Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water. This crucial step removes its natural bitter coating.
Drain well.
In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a rolling boil.
Reduce the heat to low, season with salt if your broth is unsalted, and stir in the rinsed quinoa.
Cover the saucepan and let it simmer gently until all the broth has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside.
While the quinoa is simmering, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the minced scallions and walnut pieces, sautéing until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
Add the entire package of fresh baby spinach to the skillet.
Season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook until the spinach has just wilted, which should take 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the diced apple and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the apple to soften slightly but retain a bit of its crispness.
Add the cooked, fluffed quinoa to the skillet with the spinach and apple mixture.
Stir everything together gently to combine.
Taste the final dish and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper as needed.
Serve warm and enjoy!
