Sausage, Asparagus & Walnut Quinoa Pilaf with Cranberries

Directions

1. Rinse the quinoa and combine it with water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it stand, still covered, for 5 minutes.
2. While the quinoa cooks, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and prepare the sausages by cutting them at an angle into 1-inch pieces.
3. Add a thin film of oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom.
4. Add the sausage pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides and almost cooked through, about 8–10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, wash the asparagus and trim or snap off the woody ends, then cut into 2-inch pieces; peel and mince the garlic.
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
7. Roughly chop the walnuts.
8. When the sausage is almost cooked, add the asparagus, garlic, and walnuts; cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover.
9. Uncover the quinoa and fluff with a fork. Add the cooked quinoa and the asparagus–sausage mixture to the bowl with the dressing and stir to combine.
10. To serve, divide the pilaf onto plates and garnish with the dried cranberries.