This is a sponsored post by B&W Quality Growers. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands I love that make this website possible.
My husband returned from a business trip to Guadalajara last week. He ranted and raved about a vegan restaurant he and his co-workers visited and just couldn’t stop talking about how amazing their quinoa salad tostadas were. I told him I would try my hardest to recreate that memorable salad but only with the condition that I would put my own spin to it.
It was a challenge during the development process because all I could go by was my husband’s brief description of what the taste and texture was. I experimented with various dressings. Some were too sweet, others too acidic. After various tries, I was able to recreate something similar and he was ecstatic! The spin? I enhanced this tasty recipe by adding watercress!
During my recent B&W Quality Growers trip to New York City, I learned so much about the nutritional benefits of watercress. Did you know it is the most nutritional dense food? It is also a cancer fighter and limits neuronal damage in the brain. Since then, I’ve been incorporating watercress in many of our meals including omelets, sandwiches, stir fries and lots and lots of salads. This salad was no exception. The delicious peppery watercress flavor enhanced the sweetness of the strawberries and grapes and the earthy flavor of the sauteed mushrooms. The flavors worked so well together.
The salad can be served warm or at room temperature. It can also be served in a wrap, as a bowl or on a tostada, just like the restaurant served it. Because the salad can be served at room temperature, it’s a great outdoor picnic summer salad and so colorful, it will stand out at your table spread. The compliments will just keep coming.
Watercress is easy to care for. To store, keep water cress in a partly opened zip loc plastic bag. Place a paper towel in the bag with the watercress to avoid any excess moisture. Place it in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer for maximum freshness for 3-5 days.
For more information on the benefits of watercress and delicious recipe ideas, visit B & W Quality Growers. You can also follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram ,Pinterest and by following the hashtag #watercresslife.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 tablespoon butter (use olive oil if vegan)
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- 2 cups (packed) fresh watercress, roughly chopped
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 cup strawberries, chopped
- 1 cup green grapes, chopped
- 12 corn tostadas
Instructions
- Prepare quinoa according to package instructions. Set aside.
- Combine remaining ½ teaspoon salt, olive oil, lemon juice and white wine vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Heat butter in a saute pan over medium flame. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add watercress and cook until wilted, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes or until mushrooms begin to look tender. Fold in cooked quinoa strawberries and grapes, season with remaining ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- Gently stir in dressing in quinoa salad. Folding all ingredients until evenly distributed.
- Serve warm over corn tostadas and decorate with fresh watercress sprigs.
