- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped amaranth leaves, spinach leaves, or arugula leaves
- ½ cup chopped mixed nuts
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove the pan from the heat and fluff the quinoa with fork; place it in a large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
While the quinoa cooks, prepare the remaining vegetables (cabbage through amaranth or other leaves) and set aside.
Add the peanut butter and maple syrup to a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat the mixture in the microwave for 20 seconds. Add in the ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and both sesame and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner dressing, simply stir in a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil.
Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. Next, fold in the prepared vegetables into the quinoa. Garnish with the chopped nuts. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes