Pesto Quinoa Salad (vegan)

 

Dinner tonight was my favorite pasta sauce ever, basil pesto, mixed with hearty protein-packed superfood, quinoa!  Jake made up some whole-wheat noodles to mix with his, but I ate it straight.  Yum!

Pesto Quinoa Salad

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Fridge Time: 1 hour

Cooking stuffs:

Salad:

4 cups quinoa (cooked)

1/4 cup whole or pieced cashews

1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds

Handful of Green olives

1 large Carrot, rinsed&shredded

Sprinkling of sea salt

Pesto:

2 Cups Basil

1/2 cup Cashews

1/2-3/4 Cups Grapeseed oil

1 Tablespoons chopped garlic

In a Cuisinart, mix all of the pesto ingredients and blend well.  It should be creamy, and if not, add a bit more Grapeseed oil until smooth.

Cook the quinoa in a rice cooker or on the stove until tender.  In a glass bowl, toss the remaining salad ingredients with the cooked quinoa.  Using a spatula, scrape all the pesto in the salad mix, and fold in thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, approximately 1 hour.  

Serve as is or tossed with 4-6 cups of whole wheat noodles.  

With Love,

<3thehappyinsomniac