Crunchy Thai-style quinoa salad

Enjoy a good peanut sauce? This one's for you!

This has to be one of the prettiest salads. Check out that rainbow! Don't you just want to dive right in? Well this salad is as yummy as it is pretty — especially if you have a thing for peanut sauce.

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED

SALAD STUFF
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups shredded cabbage (or less, to taste)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 cup matchstick carrots, roughly chopped
handful of cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup diced green onions
1/2 cup cashews or peanuts
1 cup cooked edamame (found in freezer section)
1 lime, juiced

DRESSING
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS honey
2 TBS olive oil (or 1 TBS olive, 1 TBS sesame)
1 TBS water, to thin (more/less to taste)
Extra soy sauce to taste

WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Cook frozen edamame according to package directions. Chop up the choppables. Combine all choppables in a large bowl.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine peanut butter and honey. Microwave for 20 seconds, remove, and whisk to combine. Whisk in remaining dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over the quinoa, adding slowly to taste, and mix to combine. 

3. Add dressed quinoa to the bowl of choppables, mixing until everything is coated with dressing. Add lime juice and extra soy sauce to taste. Chill in the fridge until serving. 

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Truth time: I thought I liked peanut sauce. But I ended up diluting the dressing with extra tablespoons of soy sauce, and even then it was a little too too peanut-y for me. Next time, I might combine the same salad stuff and hunt down a different dressing, or cheat and use Newman's Own Sesame Ginger (it's delish!). That's not to say I didn't wolf down this salad – it's just that I discovered my own personal preference when it comes to Asian-inspired sauces.

That said, I took this salad to a party where all the true lovers of peanut sauce were all about it — especially the dressing. So peanut people, you do you! And whatever dressing you choose, do this salad. 

P.S. Add chicken to take this from side dish to main meal!