Ingredients
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup (3 ounces) quinoa
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 large celery stalk, diced
- 1 lime, halved
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow pepper, garlic, scallions, and red-pepper flakes; cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in quinoa, thyme, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from heat.
4. Stir in celery, almonds, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt, and fluff with a fork. Squeeze lime over salad, and enjoy!
