quinoa garden salad

salad ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 8 sugar snap peas, chopped
• 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
• 1 small cucumber, finely chopped
• 1/4-1/2 bell pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground flaxseed
• 2 green olives, sliced

dressing ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon light taste extra virgin olive oil
• sprinkle ground chia seeds
• 2 drops gluten-free soy sauce
• herbs & spices to taste; I used oregano, basil, sea salt, and ground black pepper.

notes:

• I cooked the quinoa ahead of time in a rice cooker.
• ground flaxseed helps with absorbing nutrients versus keeping them whole. we use a coffee grinder to achieve a powdery texture - versatile and virtually tasteless.
• I used a President's Choice brand green olive variety that does not contain lactic acid and is soaked in sea salt instead of vinegar.
• the light taste olive oil reduces the heavy, over-powering taste of regular olive oil.
• you may use regular soy sauce, just be careful of the varieties with a very salty flavour.

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