Ali Cooks: Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette

 Sometimes, during the weekend, you need to indulge.  Especially on weekends when it's getting chilly outside--fall could possibly be on its way.  On weekends such as this, you might feel like you need to ready yourself for hibernation.  Often, these hibernation-type feelings might make you feel like you need to eat a lot of food, you know, to ready yourself for cold weather and everything.

What am I really trying to say?  Yesterday, I ate a HUGE lunch (followed by an extraordinary nap) and didn't get hungry until 8/9pm.  I cooked a HUGE dinner (see below) at 9pm, again followed by a nighttime slumber.  Tis the season...right?

Haha, I better not get any judgment coming my way, though I'd love to hear about any similar hibernation-preparation-indulging-type stories.  If I can't have summer all year round, I might as well enjoy the hibernation process.

Now...enjoy the below warm and comforting quinoa dish with a good touch of pumpkin thrown in!  And don't ask for a serving size...because I may or may not tell you that it serves one!

 

 

Quinoa Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette

*adapted from cookingquinoa.net

 

Ingredients:  

1/8 cup pumpkin
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar (or any vinegar--I used rice wine vinegar)

1 tbs maple syrup
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper 

1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup corn & 1/2 cup peas

Instructions:

Make the vinaigrette by whisking the pumpkin, vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, ginger, sea salt, and pepper until smooth.  

 

Cook the quinoa according to the directions and when there is only a small amount of water remaining, add in the corn and peas.

 

After cooking a minute, add in the vinaigrette and heat thoroughly, stirring gently.

Serve and enjoy!