Spring Salad with Baby Spinach Leaves, Fava Beans and Asparagus Tips and Quinoa

This lovely salad it delicious and quite filling. We did not add any non-dairy cheese as we felt this was enough as it is.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

for the salad:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 2 cups fresh fava beans, shelled and peeled
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (about 4 ounces)
• handful of almonds slivers as garnish

for the dressing:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or homemade fruit vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons mild mustard
• splash maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon salt
• dash black pepper

Directions:

1. Wash the quinoa with cold water to remove the bitter taste of the oils.
2. Place the quinoa in a small sauce pan with 1¼ cups of water and a pinch of salt.
3. Bring the water to boil, then turn down to a simmer to cook the quinoa.
4. Once the quinoa is cooked and most of the water has been evaporated, remove from the heat, place a lid on the pot and allow the quinoa to further swell.
5. Prepare the fava beans by removing them from the pod, then blanching and removing the skins.
6. Next bring a medium pot of lightly salted water and blanch the beans once more.
7. Once they float to the top of the water, you can drain off the water and place then beans in icy water to stop the cooking process.
8. Bring a pot or deep pan of lightly salted water to boil.
9. Remove the woody ends of the asparagus and place the asparagus in the boiling water to cook.
10. Once the asparagus are al dente, remove from the water and place in icy water to stop the cooking process.
11. When the asparagus are cool enough to handle, chop to bite sized pieces.
12. Wash the spinach and spin dry. Make sure to remove any large stems.
13. Make the dressing by placing the olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a bowl.
14. Whisk to blend. Add the mustard, salt and pepper and whisk again.
15. Season to taste.
16. Divide the spinach onto 4 individual salad plates.
17. Place the fava beans, quinoa and cut asparagus in a large bowl and gently toss to mix.
18. Place a generous amount of the salad on each prepared plate.
19. Drizzle some of the dressing on top and place the rest of the dressing in a carafe for individuals to help them selves.
20. We garnished the salad with a few almond slivers sprinkled on top of each salad.