Quinoa and Apricot Salad

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

Quinoa is a VEGETABLE PROTEIN and LOOKS LIKE a grain but is actually a seed.  You can cook quinoa or sprout it.  Right now I eat my quinoa cooked because my body digests it better.  But to keep it raw, you can and should sprout it.  Bottom line… listen to what your body responds best to.

Quinoa is considered a “complete source of protein” because it includes all nine essential amino acids, and gets bonus points for being low in fat and carbs.  Not only that but gluten-free, rich in fiber and starch, which makes it ideal for aiding digestion.  In fact, quinoa has twice as much fiber as oatmeal!

When preparing quinoa, rinse, rinse and rinse it some more before cooking or sprouting… even if the bag that it came in says that it has been pre-rinsed.   It has a natural covering called saponin (a bitter resin that keeps birds away), and if not properly rinsed, it will keep you away too!  I had trusted bags of quinoa before that claimed that it had been rinsed already.

It took only one time of preparing it straight out of the bag to experience my first taste of this saponin… needless to say, the whole recipe had to go straight into compost!  Now, I always rinse, just to make sure.

Now, to really amp up this recipe, I am adding in some chia seeds! Take everything that I just shared about quinoa and add in chia seeds which are an excellent source of fiber at 10 grams per ounce (about 2 tablespoons). They also contain protein and minerals including as iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

This dish can be served cold, at room temp or warmed in the dehydrator.  All three ways are actually amazing.  One thing that always tickles me is when I managed to bring two flavors together that I would never expect to pair well.  Apricot and cumin!  This coming from a gal who used to shake in her socks when she opened the spice drawer. hehe

Ingredients:

Yields 2 cups

• 1 cup cooked or sprouted quinoa
• 1/2 cup diced dried apricots, rehydrated
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1/3 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped

Dressing:

• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
• 2 Tbsp raw honey
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Preparation:

1. Cook or Sprout quinoa:
   • Cook ~  Rinse quinoa till water runs clear.  Combine water and quinoa in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Turn off heat and let stand covered 5 minutes.
   • Sprout ~ to make 1 cup finished product, put 2/3 cup of quinoa in a jar.  Add 2-3 times as much cool (60-70 degree) water.  Mix quinoa up to assure even water contact for all.  Soak for 20-30 minutes. Then drain off the soak water, rinse well and drain.  Place a mesh lid on the jar and set anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70° is optimal).  Rinse and Drain again every 8-12 hours until the tails form.  Now it is ready to use.
2. Rehydrate the dried apricots in enough warm water to cover them for 15+ minutes.
3. After cooking or sprouting, combine the quinoa with the apricots, chia seeds, and almonds.  Set aside to make the dressing.
4. In a small jar combine the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, cumin and salt.  Put the lid on tightly and shake until the dressing is well combined.  Trust me, this step doesn’t work well without the lid. ;)
5. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and stir together.
6. In the photo above, I packed the quinoa mix into a small plastic container, then turned it over and popped out this sweet shape.  Have fun :)

Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, sugar free, Vegan