Toasted Quinoa Salad With Scallops and Snow Peas

This scallop-studded quinoa salad gets an exciting texture from crunchy snow peas, red bell pepper, and scallions. Feel free to substitute shrimp or thin slices of chicken for the scallops. From EatingWell.com

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 12  ounces  dry sea scallops, cut into 1/2-inch pieces or 12  ounces  dry bay scallops
• 4  teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce or 4  teaspoons tamari, divided
• 4  tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 2  teaspoons canola oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups quinoa, rinsed well
• 2  teaspoons garlic, minced
• 3  cups water
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup snow peas, sliced diagonally
• 1⁄3 cup rice vinegar
• 1  teaspoon  toasted sesame oil
• 1  cup scallion, thinly sliced
• 1⁄3 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish

Directions

1. Toss scallops with 2 teaspoons soy sauce ( or tamari) in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Place a large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover, and cook over medium heat until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in snow peas, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons canola oil, the remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce (or tamari), vinegar, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the quinoa and snow peas, scallions, and bell pepper; toss to combine.
4. Remove the scallops from the marinade and pat dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water upon contact. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil and cook the scallops, turning once, until golden and just firm, about 2 minutes total. Gently stir the scallops into the quinoa salad. Serve garnished with cilantro, if desired.
5. Notes: Be sure to buy "dry" scallops that have not been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, (STP). STP-treated scallops ("wet" scallops) have been subjected to a chemical bath and are mushy, less flavorful, and won't brown properly.
6. Find Quinoa, a delicately flavored, protein-rich grain, in natural-foods stores or in the natural-foods sections of many supermarkets. Rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa's natural, bitter protective covering.