The Smiths are just now venturing into the world of quinoa. Here’s what I’ve learned about this ultra healthy pseudo-grain. It’s great- when doctored up with lots of other flavors. So, that’s what we did this week! I recently found a recipe for a Thai Quinoa Salad. This inspired me to make a similar version with Brady. It has lots of veggies and the dressing has peanut butter in it! Which, admittedly sounds a little odd to me, but actually is quite tasty. There’s a lot of ingredients, but not a lot of work that goes into this salad. It’s colorful and crunchy and Brady described it as, “Yummy! Delicious!” (Future food critic, for sure.)

Perfect as a side dish (you can leave it outside at a BBQ without fear of going bad!) or as a salad on it’s own. Tons of protein and good for you stuff!

Ingredients:

Quinoa (about 3/4 cup)

Salad ingredients:
One red pepper (diced)
1/2 a cup chopped green onion
1/2 a cup chopped cilantro
2-3 cups of cole slaw mix with carrots
About a 1/3 of a red onion, diced (optional, I may leave it out next time!)
1/2 a cup of chopped cashews (I used lightly salted)

Quinoa and salad fixins.

Dressing ingredients:
1/2 a cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
juice of one lime
1 Tbs. Sesame oil (optional, just a fun flavor!)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. honey

Peanut Lime Dressing ingredients. Melt the honey and peanut butter for about 20 seconds in your microwave before whisking all the other ingredients in with it.

First we cooked up our quinoa according to package directions. Once all the liquid was absorbed, we put it in a bowl and let it chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes to cool off.

Then, have your kid clean up all the quinoa you spilled all over the floor…

While the quinoa was cooking, we chopped up our veggies. I would most definitely use less red onion next time. Or leave it out altogether!

While the quinoa is cooling in the fridge, start the dressing by microwaving the peanut butter and honey together. Let you kid (or husband) lick the spoon.

Whisk all the dressing ingredients into the melted peanut butter/honey. Taste for seasoning or consistency. You want it smooth, thick, but pourable.

Here’s what our dressing looked like. Yum!

Toss the veggies, cole slaw, cooled quinoa and sauce together in a big bowl.

Ta-Da!

May he always be this adventurous of an eater!