Whether you are on a time crunch, on a low carb diet, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan or ‘you just ran out of ideas’ diet, this recipe is just what you need!

It satisfies all dietary preferences and needs and is sooo good! This recipe was a hit among my guests on Thanksgiving, so I thought I’d share it with you too.

My Healthy Zesty Quinoa Salad is a mix of all tastes and textures: crunchy and soft, sweet and sour, slightly salty and spicy… And above all, is a complete meal, as quinoa is know for being a complete protein source (it contains all of the 9 amino acids needed for proper function).

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup quinoa

• 3 cups water

• ½ cup pomegranate seeds (or the seeds from one pomegranate fruit)

• 2 cups butternut squash (cut in small cubes) – about half of a squash

• 2 tbs. olive oil

• 2 tbs. chopped fresh basil

• 3 tbs. chopped cilantro

• 1 tsp. chopped jalapeno pepper

• 1 tbs. lemon juice

• Salt and pepper to taste

Makes about 5 servings

Directions

Step 1. Cook quinoa in 3 cups of water (I recommend cooking it in a rice cooker, as it turns out fluffy and done just right, without making it mushy). Once cooked, set aside and let it cool off a bit.

Step 2. In the meantime, preheat oven to 425 ° F. Rub the butternut squash cubes with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a slightly greased large pan, making sure the cubes are spread apart. If they are overly crowded they will mostly boil and not develop that nice gold crust. Roast for approximately 20 minutes or until they are done and have a slightly gold crust. Make sure to check on them at half time and flip them, so they don’t stick to the pan. Once done set aside.

Step 3. Chop the cilantro, basil and jalapeno and set aside.

Step 4. Mix quinoa and butternut squash together in a bowl; add pomegranate seeds, cilantro, basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Voila! Your dish is ready to be enjoyed by itself or as a side. Since quinoa is one of the most complex vegetarian protein sources, you can really serve it by itself, with no additional animal protein.

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