This post is sponsored by Arm & Hammer. However, all comments, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own. 

Hello spring (almost) and hello “Super Clean” Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad! Honor the arrival of spring and staying true to good eating intentions with this colorful and crave-a-licious salad — baby spinach tossed with nutty quinoa and walnuts are balanced with a subtle sweet-tart flavor thanks to juicy berries and crispy Granny Smith apples. 

Really, what could be better than eating a clean diet of fruits, veggies and healthy whole grains? Only one thing – and that’s making sure those fruits, vegetables and whole grains are actually CLEAN. Clean from pesticides, chemicals, soil and other residue and nasty stuff you don’t want to be eating. Read on to get the recipe for my Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad and also learn more about best practices for eating produce that are clean.Truth be told, I almost didn’t make this yummy Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad after I saw the most recent “Dirty Dozen Fruits and Vegetables” list published annually by the Environmental Working Group.  I wanted to cry, some of my favorite produce (much used in my strawberry quinoa salad) topped that, and the entire list were things I consume and serve to my family on a regular basis. Feel free to peruse the list below, but don’t freak out because I HAVE A SOLUTION! 

Does this Dirty Dozen mean we have to stop eating these 12 fruits and vegetables, along with other produces that is still contaminated but just missed the list?  NO, there are a couple solutions! The first is to purchase organic produce. However, the problems with eating organic produce is that it isn’t always available and/or doesn’t fit into a tight family budget (I have to fill the endless empty legs of an active family of five, which includes three always hungry teen/young adult males). The second is to rely on ARM & HAMMER Fruit & Vegetable Wash which uses pure and simple ingredients and is scientifically proven to clean 4x better than just water or a bleach solution, when used as directed. This safe fruit and vegetable spray eliminates more than 90 percent of pesticide residue (specifically the commonly-used pesticide thiabendazole) while also washing away wax and soil. Find out more about the research in this study.

It’s easy to use ARM & HAMMER Fruit & Vegetable Wash, just spray on produce, let sit for 10 or 15 minutes for best results, and wash away. This safe produce wash features baking soda is the active ingredient and is compliant for pretty much every diet tribe including vegan and gluten-free. 

So, back to my “Super Clean” Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad – it’s super clean just like the name says! Not just because the fruit quinoa salad recipe features vitamin-packed produce, wholesome whole grains and heart-healthy oils – but also, because it’s LITERALLY CLEAN with the use of ARM & HAMMER Fruit & Vegetable Wash.

If you checked out the “Dirty Dozen” chart above, you’ll notice that my beloved spinach, strawberries and apples are all in the TOP FOUR dirtiest of produce.  Also, I’ve always been concerned about the safety of quinoa too. Research I’ve done on it is somewhat contradictory, some articles say it’s safe because the seed’s coating naturally contains pest-repelling compounds (so no pesticides needed). However, many report that countries exporting this popular seed/grain have been “over-chemicaling” crops in an effort to keep up with demand take the industry lead. If you buy your quinoa from the bulk bin (like me) and are wondering how to wash quinoa,  I always spray it with ARM & HAMMER Fruit & Vegetable Wash and let sit for 15 minutes before rinsing. This method of how to wash quinoa may sound like a pain, but it is recommended to wash quinoa anyway to remove that bitterness I mentioned earlier.

I appreciate how safe from pesticides and other “yuck” my “Super Clean” Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad is to serve my family, and I also love that it has such clean-eating ingredients that help us all work toward meeting our daily vegetable and fruit goals – and vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients like fiber! Plus adding quinoa and walnuts to the medley adds lots of texture, heart-healthy fats, and a little extra protein too! The honey vinaigrette dressing pulls all these healthy, clean ingredients together without being too distracting from the delicious flavors of the fruit!

Make a big bowl full of this strawberry spinach salad, it’s perfect for a dinner side or to pack for an entrée lunch. It’s also well suited for meal-prepping, it keeps just fine in the fridge for up to 4 days. Each serving has 250 calories, 14 grams fat, 27 grams carbohydrate and almost 5 grams protein.

And, you can find the brand new ARM & HAMMER Fruit & Vegetable Wash at a store near you or Amazon! It’s reasonably-priced and worth so much more, in my opinion, for peace of mind! I use it on this strawberry spinach salad AND all my produce, including my favorite mini potatoes (above)!

What spring fruit or vegetable are you most looking forward to? Do you typically buy organic, avoid the dirty dozen, or just try to wash produce really well? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer 

5 from 8 votes

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Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Course: entree salad, meal prep, Salad, Side Dish

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 250 kcal

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup dry quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 large Granny Smith Apple cored and chopped
• ½ lb. strawberries hulled and chopped
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach chopped
• 2 ounces walnuts chopped
• 3 tablespoons cup avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white ground pepper

Instructions

1. Place quinoa in find mesh strainer and place spinach, apples and strawberries in large colander. Spray everything liberally with ARM & HAMMER Fruit & Vegetable Wash and let sit for 15 minutes, rinse off under cool water and pat produce dry with a clean towel.
2. Place quinoa and water in a pot and bring to a bowl, then turning down to a simmer and covering with lid. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until water has been absorbed and quinoa tender. Set aside to cool.
3. Chop apples and strawberries into small pieces.
4. Add chopped fruit, spinach, walnuts and cooled quinoa into large bowl, toss together.
5. In small bowl, whisk together avocado oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, ginger paste, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
6. Drizzle dressing over salad ingredients, stirring gently to coat evenly.

Recipe Notes