Robust with a hint of sweet. This winterly quinoa salad is a elegant combination of flavors. Quinoa is a favorite around here for years already and so versatile to cook with. This risotto style warm salad makes a wonderful meal.

The hazelnuts and mushroom just give it that warming autumn / winter feeling you long for at this time a year. Healthy, whole food comfort food to please the inner you. The sweet of the dried apricots are just the little cherry on top of this taste bomb quinoa risotto.

I used fresh seasonable mushroom as cantarelle a shiitake together with the Asain enoki I buy at the took. But other fresh mushroom will do perfectly well. For the bouillon I stick to the dried porcini as these have an incredible good strong flavor to give.

For the dried apricots I always buy the darker and I have to admit less nice looking unsulfided apricots. These contained there vitamins and minerals like iron better then the bright orange ones.

Being part of my Christmas menu and Like you in favor of the less amount of stress at all

This salad is best eaten warm. But perfectly made in advance. Store the salad in the fridge for 2-3 days. Before serving, warm salad briefly in a skillet, stir the pesto and lemon through and garnish with the roasted hazelnuts. Voila no Christmas stress at all !

This recipe call for some of this pesto recipe too.