Let’s talk about quinoa (KEEN-wah), shall we? It’s pretty darn special.  Quinoa can be anything you want from an easy summer salad to breakfast to a winter comfort food. High in protein and gluten free, it packs a healthy punch.   If you haven't tried it it has a wonderful texture. This blueberry quinoa salad made with our Balsamic Blueberry and Maple Vinegar is not only healthy and hearty but makes a delicious lunch for all seasons.

Blueberry Quinoa Salad with Pecans

1 cup quinoa 
1 cups blueberries, fresh 
½ medium red onion sliced
1 avocado sliced thin
½ cup pecans chopped
1 bag of fresh arugula 
Wozz! Balsamic Blueberry & Maple Vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

To cook quinoa, measure out one cup of grains, pour into a colander, and rinse them under water for a few minutes. Rinsing removes the bitter saponins coating the outside of the quinoa. Then, pour the rinsed quinoa into a pot and add two cups water (you’re going for a 1:2 ratio of quinoa and water). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for a few minutes, and fluff with a fork.

While your quinoa is cooking, toast your pecans in a dry skillet on the stove top on medium heat just until a nutty aroma develops (just a few minutes).

In a large bowl, add arugula leaves and toss with quinoa, add fresh blueberries,sliced avocado, sliced red onion and toasted pecans.  Drizzle Wozz! Balsamic Blueberry and Maple Vinegar over salad and toss gently, season with salt and pepper to taste.  (add as much Wozz! Balsamic Blueberry Vinegar as you prefer!)

• It’s gluten free. It’s more closely related to spinach than it is to any grain.
• It is a complete protein: it has all 9 amino acids packed into each little seed.
• It’s high in magnesium and B vitamins (good for heart health and helps to counteract high blood pressure and high cholesterol)
• Antioxidants! Quinoa is super high in them, so it will keep your red blood cells safe from free radicals that want to attack.
• Any benefit that can get from eating whole grains, you will get from eating quinoa, only it’s gluten free.
• High in Fiber 

Convinced yet? Aside from it being good for you, it’s super easy to make. You cook it much like rice or couscous (1 part quinoa, 2 cups liquid), but it cooks up in about 15 minutes. Any dish that you want to eat with rice, you can substitute quinoa.

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