Black Quinoa Pasta Salad

By AzWench

This Pasta salad is over the top wonderful with the black quinoa and the dressing is a creamy dressing, unusual for a pasta salad. Makes a lot, so take a bowl to the neighbor.

Ingredients

• For the Salad:
• Ingredients
• 6 cups cooked pasta shells chilled
• 2 cups black quinoa cooked*
• 1 cup red onion chopped
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 2 red apples chopped
• 2 cups Cheddar cheese chunks, or other cheese
• 4 cups cooked chicken breasts chilled, chopped in cubes
• For the Dressing:
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds*
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Step 1

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk well. Then combine all the ingredients and dressing in a bowl and toss well. Serve on a bed of red leafy lettuce.
*To cook Quinoa: 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. Cook like white rice.
*to toast cumin seeds, place in large skillet over medium high heat and stir constantly until lightly toasted. You will smell the oils.