LOADED QUINOA SALAD

Quinoa is one of the healthiest grains; it's naturally gluten free, full of fiber and protein, all amino acids, and is purely delicious. It's so versatile as it can be sweet or savory, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, in soups and stews, mixed with burgers and eaten as a side. My husband went skiing this morning and I thought this would be a healthy lunch for him to have upon his return. I love to throw tons of seeds and vegetables in the quinoa to make it filling and just so good. 

Ingredients:

1 cup of quinoa

2 cups of water (or broth)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup raisins

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

2 sticks of celery

2 tomatoes

1 ripe avocado

1 sweet potato

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the sweet potato into 1/4" thick pieces, top with cinnamon, and roast for 30 minutes, just until crisp. No need to roast with any oil. In a medium sized pot, add 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Chop the tomatoes, celery and avocado. Mix the quinoa with olive oil, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, cumin, sea salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and mix until combined. Top with sweet potato and avocado. Squeeze the juice of the lemon on the avocado and quinoa.