Quinoa Salad with honey toasted pine nuts and tender leeks – A simple yet slightly sweet and zesty quinoa salad that is perfect for any occasion! A great healthy side dish or even a simple lunch idea! This quinoa salad recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan friendly. Freezable and ready to eat in 30 minutes.
I recently read a great article about successful people who live to create. Create stories (writers), food (chefs), recipes, products, whatever. They said their main focus was to create great content. No matter how PRETTY or how ENTICING this content looked, it was all about the value and purpose of that content. That was KEY to making it last and making it noticeable. I’d like to think that’s my process when it comes to recipe development and recipe sharing. Okay yes, I’m talking about a fancy schmancy gluten free quinoa salad here, but still…. there needs to be value behind why I created it and just how good the CONTENT of this recipe tastes. Otherwise it’s just another quinoa salad and Lord knows we have plenty of those on pinterest already. Am I right?
But here’s the thing. The main reason I CREATE is to share. Share health, share nourishment, share “THE LOVE” of gluten free food/recipes! I know I know, corny as it may seem, it’s the truth. There is nothing I like more than to make a good meal or dish and share it with others. So my friends, today, I have what I call, a LOVE dish. HONEY toasted pine nuts and leek quinoa salad (say that 3 times fast)!
Quinoa Salad – A Love Dish
A love dish is CREATED with love. For your loved ones. And the key ingredient here? Well.. I’ve toasted it with honey crystals to make it extra sweet. See –> more corniness, shocking!
Honey toasted pine nuts and leeks to be exact. And mixed in a zesty lemon quinoa salad .
Key CONTENT –> FLAVOR COMBO POWER!
In all seriousness, this gluten free honey toasted quinoa salad was made specially (out of love) for my family and family style. To serve around the table along side a Sunday dinner together. Don’t you just love family style sides and salad?
Food is love in our house, and so is time spent together! I also thought it was a great way to show my appreciation for them. OH my goodness, they have done so much for me. For us!
Maybe it’s just me, but taking time to make a dish (sweet or savory) that you can share with others is similar to that of a thank you card or Valentine’s day card. The content being “made with love.” With Valentine’s day just around the corners, I was feeling all sentimental. And to be honest, I’m not the best at keeping up with thank you cards or any type of writing for that matter. I am, on the other hand, much better at making (creating and sharing) food or sending chocolate to show I care. Haha, go figure.
Now that I’ve talked your ear off about corny content. How about I get to the recipe?
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Toasted Pine Nut and Leek Quinoa Salad {Gluten Free}
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Prep Time: 10 min -
Cook Time: 30 min
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Total Time: 40 minutes
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Yield: 4-6
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Pin RecipeDescription
Toasted Pine Nut and Leek Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup to 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (divided)
- 2/3 cup chopped leeks (the roots)
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 tsp honey or honey crystals (use agave nectar if vegan)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- lemon (juiced)
- 1/4 tsp minced garlic
Instructions
- First rinse your quinoa. Add 1 cup quinoa, 1/4 tsp salt, and you need about 2 cups liquid. Bring liquid to a boil with quinoa, then reduce heat to medium low and cover for 20 minutes or until fluffy. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400F. In a small bowl, combine your chopped leeks (the roots), onion, pine nuts, honey, salt, pepper, and 1- 2 tbsp olive oil. Toss and then lay it flat on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread evenly across paper.
- Bake/toast for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove, toss the pine nuts and then return to oven for another 4 -5 minutes or a total of 10 -12 minutes.
- Remove from oven and combine (in a large bowl) cooked quinoa with honey toasted mixture.
- Add your garlic, more pepper, 1/2 tbsp more olive oil, and 1- 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice.
- Season with 1/4 tsp sea salt and serve in serving dish or chill for later.
One of my favorite things about this quinoa salad was how light and refreshingly sweet it is. It pairs well with so many main ingredients too; chicken, fish, beef, or even vegan style with tempeh or tofu. It freezes well and can be used later for meal prep or to add to your family style dinner. Heck, just treat yourself and make it all for you! Quinoa is a plant based complete protein and pine nuts are a tasty source of healthy fats, which makes one balanced and wholesome lunch. In other words… I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS Honey Toasted QUINOA SALAD!
Want to “Be Sweet” to your family or loved one on Valentine’s Day? Check out the Nektar Honey Crystals “sweets” campaign. Send them a personalized love note along with a packet of Nektar Honey Crystals. Campaign ends February 7th, so hurry and grab a sweet note! <3
So tell me, if you could make anything for your family or loved ones, what would it be? Family style, right?
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This post is sponsored by my Nektar Honey Crystals Thank you for allowing me to create great content in partnership with gluten free brands we love. As you know, my reviews and OPINIONS are always my own. Cheers!
Not corny at all! I think food is one of the best ways to show love for others! Thanks for loving us!!!
Mmmm…this is definitely NOT just another quinoa salad! I think I’d eat those pine nuts by the handful! Looks delicious!
I’m totally with you on content and creating things that have staying power because they are just that good! That said, all your recipes also LOOK so amazing and there’s a lot to be said for that as well 🙂
thank you friend. You are too good to me!
Food is way better than a thank you card in my opinion 😀 Make me food and I am one happy girl. And you had me at “leek”… love this dish!
Haha, we can feed each other. Happy dance!
This is GORGEOUS! Also I love what yous said about creating for a purpose. I feel like a lot of food bloggers create for the sake of creating, but I like to read about the thought and the passion behind the recipe!
thank you friend. I so agree!
You know that viral “This is Bob (or insert your name here). Be like Bob” Face book thing? Well, mine was that I like to cook and create for my family. Which is true, but I think that they agave me a bit too much credit. But I truly do love to cook an dCREATE for others. Every now and then I create for myself, but I truly put on my creative pants for others.
oh i need to see that post! and i agree. i get more creative for others. totally worth it!
What an epic sweet and savory way to enjoy quinoa! Just gotta add a little protein and this is a complete meal!
oh i agree! maybe some chicken?? or salmon!
I love cooking for the fam! I like to make applesauce a for my nieces when we go back to Indiana.
you can make some any day!
Loved reading why you created this dish. It looks amazing – like everything else you create. It seems like the perfect thing for a cold winter night!
And this is why I <3 YOU! I love that you share healthy GF, adrenal health promoting recipes here, Lindsay! Coming from a family plagued with heart disease, diabetes, pressure and a slew of other issues, eating healthy has been my saving grace – so far and I don't think your purpose is corny at all – I LOVE it! And this salad with leeks!
and i love you more! and i love that you love leeks!
I am fascinated with the toasted honey crystals! Love the recipe.
★★★★★
omg it’s so fun !!! love cooking with it!
This is beautiful Lindsay! Simple and stunning flavors, I love it! It makes me feel all spring/summery!
So thought of you! quinoa lovers! <3
Oh trudt me, I’m right there with you on both creating content that matters/offers value – a few ranom fun posts aside though maybe making somebody smile is enough value at times? – and showing love through food. Because let’s be honest: thank you cards get forgotten or thrown away, food is enjoyed and at best creates lasting memories. This salad looks like a great way of saying thanks.
I so agree friend! The smile adds so much value. <3
Your posts are always full of good content. And your food.
If I could make Vegas anything… I’d make her spaghetti and meatballs. It’s her favorite.
mmm i like that tmeal too! meat! haha
Mmm this looks fabulous! There’s something to be said about creating a dish out of love for our friends and family 🙂 YUM.
That looks sooooooooooooooooo good! I love quinoa!!!! I am not a cook – not going to scare away the family! 🙂
but you can make amazing protein cookies and bread!!
I’ve had my share of spaghetti and meatballs for a while, so now I am craving a Mexican spread! 🙂 It makes me think of warm weather and margaritas of course too…
You are so cute. Love your writing and your perspective! Oh and I also LOVE pine nuts. But I never buy them, because I’m too cheap. Bit the bullet last week and got a bunch at Whole Foods, Just because I felt like it! So NOW I know what I’m making with ’em!
totally worth the splurge!! i love them.
Oh wow, did not expect to see you toasting the leeks too! Such an interesting idea, I have GOT to try that! Looks spectacular.
I really liked toasting it all together! the leeks smell amazing!
OMGGGG!! Ok I love Nektar Naturals, who doesn’t love honey!! And it’s so awesome I can send a love note to a friend, so I’m going to need your address 🙂 This dish is seriously amazing though, the pine nuts and leek all roasted together – perfection.
I’m a fan of anything made with love, regardless of dietary preference.
Toss in honey crystals, lemon, leeks and pine nuts and I’m absolutely sold.
I LOVE this. 🙂
This looks amazing. The flavor combo sounds delicious and I have everything in my house right now. How often does THAT happen?! I know what I’m making for dinner 🙂
YEA!! let me know if you make it
I do absolutely love meals like this, so full of goodness and it’s yumm.
Great share my friend.
xx
★★★★★
Thanks so much asha! ❤️
Yum! this looks fantastic, friend! and I adore how much you love through food…it’s so you! and your recipes are filled with love and nourishment!!
Your quinoa salad looks fantastic! My daughter is pretty attached to q quinoa salad that I make…meaning she asks for it every week…but I like to branch out too. I’d definitely like to try yours!
I LOVE Corny Cotter! and I love the flavors of this salad! I am so waiting for SPRING to get here – this will help me out while I wait…
and I LOVE YOU! miss you!
I MISS YOU too!! we will be in ATX in May… we MUST get together! xo
This looks fantastic and perfect for this week since i have some uncooked leeks in my produce drawer!
o glad you tried it!
Leeks are one of my all time favorite ingredients to cook with. I haven’t invited myself over in a while. The next time you make this would be a good time to visit.