Quinoa and Fruit Salad for One

It's summertime, and there are many wonderful fruits available. For this salad, I used blueberries and pomegranates, but nectarines, strawberries, plums, and other berries are marvelous additions, and you might add a little avocado if you have one handy. 

         
           1/3 cup uncooked quinoa

2/3 cup water

1 inch carrot, in small cubes

1 inch cucumber, in small cubes (peel it if you like)

1 radish, in small cubes

1 green onion, diced

4 snap peas, chopped (or a ¼ cup of fresh peas)

¼ cup fresh blueberries

1/8 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

1/8 cup pistachio nut meats

Dressing

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Juice of one lemon wedge (about a teaspoon, maybe 2)

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon agave or maple syrup

A pinch of garlic powder

A pinch of salt

1.5 teaspoons grapeseed oil (or olive oil)

½ TBSLP poppy seeds

1. Rinse and thoroughly drain the quinoa. Add the quinoa and water to a small pot and bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover, and cook until the water is all boiled away. Don’t let it burn! This takes about 10 minutes.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, make the dressing and prepare the veggies and fruit to toss in the bowl.
3. To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk. You may want to adjust the salt once you’ve dressed the salad.
4. Put the quinoa in the bowl with the veggies and toss, then drizzle the dressing over it and toss again. Can be eaten at room temperature (my favorite) or refrigerate for a bit.