Winter Rejuvenation - Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Salad

This is a great winter salad.  I make it fresh every few days and keep it in the fridge.  It can be a quick and nourishing snack, or a meal on its own.  Quinoa is high in protein.

Health Properties

Quinoa, black sesame seeds and asparagus all warm the body and are excellent for the rejuvenation of the kidneys, which is our body’s job in winter.   Apple cider vinegar nourishes the liver, stimulates the production of digestive enzymes in the pancreas and is especially helpful for people who are prone to weight gain during the cold winter months.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (soaked overnight, soak water discarded)

3 tbsp Black Sesame Seeds

A handful of Asparagus

½ small Purple Onion

Dressing

Apple Cider Vinegar

Tamari

Sesame Oil

Drain your soak water and rinse the quinoa. Soaking begins the sprouting process.  The nutritional density in grains at the point of sprouting is significantly higher than the nutritional density prior to sprouting. Draining and rinsing removes the acids in the hull of the grain and makes them alkaline.  Our diet in the west is far too acidic and everything we can do to make it more alkaline is a good thing.  Rinse the quinoa and place in a pot with four cups fresh water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes.  Drain and rinse again in cold water.  While the quinoa is boiling, rinse your asparagus and place in a bamboo steamer or a pan with a lid and steam for six minutes.  Drain and rinse in cold water so the asparagus does not over-cook.  Toast the sesame seeds on medium high heat for a minute or so.  Remove from heat.  Dice the onion very fine.  Mix all ingredients together in a large, beautiful bowl.  It is ready to dress and eat.  If you are going to store your salad in the fridge, don’t dress.  It will remain fresher.  But always let refridgerated foods come to room temperature before you eat them.  Cold food is too hard on the digestion.  If you’re in a hurry, toss some salad in a small skillet with a tablespoon of water and warm for a minute or two on the stove, then dress and eat.

Dressing

Pour ¼ c. non-distilled, non-bleached, non-roasted sesame oil into a cruet. You can get it at your health food store. Expect to pay top dollar, but it’s worth it (all non-refined organic oils have micronutrients essential to our diet.)  To the oil add  ½ c. organic apple cider vinegar and 4 tbsp. organic tamari.   That’s it.  

Mike