Makoleen’s Awesome Vegan Quinoa Salad

 

Ingredients:

 

1 ½ c quinoa

3     c water

pinch of salt

 

½ c dried apricots, finely diced

½ c red bell pepper

½ c yellow bell pepper

¾ c toasted pine nuts

¾ c toasted pecan or walnuts

¼ c chopped cilantro

 

Vinaigrette:

grated lemon zest and lemon juice from one lemon

splash of balsamic vinegar

¼ tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

¼ c olive oil

 

Directions:

 

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in cold water then pour into a fine meshed strainer and rinse again under running water (if not rinsed well, quinoa tends to be bitter).

 

Bring water to boil and add salt, stir in the quinoa.

 

Lower the heat, cover and cook for 15min.  Taste the grain.  There should be just a little resistance and the opaque spiraled ring of germ should show.  If necessary continue cooking until done.

 

Pour into strainer and set it to drain over a bowl.

 

Toast all the nuts either in a dry pan or the mini oven works great too!  Just put them on some foil in the mini oven, watch them carefully and stir often because they may burn.

 

Combine the apricots, peppers, nuts and cilantro in a large bowl. 

 

Mix together the ingredients for the vinaigrette and add to the bowl of yummy apricots, peppers, nuts and cilantro.

 

Once the quinoa has cooled, add it to the bowl.  Give it a good mix and ENJOY!