Quinoa and Carrot Salad with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

MAKES: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 c quinoa, cooked
- 1 large carrot, Julianned using a mandoline
- 1 c mixed greens

Quick and Thick Balsamic Dressing:
- 1 T balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 T olive oil
- 1 T honey
- pinch of salt

For Red Pepper Sauce:
- 3 red peppers
- 1 T olive oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/4 c vegetable broth
- 1/2 t salt
- a pinch of rosemary & thyme
- a pinch of cayenne pepper
- fresh black pepper



DIRECTIONS:
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium pot, cook quinoa according to package. Set aside
2) While quinoa is cooking wash peppers and place them in a prepared baking dish. Roast for 25 minutes, then turn each pepper over and roast for another 10-20 minutes. Check them after 10 mins to see if they're softened with some blackened skin.
3) Remove peppers from the oven, cover with foil and set aside for about 15 minutes. Letting the peppers steam will help the skins separate.
4) Dice onion and crush garlic and place in a saute pan with 1 T olive oil over med-high heat. Saute until onion begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes. While onions are cooking, begin removing the skins of the peppers using a fork, scoop out seeds and discard stems. Chop the roasted peppers and add them to the caramelized onions. Add a splash of water and cook another 3-5 minutes.
5) Pour onion/pepper mixture into a blender or food processor and puree the vegetables. Add the salt, rosemary, thyme and cayenne and pulse a few more times.
6) In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the balsamic dressing. Set aside.
6) Spoon half of the quinoa into a bowl, top with a couple spoon fulls of the red pepper puree, top with mixed greens, carrots, then drizzle with the balsamic dressing.

You will have a good bit of red pepper puree left, which I love having on hand! I'll use the leftover tomorrow for my veggie lasagna rolls. You can use it as pizza sauce, a topping for veggies, and so much more...

Enjoy!