Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Salad

Looking to add some bulk to your salads? I find salads to be very unsatisfying and frankly I don’t opt for them often for that reason! I like to add some whole grains and fats to my salads and this is a great way to do that to keep things interesting, and filling!

With salads I don’t usually feel sustained energy and you may feel that way too if you are constantly running all day long! I always feel like I have energy longer and can maintain when I’m having a hearty lunch. By hearty I mean adding in some fats and whole grains.

We also need all macro-nutrients to keep a steady blood sugar and to keep our cells rebuilding and repairing themselves. Our macro-nutrients determine everything we do from our cardiovascular health, to our hormones, to our mood, to our digestion and basically everything in the human body. You ARE what you EAT! Quite literally!

First, I like to prep the week ahead with some whole grains. That means brown rice, barley, quinoa or whatever I may have on hand. I like quinoa because its naturally gluten free and it contains a good amount of protein and is very filling. Add this to some water with sea salt and there you go! If you want to add a little more add in some sea kelp it really makes for a nice flavor and also aids in digestion as its good for the gut!

Second, cut up your veggies and start preparing those the way you like them. Personally, I really hate spinach that has the stems. It grosses me out for some odd reason and I really just like to chop it up! You can use fresh artichoke here or roasted, or I like the canned sometimes. Its easy, efficient and really doesn’t contain a lot of processed ingredients. Mostly spices, garlic, water and etc. I used Trader Joe’s jarred artichokes and they were great! I chopped these all up and set them aside while waiting for the quinoa to cook.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 jar of artichokes chopped

• 2 - 3 cups of fresh spinach chopped

• 1 cup quinoa (dry)

• 2 cups water

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 cup organic rainbow grape tomatoes

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar

• 1 tsp white miso paste

• 1/4 cup avocado oil (or your fav oil)

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1 tbsp tahini

• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil with sea salt. Add rinsed quinoa. Bring to boil and let simmer for approx 5-10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

2. Mix all ingredients into bowl. Add quinoa and mix well.

3. For dressing: Add ingredients to jar and shake well.

4. Top with dressing or toss in about 1/2 of the dressing.

Enjoy!