www.eatingwell.com_-01Aaah Spring! Finally we’re all in the mood for fresh raw greens and cold salads. I’m finding grain salads a huge lunchbox hit right now – not a single complaint from the kids about having EatingWell’sSnap Pea & Quinoa Salad https://bit.ly/1OC3zUP to eat at school. Even the hubby was content to munch on this mushroom-packed meal at his desk!

Snap Pea & Quinoa Salad

Makes 6 servings, about 1 cup each

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

2 cups fresh snap peas, trimmed and cut diagonally into thirds

1½ cups button mushrooms, cut into quarters or eighths if large

⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion, cut into 2cm lengths

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil

1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp pure maple syrup

Method

1 Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool completely.

2 Combine peas, mushrooms, onion and dill in a medium bowl. Whisk vinegar, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and maple syrup in a small bowl. Stir the dressing into the cooled quinoa until evenly dispersed. Add the quinoa to the vegetable mixture, toss and serve.