Cashew Quinoa Salad

This was one of the first vegan dishes I made up back in July.  I had invited friends over for dinner, but spent all afternoon goofing around at the pool and bike riding.  I threw it together last-minute, and it was good and filling.  The key ingredients are quinoa, cashews, dried cranberries, chickpeas and/or edamame (soybeans), and lemon or orange juice.  The quinoa and edamame/chickpeas are good protein sources. I've made it a couple times since with different variations.  Here's what I used this time:

• about 3 or 4 cups cooked quinoa
• about 1/2 cashews (raw or salted, whole or pieces)
• about 1.5 cups cooked edamame (I use the frozen, shelled type)
• about 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• a few chopped fresh basil leaves
• juice and zest of one lemon
• shredded coconut, about 1/4 cup
• fresh ginger, grated, about 1 Tbsp
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• salt to taste

Mix all together and serve warm or cold.  This is a comforting and satisfying dish, and my toddler also likes it.  The cashews soften as the dish sits, so I can mash them a bit, along with the beans for her.  She wasn't sure about the coconut this time, though.  I think it would be good mixed with coconut milk!

Pico de Gallo Quinoa

Summer is ending, and I wanted something fresh and Mexican, that's also a main dish.  The key flavors are cilantro, lime, tomato, onion, and garlic.  Hot or mild pepper would be good, too, but I left them out so I could share with my toddler.  This could be a great burrito or soft taco filling with mashed avocado or refried beans as the "glue".  Enjoy it with beer & lime, and it's like you're sitting on the Mayan Riviera.  Delicioso!

The ingredients (could be easily personalized for your taste)

• Cooked quinoa (I cooked up 2 cups dry quinoa with leftover veggie cooking liquid  - in a rice cooker)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 can crisp yellow corn, rinsed
• 1 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 yellow onion, chopped (I also added a sliced "negi" - Japanese green onion)
• 3 or 4 raw garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• juice of one lime
• 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar (I think this is the same as mirin)
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• optional: peppers (bell, jalapeno, whatever you like!)

Mix all ingredients and store in fridge.  This has a fresh gazpacho-like flavor. 

As a burrito filling with Haig's roasted-red-pepper hummus as the glue (it was all I had.)  I've also had this alongside greens, and with pumpkin seeds and nutritional yeast on top.