Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate and Lime

Well I'm still on my elimination diet, and I've been cooking up a storm! I have some blogging catchup to do; unfortunately Emily has been in and out of hospitals and doctors' offices so updating this blog has become lower on my list of priorities.

During her "well" times, I find creating new recipes to be relaxing, rewarding, and fun. Since I am currently avoiding wheat/gluten, soy, nuts, and most seeds, it's been challenging to find scrumptious, nutrient-dense meals that will satisfy, produce optimal breastmilk, and taste delicious.

Tonight I mixed it up a little: I made dry-saute potatoes from The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking (an 800-page book that is most definitely in my top 10 cookbook collection), spicy collard greens, and this tangy, yummy quinoa salad.

I make quinoa every week. Usually I throw in sun-dried tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, and salt and pepper... sometimes other raw veggies that are aging in the crisper. This time I incorporated pomegranate seeds that I found at Trader Joes on Saturday, and I created a dressing I thought might complement them well. Here's the recipe. (Note it's salt free -- this is one of the few grain-based recipes that, in my opinion, doesn't need salt!)

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups water
about 1/2 - 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 small or 1 large stalk celery, diced
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp olive oil

Cook the quinoa in the water according to package directions. Fluff and allow to cool.

Add pom seeds, sunflower seeds, and celery; toss.

In a small bowl, combine lime juice, agave, vinegar, and olive oil.

Drizzle over quinoa and toss well.

Serve!