Nopales, Quinoa, Avocado Salad

I first saw nopales at the grocery store in San Diego.  TDH and I had no idea what they were but we were just dating back then and he was willing to try anything!  For the next few days I added them to our salads or stir frys while teaching him and his roommate how to cook.  I was unaware of their nutrition benefits until a few years later when I read The Jungle Effect by Dr. Daphne Miller.  Nopales are full of dietary fiber, vitamins, magnesium, potassium and calcium.  Dr. Daphne "prescribes" nopales to her diabetic patients because studies show they affect the glycemic index.  Plus, they are crunchy and tangy!

Last week I mixed them with quinoa, ripe avocado, green onions (my kitchen staple), cucumbers and jicama.  All of these ingredients can easily be found at the farmers market right now.  We actually picked up the nopales at a road side stand in Fallbrook while en route to pick up our new chickens.

Ingredients
nopales, chopped
jicama, chopped
green onions, chopped
cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 c quinoa, cooked
lime
lemon
cumin
olive oil
maldon salt
pepper

To Do
1.  Mix all chopped vegetables, cilantro and quinoa.
2.  Squeeze half a lemon and half a lime over the salad mixture.
3.  Drizzle olive oil.
4.  Top with a few shakes of cumin and pepper and a dash of maldon salt. 

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Vegan

START FRESH + FINISH HEALTHY