Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe

Yesterday at work I was asked to make a dish for the staff using a recipe from our TraderJoes.com website. I chose a quinoa salad because it was vegan (I like to eat on the job too), sounded great and did not require a Herculean amount of work to assemble.

The staff absolutely went wild for this salad. Even the self proclaimed “Quinoa haters” raved about it to no end. Who hates quinoa anyway?? When I made the salad at home I revamped it for a more heart and health friendly fare.  I removed the oil and skipped the added salt, then introduced some fresh additions and seasonings.  The finished salad was so superbly flavorful that I have declared it the perfect dish to pass for upcoming Summer soirees and BB-Q’s.

Cantina Qunioa Salad

by S. Duquet

Ingredients:

3 C cooked quinoa

15 oz can of black beans rinsed and drained

1 1/2 C mango chopped

1 1/2 C sweet peppers chopped (I used a tri-color combo of yellow, orange and red)

1 C fresh cilantro

Zest of 2 limes

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 C fresh squeezed lime juice

2 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp liquid aminos

1 tsp agave syrup

Make it Happen:

In a large bowl mix together quinoa, black beans, mango, cilantro and lime zest.  In small bowl whisk together dressing ingredients, lime juice, garlic powder, liquid aminos and agave.  Pour dressing over quinoa mixture and toss to coat thoroughly.  This dish is ready to go right now, but if you have time to make it 2 hours beforehand and chill in the fridge, it helps the seasonings become one with the quinoa.  Makes 6-8 servings.

This dish is cool, savory and light. It is filling enough for a Summer lunch or an excellent side dish for dinner. Last night we enjoyed it with BB-Q tempeh steaks and it was phenomenal. I plan to bring this to my first ever family reunion to jazz my non veg family. They are going to love it.

Have a delicious day.

Tags: 30 day challenge, compassionate eating, cooking with herbs, cooking with quinoa, dairy free, going veg, plant based diet, quinoa and beans, quinoa salad, vegan challenge, vegan experience, vegan side dish, vegan wannabe, vegetarian recipe, vegetarian side dish