Grated Apple, Carrot & Quinoa Salad with Fresh Mint, Lime & Pomegranates

I have a habit of finishing every salad with a crispy green apple, so it seemed only fitting to try adding one to the actual salad and see what happened. Inspired by all the foods of the recently celebrated Jewish New Year, I combined apples and pomegranates which both represent a sweet start to the new year. The only thing missing was the honey, which you could easily replace the mirin with, I just left it out to keep this Vegan friendly. However, should you decide to add some honey for flavour, you could also replace the grilled tofu with shredded chicken and you’d have a really fresh (and un-vegan) dinner option for the whole family. Either way, this is a fun, refreshing take on salad and it illustrates just how endless the options are when you eat, clean, fresh, real, whole food xx

Ps: I still felt like a crispy green apple afterward, go figure 😉

Grated Apple, Carrot & Quinoa Salad with Fresh Mint, Lime & Pomegranates
Recipe by Shelley Kamil

Ingredients
(Serves 2)

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 carrot, grated
1 green apple, peeled and grated
Juice of half a lemon
1 block firm tofu, cut to squares
2tsp coconut oil
2tsp mirin
2tsp brown rice vinegar
2 generous handfuls spinach
2tbs pomegranate seeds
16 hazelnuts
Juice of 1 lime
Handful of fresh mint leaves
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste

Directions
1. Begin by heating 2tsp coconut oil in a medium size skillet. Pan fry tofu on either side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Just as it’s turning golden and crispy, add the brown rice vinegar and miring, cook for another couple of minutes allowing the liquid to evaporate, remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the grated carrot, apple and quinoa with a squeeze of lemon to prevent the apple form browning, mix to combine and set aside.
3. To assemble the salad, divide the spinach leaves between two bowls, top with the quinoa mixture, then the tofu hazelnuts and pomegranates. To serve, sprinkle with mint, sea salt and a good squeeze of fresh lime xx