Carrot Quinoa Tahini Salad

Take a bowl of grain - use quinoa or your favorite, leftover or cooked anew - add a bunch of grated carrots and a lovely, tangy creamy sauce. Mix it all together, and enjoy! Repeat as often as you'd like. So good for dinner or lunch, as a take-to-work lunch or for the lunchbox assembly line. Also a big hit for any potlucks you might be heading to year-round.

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

Tahini Lemon dressing:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup well-stirred tahini

1–2 cloves garlic finely minced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon maple syrup, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

 Remaining ingredients:

1.5 lbs carrots, scrubbed well, ends trimmed, peeled if very dirty

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

2 - 3 cups quinoa, cooked (or other favorite grain)

1/2 cup almonds, toasted, chopped medium-fine

1 T capers, optional

1 cup finely minced herbs (suggest parsley + cilantro, maybe some mint) , plus more to taste

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Taste. Maybe you want a tad more maple syrup or salt? Add it now. Set aside.

If your carrots are especially dirty, peel them. Otherwise, simply wash them. Trim the ends. Send them down the chute of your food processor fitted with the shredder attachment. Transfer to a large bowl. Season with a teaspoon of kosher salt and toss.

Add the quinoa, almonds, capers if using, and chopped herbs to the bowl with the carrots. Add the dressing. Toss to coat. It may be easiest to toss with your hands. Taste. Adjust as needed with more salt or lemon. Serve immediately or pack into containers and stash in the fridge.

Enjoy!