Herb Quinoa Garden Veggie Salad

Keep this salad in your refrigerator for the week and layer it up with a cup of protein for lunch or a quick dinner.

Yields: 8 servings

 Ingredients:

For the dressing

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 2 Tbls. minced Garlic
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
• ¼ cup Lemon juice or juice from 1 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste (I started with ¼ teaspoon salt)
• ½ cup fresh parsley leaves

For the salad

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 head of Kale, pulsed in processor
• 3 large carrots, peeled
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup fresh basil
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 3 green onions

Instructions:

1. Puree the dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Store in fridge until ready to use.
2. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. When finished cooking, chill in the fridge. The texture of the salad is better when the quinoa is cool and crumbles a little more easily (instead of hot and sticky).
3. Pulse the Kale in a processor (or thinly slice and shred) and place in a large bowl.
4. Cut the carrots into a few big chunks and mince them in the food processor with 3-5 pulses and add to bowl with Kale.
5. Pulse the basil, parsley, thyme and green onions until fine and add to bowl.
6. Add the tomatoes, and quinoa and toss with the dressing.