Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad

This is my lunch today.  After working out two times yesterday, I was totally ready for it.  It tasted incredible.  It's a very simple deal, comes together quickly if you have leftovers. I usually try and keep some kind of cooked grain in my fridge- quinoa, rice, wheat berries, whatever.  This is a one person serving.  You obviously can quadruple it for four.  Uppa to you.  You may want to keep it a secret because then you can eat it all yourself.  I thought of the combination because of some African dishes I have had with sweet potatoes and peanuts.  Didn't have peanuts so I subbed in cashews.  Awwww, so good.

The thing about salads is you can do whatever you like once you have the basic ideas of what a hearty meal type salad should be comprised of.  Its not rocket science.   All you need is some protein, some carbs, some veggies, some acid (like vinegar or lemon juice) and some oil.  At least that is kind of the equation I use.  I throw in some aromatics (like garlic or cilantro or parsley) or seasonings (spices like Herbes de Provence) depending on my mood.  So, you could do whatever, depending on your mood.  But the nice thing about people posting their salads, like me, is it gives you a plethora of ideas.  I always look for reasons to say that word 'plethora", I feel so official.  Anyway, once you have seen your jazzy ideas here or some other blog pull together your own dang, amazing salad.  Then by all means post it to share it with the rest of us so we can be inspired.

All of this amazing salad for about 450 calories.  It's filling too!

Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad 

I used a flavored vinegar that I bought at one of those delicious vinegar and oil places.  So freaking delicious.  Its no joke when I tell you I measure out a tablespoon and drink it just to get the flavor of it in my mouth.  Swoon.

Printable here.

1 tablespoon grapefruit vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon olive oil, with one teaspoon removed from it to saute the sweet potato
1 sweet potato, chopped- about 115 grams or a 1/2 cup
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1/3 cup sweet onion, chopped
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup cashews

Sauté the sweet potato in about a teaspoon of olive oil.  You can sauté the onion too but I like the crunch of nearly raw ones.  In a bowl, heat the quinoa with the onions in the microwave.  Once the quinoa and onions are heated, add to it the cilantro, seasonings, olive oil, vinegar and cashews.  Once your sweet potatoes are done, toss that in.  And voilà - fairly quick meal, filled with nutrients and satisfying flavors