Quinoa, a grain both high in protein and fiber, is a healthy substitute for white rice in salads, soups, and stir-fries. This recipe is part of O's roundup of celebrity chef food resolutions.
Servings: Serves 6
Ingredients
For salad:
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 pound tofu (about 1/2 container)
  • 1 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 3 cups roughly chopped sugar snap peas or snow peas or broccoli , steamed or blanched for 3 to 5 minutes
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup chopped spring onions or scallions
For dressing:
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame oil or walnut oil
  • 2 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 2 Tbsp. buttermilk
  • 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
  • 1 small garlic clove , minced
For serving:
  • Large lettuce leaves (optional)
Directions
Total time: 40 minutes

For salad: Heat a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Rinse and drain quinoa, and add to pan. Stir until water has evaporated and quinoa begins to smell toasty, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water and salt; bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and displays little white spirals. If excess water remains, drain and return to pan. Cover pan with a clean kitchen towel, replace lid, and let sit for 10 minutes. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, pat tofu dry with paper towels, pressing to extract excess water. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add tofu. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tofu is golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Remove tofu from heat and combine with quinoa. Stir in peas or broccoli, cilantro, and spring onions or scallions.

To make dressing: Whisk together all ingredients. Toss with quinoa mixture.

To serve: Line plates with radicchio or lettuce leaves, if desired. Fill leaves with salad, and serve. This can be refrigerated up to 1 day.

Adapted from The Very Best of Recipes for Health (Rodale), by Martha Rose Shulman.

Nutritional Information
Per serving: 302 calories, 9 grams protein, 19 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat. Plus 40 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C.

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