Dressing Ingredients:
3 T. balsamic Vinegar. Use good quality vinegar – aceto balsamic from The Olive Tap works well, or for a creative touch, try this recipe with sour apple or Sicilian lemon balsamic vinegar. A lighter color balsamic (sour apple or lemon) pops the color of this dish as well.
1 t. mustard
1 t. good quality maple syrup
1 T. shallot – finely chopped
Salt and/or pepper to taste
Main Dish Ingredients:
¾ C cooked quinoa, warmed
2/3 C fresh strawberries – chopped in quarters
1 2/2 – 2 cups bok choy – roughly chopped
2 T. walnuts – lightly toasted and chopped
Make the dressing:
In a small bowl combine all ingredients listed and mix well with a fork or whisk. You can also prepare this in a small jar and shake well to mix. For a more tart finish add more vinegar and for a sweeter finish add more maple syrup. Experiment with it to your liking.
Cooking the Quinoa and assembling the recipe:
Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander. Cover with twice the amount of water (this is always the case when making quinoa) in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir once and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and steam for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
Place the bok choy at the bottom of a medium size bowl. Transfer the warm quinoa and place on top of the bok choy. This process slightly wilts the greens but keeps it crisp enough to taste fresh.
Add the strawberries, top with dressing and sprinkle walnuts on top.
Enjoy!
