Quinoa, Beet, & Pistachio Salad

I love beets but they've always been something I've ordered out rather than cooked at home because I didn't want to deal with the hassle or the mess of cooking them myself.  Enter the beauty that is Trader Joe's.  They have these wonderful, ready to eat, peeled and cooked beets.  I love them!  I usually just eat them with goat cheese and salad dressing but I wanted to make a full meal with them.

Recently my mom was out visiting and bought a trio of nut oils.  One of the three was pistachio oil and I've been trying to decide what to do with it.

I finally came up with this Quinoa, Beet, & Pistachio Salad.  It is so, so good!  The quinoa gives protein so it is a complete meal.  Goat cheese is my favorite thing to pair with beets and it works beautifully in this salad.  Adding in some pistachios gives it crunch and some fresh arugula adds a peppery bite.

Start out by making some quinoa.  If you want to keep it vegetarian then cook it with water or vegetable stock.  I had a little bit of chicken stock that needed to get used so I cooked it in that with a few shakes of garlic powder.

While the quinoa cools, cut the beets into bite-sized wedges.  Then start your dressing.  Combine some pistachio oil, red wine vinegar, garlic salt, white pepper, oregano, a little dijon, and a clove of garlic.

Toss the quinoa with the dressing.  Add in the beets, some goat cheese, a few handfuls of arugula, and some pistachios.  Mix it all together and lunch is ready.  Enjoy!

Quinoa, Beet, & Pistachio Salad

• 2 1/4 cups cooked quinoa (3/4 cup dry quinoa, 1 1/2 cups liquid)
• 1 8-oz. package peeled & steamed beets
• 1/4 cup pistachio oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. onion salt
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachio pieces
• 1 to 2 cups arugula

1. Cut beets into bite sized wedges.
2. Make dressing: Combine pistachio oil through garlic.
3. Toss quinoa with dressing.
4. Add beets, goat cheese, pistachios, and arugula.  Toss until combined. 

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