Vibrant Quinoa Salad

The key to living with an abundance of energy is ensuring you have enough micronutrients to support energy production. 

This Vibrant Quinoa Salad recipe is full energy boosting nutrients including B-vitamins, vitamin C and COQ10.

• B-vitamins are key to cellular energy and allow your body to efficiently use your food as fuel. 

• Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that counterbalances the damage caused by inflammation and stress. It is also a vital nutrient that allows your body to burn fat as an energy source.
• CoQ10 also promotes energy production as well as being a strong antioxidant, which protects the body against damage from the environmental toxins we are exposed to.

Serves 2 | GF, DFO, EF, SF

Vibrant Quinoa Salad

Ingredients 

• 1⁄2 cup quinoa (preferably soaked)
• Homemade chicken stock (optional)
• 2 Tbsp of coconut oil or butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can of organic black beans
• 1-2 stalks celery, finely sliced
• 1 cup leafy greens, finely sliced
• 2 spring onions or 1⁄2 red onion, finely sliced
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved (or 2 regular tomatoes, diced)
• 1 cup fresh herbs (one or more - mint, parsley, coriander, basil)
• 1⁄4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1⁄4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp tamari

Citrus Dressing:

• Juice of half lemon
• Juice of one orange
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp raw honey
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1⁄2 cup mint leaves, finely chopped

Instructions: 

1. Rinse quinoa well (even if you haven’t soaked it) put in medium sized saucepan and fill with water (I always like to cover quinoa in about 4cm of water when cooking to use in a salad). If you like more flavour you can cook your quinoa in chicken stock.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer until cooked, 10-15 minutes (if you haven’t soaked quinoa it will take longer to cook).
3. Strain water off quinoa and put in a mixing bowl with coconut oil (dairy free) or butter and season with salt and pepper.
4. Prepare beans and all other vegetables (including fresh herbs) and mix through the quinoa.
5. Prepare citrus dressing by shaking all ingredients in jar or in a blender, and pour your desired amount over the salad mixing well.
6. Heat a small frying pan. Add pumpkin and sunflower seeds and cook until just beginning to brown. Turn down the temperature to a low heat. Add the sesame oil and tamari to cooked seeds stirring constantly for 1 minute and then take off the heat.
7. Remove the seeds from the pan and when cool, sprinkle over the salad.