Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad (GF & Vegan)

Current situation: in a committed relationship with Thai food. I love all foods asian-inspired- sushi, stir fry, edamame, miso soup, asian veggies- you name it- I’ll eat it. I love how versatile all of these foods are- you can really change up the flavor of a dish by combining different veggies/spices/sauces. One of my main goals for this blog is to debunk the myth that healthy eating has to be bland, boring, and expensive. The foods I eat are very affordable, taste great, and are healthy for you too. You can’t beat that!

I love being able to eat as much plant food that I want without having to worry about portion sizing or maintaining my size. Eating a plant-based diet allows you to maintain your size naturally without much effort. This recipe makes healthy eating easy and exciting! This salad is perfect for work/school-week lunches or weeknight dinners- or even for breakfast if you are anything like me ;). You can prepare this dish in big batches and eat it all week long because it keeps to well in the fridge. I’d even argue that it tastes better after a few days!

This recipe packs a protein punch without an animals products. It also provides you with tons of fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and healthy carbs. I like to take the guess work out of healthy eating by cooking my own food from home so I know exactly what goes in it. As of late, I have been eating a lower in fat diet and limit my use of oil. I have never used too much oil- usually just when roasting potatoes or in certain recipes, but I have found that oil is not really needed for awesome flavor in recipes. I no longer cook with oil and have been feeling great! If you are looking to slim down or feel more energized, I would look into limiting oil in your diet to see if it works for you. Please note, I am not saying you shouldn’t eat healthy fats, but I have found improved energy and digestion with the elimination of oil in my diet.

I have a feeling that this dish is going to become a staple in my school week lunches/dinners. Here’s what you will need for this recipe:

Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

3 medium, Carrots, raw
0.50 cucumber (8-1/4″), Cucumber – With peel, raw
3 cup chopped, J & J Purple (Red) Cabbage
1 cup(s), Cherry Tomatoes Raw
2 tablespoon, Onion Raw Chopped 1/2 Cup
0.50 cup(s), Organic Powdered Peanut Butter
4.50 tbsp(s), Soy sauce
2 tbsp(s), Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp, Spices, ginger, ground
1 tsp(s), crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp, Madhava
6.30 oz, Edamame
1 cup (dry), Organic Quinoa (Dry)

Directions: Begin by cooking the quinoa first- I just follow the instructions on the package by boiling double the amount of the water to the amount of quinoa you are using. Thus- boil 2 cups of water, then add in 1 cup of quinoa and lower the heat to a simmer. While the quinoa is cooking, chop the cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and carrots into small chunks/pieces. Also, begin boiling another pot of water for the edamame (or if you are me- wait until the quinoa is done and use the same pot because you are too lazy to wash 2 pots ;)). Add all of the chopped veggies to a bowl and mix everything up. Then add the quinoa and edamame when it is done cooking.

After you finish cooking everything, begin making the sauce. Mix together the soy sauce, peanut powder, rice vinegar, agave, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper together. Then pour the sauce over the quinoa mixture and mix everything well. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and then dig in!

I’ve included the nutrition info below if you’re interested. Lots of healthy carbs, 20 grams of plant-protein, and tons of fiber!

ALSO: let me know in the comments if you try this and how you like it! Also let me know what your favorite recipe using peanut powder is or your favorite thai dish!

Nutrition Facts
Servings 4.0

calories 378

Total Fat 7 g 11 %
Saturated Fat 0 g 2 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg 0 %
Sodium 1171 mg 49 %
Potassium 706 mg 20 %
Total Carbohydrate 63 g 21 %
Dietary Fiber 11 g 45 %
Sugars 20 g
Protein 20 g 40 %
Vitamin A 178 %
Vitamin C 90 %
Calcium 13 %
Iron 38 %

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