Yummy Healthy Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a high energy seed used as a grain that is easy to digest. It is a complete protein, meaning it has all of the essential amino acids to protein building in the body. It contains more calcium than milk, equals milk's protein content, and is high in the amino acid lysine--needed to lower cholesterol, for collagen production, important for bones and connective tissues including the skin, tendons, and cartliage.

Athletes and Vegans (who don't eat beans) are at risk at not getting enough lysine in their diet. Symptoms evidenced by this include, fatique, nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite, agitation, bloodshot eyes, anemia, and reproductive disorders. Eat your Quinoa....

My husband and I made this recipe for dinner and, honestly, you could not go wrong, there is simply no way to mess it up, ...don't scorch the quinoa.....and you can add shrimp instead of chicken or serve it sans meat; add any veggie you like. It is to die for....

2 cups chopped Rotisserie Chicken

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 medium apple, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium carrot, shredded

1/4 cup walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped fresh green peas

1/4 cup, plus, chopped cilantro

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/4 cup chopped cauliflower

2 T. organic mayonaise

2 T. olive oil

1 T. balsamic vinegar

Cook quinoa according to package directions (2 cups fluid and 1 cup quinoa, bring to boil, then simmer until liquid is absorbed--I used Chicken stock).

Toss all ingredients together and serve over chilled Romaine lettuce leaves. I topped with crumbled goat cheese and sliced strawberries! 

To die for!