Asparagus, Quinoa, & Rice Salad with Goat Cheese & Maple-Tahini Dressing

This post is sponsored by Mars SEEDS OF CHANGE® and Target

It’s become a running Thanksgiving joke at our house. Each year when I start planning the menu for our family feast, everyone else votes to have the exact same menu items as last year, but I just can’t help myself from spicing things up with something a little different. And most likely, a lot healthier. Don’t get me wrong, I love the cozy flavors of the season, but I’m always looking for ways to embrace tradition while incorporating more nutritious ingredients that won’t leave me in a mashed potatoes-and-stuffing coma. This year’s plan? Stick to Adam’s showpiece fried turkey for the main, add in my dad’s classic cornbread stuffing and my mother-in-law’s broccoli casserole. My mom’s got the pies handled (pumpkin and pecan) and I’ll be filling in the side dish gaps with roasted sweet potatoes, cranberry chutney, and this grain salad that’s bursting with all my favorite flavors of fall. Keep scrolling for the recipe.

*photos by kate zimmerman

 

Nothing feels more autumnal than a hearty grain salad studded with dried fruits and seasonal vegetables, and this year my Asparagus, Quinoa, & Rice Salad with Goat Cheese & Maple-Tahini Dressing will be a gorgeous addition on our Thanksgiving table.

Since we always host Thanksgiving for both sides of our family, one requirement for any dish that I’m in charge of making is that it needs to be either (a) quick and easy, or (b) can be totally prepped in advance. Bonus points if it fits into both categories, like this one! The idea for this salad was born from our partnership with Seeds of Change, using its line of Certified Organic Rice & Grain Blends that take (wait for it) 90 seconds to heat and serve. Check and check.

Let’s talk about the Thanksgiving food prep countdown, shall we? Because nothing’s worse than trying to cook everything at the last minute and realizing that four menu items can’t physically fit into your oven at once.

Roast the asparagus a few hours before the meal, then leave it to hang out in your serving bowl at room temp. Add the apricots, thyme, goat cheese, and toasted pecans at your leisure, then just before serving, warm the rice and add it to the serving bowl along with the tahini-maple dressing. The heat from the rice will rewarm all the other ingredients and make the goat cheese just a little melty and soooo delicious.

I’ve also been making this grain salad into a quick and easy weeknight main course by adding a few handfuls of arugula to make it more substantial and add some green goodness. It’s a perfect option for #meatlessmonday since the quinoa equals a healthy plant-based protein source. Can’t wait to hear if you give this one a try, and I’d love to hear how you guys are putting a twist on the Thanksgiving meal this year!

This post is in partnership with Seeds of Change. Thanks for supporting our sponsor. Save 10% with Target Cartwheel on any SEEDS OF CHANGE® Certified Organic food products.
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