quinoa salad, perfect fall crisp fall nights and great to take to work the next day for lunch! This cranberry quinoa salad is also the perfect healthy side dish to bring to your relatives’ on thanksgiving or christmas that’s delicious but also probably healthier than anything else on the table. 😉

Cranberry Quinoa Salad

1 cup of quinoa / a little less than 2 cups of water to boil it in

1 head of romanesco

1/2 apple sliced

1/2 cup of cranberries

1/4 cup slivered almonds

2 cups of baby kale

1/4 cup chopped white onion

1/4 cup chopped garlic

4 tbsp of coconut oil / macadamia nut oil or olive oil

1 cup of organic apple cider

2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice

spiced cider balsamic glaze: 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar / 2 tbsp olive oil / 1/4 cup reduced cider / 1 tbsp of dijon mustard / salt + pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet with some of your oil. Next, take a medium saucepan and fill it with your quinoa, water and  little salt. Keep the pan on medium heat and start stirring the quinoa when water starts boiling. Slice up your romanesco and place it on your baking sheet, drizzle with a little more oil and season however you like. Place that in the oven to roast for around 10-15 minutes while moving the pieces around so that they evenly roast.  In a separate small sauce pan, place your sliced apples, cranberries, apple cider and pumpkin pie spice. Keep it on a low heat and let it simmer as the fruit absorbs the cider and spices and the liquid reduces. Keep checking on the fruit and moving it around the pan for 10 minute or so until the liquid has reduced and saturated the fruits. In a frying pan on another burner, Place the remainder 2 tsp of your oil, your baby kale, onions and garlic and sauté till kale is wilted and onions are clear. When all liquid has evaporated from quinoa, it is done, take it off the burner and place into a medium bowl. Add in kale, roasted romanesco and fruit (with remaining cider drained and put to side for the glaze). In a separate small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the spiced cider balsamic glaze.  When combined, drizzle it over your quinoa salad and place into a serving dish. Sprinkle your almonds over the top to garnish and your done! I promise it’s a lot easier and faster than it seems from writing it all out in this recipe! It’s a great fall dish and I hope you share it with your family this season.