Citrus Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Edamame

This salad has a quiet trick to it: the dressing is built from a quarter of the avocado, blended with the olive oil, lemon, orange juice, parsley, garlic and salt. That little bit of avocado turns the dressing creamy and green without any dairy, and it clings to the lettuce better than a thin vinaigrette would. Keep the rest of the avocado for the bowl itself, and dice it just before serving so it stays bright.

Quinoa is a seed, not a grain in the way rice or oats are, and it cooks up with a little tail on each grain that looks like a tiny spiral. That texture is why it works so well cold. Let it cool completely before it goes into the bowl, or the lettuce will wilt and the dressing will turn the whole thing soft. If you cook it the night before, spread it on a plate for a few minutes so the steam escapes, then cover and refrigerate.

Edamame is one of the easiest things to keep in the freezer. Frozen shelled beans cook in a few minutes and hold their bite, so you can add them to a salad without fuss. Pepitas, the hulled green pumpkin seeds, go on last so they stay crunchy. If you toast them in a dry pan for a minute or two, watch them closely, because they go from golden to dark very quickly.

This is a salad that makes a good lunch on its own, but it also sits nicely next to something warm and savory. A plate of Lemon Chilli Chicken with Fluffy Couscous brings a little heat that plays well against the citrus. For a lighter supper, pair it with a Wilted Spinach and Potato Curry, where the spice and greens feel like a warm counterpart to the cool, fresh salad. If you want something hearty for a crowd, Stuffed Pesto Pork with Roasted Vegetables makes a good companion, since the roasted vegetables and the fresh salad balance each other well.

Leftovers keep for a day or so in a sealed container. The dressing separates a little as it sits, so give it a stir or shake before you pour. The avocado will darken at the edges, so if you are packing it for later, keep the diced avocado in a separate small container and add it at the last minute.