This salad tastes so good and is filled with yummy, fresh ingredients.  It’s easy to make too!  I chose to lightly saute my vegetables, but you don’t have to (except for the red chard).  The best thing about this recipe is that you can add as much or as little vegetables as you want!  The amounts listed below provided 3 dishes/servings.

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup dried quinoa

- 6 bunches red chard or Swiss chard or kale

- 1/4 red onion, finely diced

- 1/2 bag frozen corn

- handful of asparagus

- 1/2 can black beans (rinsed)

- handful of dried cranberries

- 1/2 tomato, diced

- 1/2 avocado, diced

- cilantro, finely chopped

- grilled chicken (1.5 chicken breasts) or shrimp (optional)

- salt

- pepper

- onion powder

- garlic powder

Step 1: Thoroughly rinse the dried quinoa in cold water, then place in a pot with water and let soak for 20 minutes.  Rinse again.

Step 2: Place the soaked & rinsed quinoa in a rice cooker or on the stove top and add 1 1/2 cups of water.  Gently boil until fluffy and cooked.

Step 3: Sprinkle the salt, pepper, onion power, and garlic powder over the chicken.  Place the chicken in an lightly oil skillet on medium-high heat.  Keep the temperature on medium-high heat until the chicken has lightly browned on both sides, then turn down to medium-low heat.  Turn the chicken over every few minutes so neither side burns, and until the chicken is cooked all the way through.  If you want the chicken to be done quicker slice the chicken breasts into thinner pieces before adding to the skillet.

Step 4. Rinse & chop all vegetables (if they need this).  Saute the red chard over medium heat until they start to wilt.  Add the asparagus and cook for a few minutes, then add all of the frozen corn and diced red onion.  Continue sauteing until the asparagus are cooked (still crunchy).

Step 5: Scoop out desired amount of quinoa and place a heaping serving of the saute veggies on top.  Top with the dried cranberries, diced tomato, diced avocado, and cilantro.  Pour some of the lemon vinaigrette on top.

Lemon vinaigrette:

- 1 lemon juiced

- 2 garlic cloves, crushed

- pinch or so of sugar

- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Mix together, then pour a little over your quinoa, chicken, and vegetables