Quinoa Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing

 

I really enjoyed this quinoa crunch salad with peanut butter dressing from Pinch of Yum! I adapted the proportions a bit according to my appetite and what I had on hand, and it was delicious. I can tell you that I am drawn to recipes like these because I had two more in my bookmarks (this one and that one); it’s just the sort of stuff that appeals to me, I guess! 

For the quinoa salad 

2-3 cups shelled edamame 

2 cups quinoa (I used 1 cup) 

1 cucumber, diced 

1-2 bell peppers, diced 

2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced 

3 carrots, shredded (I used 1 carrot) 

½ a head of purple cabbage, shredded 

peanuts, cashews, sliced almonds, etc. 

For the peanut dressing 

½ cup creamy peanut butter 

1/3 cup soy sauce 

1/3 cup vinegar (white vinegar or rice vinegar) 

¼ cup sesame oil 

1-2 Tbsp. chili paste (I used ½ tsp. sambal olek) 

2 Tbsp. honey 

1 clove garlic, peeled 

1 knob of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 

Cook the quinoa and edamame (separately) according to package directions. 

Put all the dressing ingredients in the blender or food processor and give it a good whirl. (I would add a bit of warm water to get a thinner consistency.) 

To serve, you can toss it all together, or assemble the salads as you go (this is my preference for eating leftovers over several days).