quinoa beet salad

Ingredients For quinoa beet salad

• SALAD
• 3 lg

  beets (steamed, cooked or baked), skins removed and cubed into bite-sized pieces
• 1 c

  quinoa, pre-soaked for at least 2 hours, rinsed and drained
• 2 c

  water
• 3/4 tsp

  ground himalayan sea salt, or to taste and divided
• 3 c

  lettuce (romaine, butter or spinach), torn into pieces
• 1/2 lg

  english cucumber, peeled and quartered
• 3 md

  mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
• 1/2 c

  walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 c

  celery, chopped
• 1/4 tsp

  cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp

  freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (i always use mixed peppercorns)
• 150 g

  (5 to 6 oz.) goat cheese, crumbled and divided
• VINAIGRETTE
• 1/4 c

  grapeseed oil
• 2 Tbsp

  freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 Tbsp

  balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp

  honey (substitute agave nectar)
• 1 tsp

  orange zest
• 1 tsp

  dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp

  cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp

  ground himalayan sea salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp

  freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (i always use mixed peppercorns)
• 2 Tbsp

  shallots, finely chopped