Eating For Your Future/Sesame Ginger Quinoa Salad

Happy Sunday Everyone!!! Hope your day is off to a great start :) I spent yesterday teaching a class on making fascinators. I worked so hard, but I had such a wonderful day. As soon as I get some pictures, I'll have to share the beautiful work that everyone did. They really created some exceptional pieces. Last Christmas, I treated myself to this little gizmo. It's actually the cheapest model that they carry, but what a lot of fun it has been!! This one basically tracks the steps I take throughout the day. At this point in my day, I have already gone for my morning walk, so it's registering a little over 9000 steps. If you need a little motivation to get moving, you might want to look into a Fit Bit. It comes with a little plug in for your computer, so you can keep track of what your doing. There are models that do a whole lot more than the one I have, but this model is fun and very motivating. so check it out :)

Now for a little good and healthy eating motivation. Doesn't this look incredibly good?!!!! Well it is!

I think it was last week that I told you about a site called Pop Sugar. It's a great site and I have had a lot of fun looking around and discovering some really great recipes. The base of the salad is quinoa which is a gluten free grain that is also a complete protein, so a winner all the way around. You can find the original recipe HERE along with all the nutritional information.

Sesame Ginger Ginger Quinoa Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shelled frozen edamame
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 cup red cabbage, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the quinoa, water, and salt in a covered pot. Heat on high until it boils, lower the heat to low, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa is soft and the water absorbed.
2. Pour the quinoa into a medium-sized bowl, and mix in the frozen edamame, carrots, peppers, and cabbage.
3. In a small bowl, make the dressing by mixing the sesame oil, rice vinegar, minced ginger, and sesame seeds.
4. Pour the dressing over the quinoa and veggies, and mix thoroughly. Enjoy immediately, or store in a covered container for later.

*Changes; I added a clove of chopped garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to my salad dressing, and I added a little extra ginger. I like ginger :) This is a recipe that is best made up the night before as the ingredients will be enhanced over time. By all means, give it a try, not only is it good for a light dinner, but you will enjoy it for your lunch. Serve it on a bed of greens and your eyes and stomach will both be happy!!!