Chilean Cherry, Wild Rice, and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
3/4 cup wild rice
1/2 cup quinoa
2 cups fresh Chilean cherries, pitted and cut in half
2 celery stalks, diced
3/4 cup smoked Gouda cheese
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fruity vinegar (raspberry, strawberry or other)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large saucepan, bring six cups of water to a boil. Add wild rice and cook for 30 minutes on medium heat. Add quinoa and cook until both rice and quinoa are tender, approximately 15 minutes more. Drain excess water and rinse with cold water. Drain well; set aside.
Spread whole pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for approximately 8 minutes (or until fragrant), stirring once. Let pecans cool and chop. If using sliced pecans, toast in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until lightly browned (approximately 3 minutes). Let pecans cool.
Combine oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk until well blended. Add the rice and quinoa to a serving bowl and mix. Add cherries, celery, Gouda, and chopped pecans, and toss gently. Salad is best served at room temperature, but cold is fine.
