Power Up Your Lunch: High-Protein Vegan Salad

Tofu Quinoa Salad
This yummy protein packed salad is perfect for lunches or as a side dish.
Let me know if you use a different marinade and how you like this salad…
Ingredients:
½ block marinated Tofu, small cubes
1 cup quinoa
1 ¼ cup water
½ cup chopped nuts (slice almonds or almond pieces, cashews, walnuts, etc)
¾ cup raisins, soaked in hot water so that they are juicy and plump
½ cup green onions
½ cup red pepper
½ cup celery
1 medium carrot
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp tamari or light soy sauce
1 ½ tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger
¼ cup cilantro or parsley (optional)
Pepper to taste
Press tofu, cut into small cubes and marinate. (optional marinades: (1) ¼ cup tamari, ½ a juiced orange, 1 tbsp maple syrup, ¼ cup water. Or (2) ¼ tamari, ¼ cup lemon juice & ¼ cup vegetable broth)
Rinse quinoa thoroughly (for approximately 3-5 minutes). Put quinoa in a pan and add water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let cook for 12-14 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff up quinoa. Set aside in a bowl to cool.
Chop red pepper, carrots, celery, and green onions. Add the raisins and marinated tofu to quinoa and vegetables as well.
Grate ginger and set aside.
To make dressing for salad, whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil and ginger. Pour dressing over quinoa, tofu and vegetables and combine well.
Add the nuts and cilantro to salad and toss well.
Add pepper to taste and stir.
Let salad sit for 30 min to allow the dressing to absorb into the quinoa.
Enjoy!
Notes: You can use cranberries or chopped apricots instead of raisins.