Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Peas, Avocados & Lemon Basil Dressing

Source

We found a great new quinoa salad. The recipe and picture come from twopeasandtheirpod.com. 
Feel free to substitute or add any seasonal vegetables. We enjoyed snow peas and cucumber in ours.
We recommend making a little extra dressing, if you like that sort of thing.

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Peas, Avocados & Lemon Basil Dressing

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A fresh, healthy, and easy salad for spring!

ingredients:

For the Dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small bunch asparagus, about 15 spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup frozen peas
1 avocado, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped basil

directions:

1. In a small bowl or medium jar, combine the dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine or shake with the jar lid on tight. Set aside.

2. Add water, quinoa, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

3. While the quinoa is cooking, cook the asparagus. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and fresh lemon juice. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, asparagus, peas, and avocado. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the fresh basil and serve.