Hi friends! It's been quite a busy summer for us and I've fallen a little behind on my posts. I apologize! But I am back up and running again and am so excited to share some wonderful new recipes with all of you!

Last weekend my mom, grandma, and I went to an amazing event called Plantstock at the Esselstyn family farm in Claverack, NY. What a wonderful experience it was! We got to meet some of the pioneers of the whole food, plant based movement, including Colin T. Campbell (author of The China Study), Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Neal Barnard, Ron Weiss (myethoshealth.com), and Rip Esselstyn (creator of Plantstock and the Engine 2 Diet) just to name a few. I even won the photo contest (below) on Instagram! Pretty exciting.

Things like Plantstock make me so excited about nutrition and health. Between studying to become a Holistic Health Coach, Plantstock, and having a booth at our local farmers market selling vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free baked goods, it has been a very nutritious summer to say the least!

So let's talk food! This Quinoa Crunch Salad is something I came up with last summer when I had just finished up my chemotherapy treatment and was finally able to start eating fresh fruits and vegetables again. For those of you that don't know, during my treatment I was placed on a strict neutropenic diet where I was not allowed to eat any foods that could possibly contain bacteria. Meaning everything had to be well cooked, processed, packaged, or frozen. Crazy, right?! So, needless to say that as soon as I was able, all I wanted to do was eat the freshest, most colorful, fruits and vegetables I could get my hands on.

This salad is gluten-free, full of protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. It is great as a side dish or as a complete meal!

Little Chief loves to follow me around the kitchen! He was just too cute not to include in the photo...

Quinoa Crunch Salad

Quinoa Crunch Salad Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 cups purple cabbage, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup unshelled edamame

Thai Peanut Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw unsalted peanut butter, creamy
1/4 cup coconut aminos
3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
3 Tbs water
1 Tbs pure maple syrup
1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Rinse and strain quinoa and place in a pot with 2 1/2 - 3 cups water. Let water come to a boil then cover and reduce heat to simmer. There is no need to stir! Once the quinoa has absorbed all of the water (about 15-20 minutes) and each grain has a ring around it, that means it is cooked. Fluff quinoa with a fork and place aside.

2. Chop all vegetables (except for edamame) and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked quinoa and combine.

3. Prepare the peanut sauce by placing all of the ingredients in a bowl and mixing until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

4. Pour the peanut sauce over the quinoa and veggies and mix well until combined.

5. Store in the fridge for up to a couple of days. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this super delicious Quinoa Crunch Salad! Tag @nutritiouslynatalie on Instagram #quinoacrunchsalad if you try it out..I'd love to hear what ya'll think!

xo Natalie