Quinoa rainbow fiesta with roasted sweet potatoes & zesty vinaigrette

This quinoa and sweet potato salad dish focuses on whole foods and simple, fresh ingredients. It’s a colorful, nutritious dish that combines the subtle nuttiness of quinoa with the earthy sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes.

📝 Ingredients

• Quinoa
• 1 cup white quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups sweet potatoes (chopped ½ inch cubes)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ tablespoon cumin
• 1/3 cup kidney beans or black beans
• 1 bell pepper
• ½ - 1 cup leeks (optional)
• 1/3 cup red onion
• 1/3 cup cranberries (optional)
• 1 large avocado
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lime or lemon (squeezed)
• ¼ cup olive oil or virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon garlic (chopped)
• Toasted cashews or any type of nuts
• Parsley

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- For the Quinoa ---
2. 2Wash and strain the quinoa.
3. 3In a pot at medium heat, mix in quinoa, olive oil, and salt. Mix these for 3-5 minutes to bring out the nutty flavor.
4. 4Pour in the water and simmer for 15–20 minutes, mixing often.
5. 5Once there isn’t any water left, place this in a bowl to cool down.
6. 6--- Other ingredients ---
7. 7If you want, you can use the same pot to heat up the strained kidney beans after cooking the quinoa. Put the beans aside once they're hot enough.
8. 8In a bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cumin, making sure to mix them well.
9. 9Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10–15 minutes in an oven preheated to 390°F or 200°C.
10. 10Once it’s done baking, gently toss it and continue baking for an additional 10–15 minutes until it reaches the desired texture of either soft or crisp.
11. 11When baking, dice the bell peppers into small, uniform pieces, and slice the leeks to your preferred thickness.
12. 12Take the red onion and roughly chop it, then slice the avocados into big squares.
13. 13Feel free to toast the cashews for 7–10 minutes for an extra flavor boost.
14. 14--- To Arrange ---
15. 15To make the vinaigrette, combine the following ingredients: Balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper, freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice (without seeds), olive oil, oregano, honey, and garlic. Reserve it for later.
16. 16Place the roasted sweet potatoes, cranberries, leeks, kidney beans, bell peppers, and red onions over the quinoa. Mix well.
17. 17Add the sauce and avocado, carefully folding to avoid mashing the avocados.
18. 18Serve warm or cold, topped with cashews and parsley.