Quinoa Salad with Snap Peas & Radish

Hello There! Today, I am briefly recapping the Ayurvedic cleanse I just completed, & sharing a gorgeous Spring salad that became a new lunchtime favorite.

On Sunday, my 21-Day Ayurvedic Spring Detox Challenge came to a bittersweet close. While I didn’t immerse myself fully into the cleanse as I intended, I definitely reset some habits, experienced many deep moments of clarity, & ate wonderful, wholesome foods. This was not your average “cleanse” as most will interpret the word. There was no fasting, or starvation of any kind. It was simply cleaning up the diet & consciously consuming - of both body & mind, by eating organic, whole & seasonal foods, avoiding refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol, gluten & proceed foods, & limiting our time online & in front of the television. Daily yoga, meditation, & dinacharya rituals were followed. I came into the spring cleanse feeling more imbalanced than ever before, but just after a few days, I made palpable shifts. Ayurveda is a great gift. I know that even if I stray the course, it is always here for me to return to. This cleanse was particularly challenging as I moved right in the middle of it. For the first week, my kitchen was in boxes, & the fridge contents were dwindling. Come week 2, we focused on a “mono-diet” so a big pot of spring kitchari & dahl carried me through. By week 3, I was settled, my organic delivery service had resumed, & we had entered the re-integration phase of the cleanse. Inspired by my delivery which was full of beautiful Spring veggies, I put this lovely salad together.

QUINOA SALAD WITH SNAP PEAS & RADISH

Author: Melissa, Honey Bee Vegan Recipe Type: Salad, Main

Cuisine: Vegan Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

• 2 cups water

• 1-pint snap peas, trimmed & halves (about 2 cups)

• 1 bunch radishes, sliced

• handful of microgreens

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 Tbsp lemon zest

• ¼-1/2 cup filtered water

• ½ tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the quinoa: combine the quinoa and water in a saucepan & bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, stir, cover, & cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, let it stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Allow to cool.

2. Prepare the dressing: Combine tahini, olive oil, lemon juice & zest, garlic & sea salt in a blender & blend until smooth. Add water to reach desired consistency.

3. Prepare the salad: Combine the quinoa, snap peas, & radishes in a large bowl. Pour over about half of the dressing, then toss to combine. Taste & add more dressing if desired. Top with micro greens. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

Note: The salad really absorbs the dressing, so set a bit aside to re-dress any leftovers.