Quinoa, Avocado and Pomegranate Salad

22 December 2015

I absolutely love travel. My most recent trip to Dubai brought about much inspiration for new recipes. I absolutely adore the flavours of the Middle East. They add such interesting elements to traditional dishes and can really spice up common favourites. Quinoa is definitely one of my top 5 foods to eat. Its high protein content make it the perfect low GI grain to enjoy virtually every day. I don’t think I could ever get tired of a good quinoa salad. This recipe is full of flavour, rich in anti-oxidants, healthy fats, protein and good carbs. This salad works well on its own or as a starter to accompany virtually any main.

Serves 4 | Ready in 20 mins

Ingredients

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 cup pomegranate pips

Half a cucumber chopped

1 cup marinated artichokes

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

Handful fresh parsley - destalked

½ cup chopped dates

¼ cup raisins

1 avocado - chopped

1 tbsp. pumkin seeds

1 tsbp. almonds

1 tbsp. cashews

Dressing

Juice of 1 lime

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. xylitol

1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Dressing

Add all dressing ingredients to blender and blend on high speed until all ingredients are well combined.

Step 2: Prepare Salad

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss thoroughly. Leave the avocado for the end to maintain its firmness and texture.

Step 3:

Place pumpkin seeds, cashews and almonds in a pan. Add ½ tsp cinnamon and lightly toast on medium heat until slightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Step 4:

Drizzle dressing generously over salad and toss well.

Garnish with parsley, mint and toasted nuts

Enjoy!

Yours in health always,

Cara-Lisa

@caralishious

xoxo