Smoked Salmon and Quinoa Salad with Radishes and Beans

Full-of-flavor, filling, and nutritious as hell, this Smoked Salmon and Quinoa Salad also features radishes, beans, spinach, and tomatoes. A perfect spring or summer meal!

I can’t believe there are people who don’t love radishes. If you are one of them, I’m not sure if we could ever be friends. Sorry.

Perfectly crisp, red-skinned, spicy, radishes are a true spring delicacy. Also heart-healthy, detoxifying, hydrating, and high in fiber.

Over the last few years, they have become my so called “spring-o-meter”. When I see first radishes in a local farmers’ market, it’s the best indicator for me that winter is gone.

Their peak season, unfortunately, is very short. Every country is different but in Lithuania we get to enjoy them in April, May, and June.  Not nearly enough!

The best way to enjoy radishes is a fresh, light salad. My all-time favorite is this Radish Cucumber Dill Salad which we make dozens (or even more) times every single spring. My parents have been making it since before I was born and now I am continuing the tradition.

I also tried adding these red little guys inside Chicken Rice Paper Rolls once and they were a great fit.

The only thing I have yet to try is cooking radishes. My favorite Nigel Slater in his bestseller Tender recommends ignoring any recipes that suggest cooking them (he is clearly not a fan) while Joshua McFadden in another wonderful book I got a week ago (Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables) offers recipes for grilled radishes and roasted radishes. The fact that two authors disagree on something only strengthens my desire to try it!

Not this time, though. Sorry for teasing! I promise to try cooking radishes one day and, undoubtedly, I will share my opinion with you, guys. But today it’s time for another awesome salad!

Smoked salmon and quinoa salad with radishes, beans, tomatoes, and spinach to be exact.

I and Igor, we are kind of huge smoked salmon fans. We have it almost every day, usually with rice cakes. Not too often in salads, though. That’s why I was hooked immediately when I saw this gorgeous salad recipe in a local magazine.

This smoked salmon and quinoa salad is literally packed with different flavors. Smoky fish, spicy radishes, nutty quinoa, creamy beans, fresh tomatoes… Plus spinach, onion, and a simple but amazing sesame oil dressing. I’m writing these lines and I want to repeat it so bad (I made this salad a few weeks ago but due to the blog design changes didn’t have time to post it).

I won’t even bother naming all the health benefits you get from a bowl of this salad. They are endless. It tastes good, it’s healthy, what else do you need? A perfect spring and summer salad right here.

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