Thai Quinoa Spring Salad

Happy Spring, you guys! Everyone’s got a little pep in their step as today marks the first day of Spring. It’s nice to see the greenery reemerge & sprout. I don’t know about you, but am (kinda) done with winter & snow. Ironically enough, am currently on a ski holiday with my little family. Surrounded by snowy peaks, crisp mountain air, ALL the hot chocolate & my favorite people (minus one). Turns out my husband had to return to Toronto for work commitments – leaving me up in the mountains with two littles.. Ha! But they were so wildly excited about being here, we couldn’t possibly pack it up and head home together.

BUT- am ready to embrace spring greens, refreshing salads and light meals that are incredibly nourishing & fresh. And my favorite part of welcoming warmer climes; to get to eat my food outside again. I love a meal on the patio or the deck overlooking our garden. I live for the little things.

Speaking of things, don’t ever eat things you can’t pronounce, except for quinoa. (I actually read that somewhere.) Always eat quinoa. For the longest time I walked around saying [Kee-no-ah] true story. Try [Keen-wah], instead. A quinoa salad is one of my favorite salads for two reasons: it’s so filling and it packs a swift plant-based protein lunch. A total win-win situation, as far as am concerned.

I first discovered quinoa about 4 years ago, when I started to slowly walk towards a healthier, unprocessed diet. It was one of the easiest thing to make, really. Easier than rice. I would do 2 cups of water or bone broth to 1 cup of quinoa. Worked every time. Whether it’s a warm of cold quinoa dish; I love everything about the versatility of this gran which has become my “rice” so to speak.

Soooo… if you’re one of my long-time readers you know this girl loves everything (there is to love) about Thai food. I thoroughly enjoy mango and cashews and cilantro & those sticky & crunchy homemade peanut-based sauces. Well, the best Thai flavors meet quinoa in this delectably crunchy salad that won’t disappoint. We’re talking crunch factor-strong here: red cabbage, red peppers, mango, raw cashews, green onions, & cilantro. And a homemade, all-natural peanut sauce that’s going to become a fridge staple, I promise.

And last but never least, a HUGE thank you to my friend Joy from Joyous Health for inviting me to be a part of this Spring Salad collaboration. Don’t forget to scroll allllll the way down after you see my recipe for great links to other awesome Toronto-based bloggers featuring an original spring salad recipe of theirs.

Servings: 4
Time: 25 mins
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Ingredients

1 cup of organic quinoa
2 cups of water or bone broth
1 red bell pepper (sliced and then cubed)
1 mango (sliced and then cubed)
1/3 cup of fresh chives (green onions)
1 cup of shredded red or purple cabbage
3/4 cup of raw or roasted cashews
sea salt and pepper to taste
a handful of organic cilantro (great for detox!)

For the peanut tamari satay sauce:

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger
2+ 1/2 tbsp of tamari sauce
1 tbsp of of all-natural peanut butter (or almond butter)
1/2 tbsp of rice vinegar
2 tbsp of coconut sugar
1 tsp of sriracha (optional, I like mine spicy)
2 cloves of garlic

Instructions

In a large pot: bring 2 cups of water or broth to a boil. Add 1 cup of quinoa and bring to a boil again. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 20 mins, stirring often. When the water is absorbed, remove from the heat & allow it to cool & fluff up.
While the quinoa cooks, bring out your chopping board & start slicing and dicing all your veggies: chives, mango, red bell pepper, purple cabbage, etc.
Add veggies to the quinoa & mix. Top with my peanut tamari sauce or serve it on the side. Top with some cilantro & sprouts. Enjoy!

Note:

Always refrigerate leftovers, they keep well in the fridge for 3-5 days. Note: cashews do become “mushy,” so if you like them crunchy, top right before serving, instead.

By: Aleyda | The Dish On Healthy

For MORE amazing & vibrant Spring Salad Inspo, check out the links below for recipes from other awesome Toronto nutritionists & bloggers. You will love!

I Hart Nutrition | Cucumber & Chickpea Salad

Joyous Health | Spring Inspired Detox Salad

Julie Daniluk | Hot Detox Beet Bop Salad

Kim D’Eon | Shred Into Spring Salad

Marni Wasserman | Zesty Apple Fennel Salad

Organic Food For Kids | Spring Asparagus & Spinach Salad

Academy of Culinary Nutrition | Rice Protein Salad

The Healthy Bies | Sour Cabbage & Fennel Salad

Rachel Molenda | Dandelion Citrus Salad

Holistic Wellness | Tuscan Kale & Apple Salad

The Pure Life | Sweet Potato Arugula Quinoa Salad