Powerhouse Quinoa, Millet, and Lentils Salad

For healthy living, the choices now are super-foods such as kale, coconut, chia seeds, and grains. A trio of super foods are quinoa, millet and lentils.  I grew up eating millet for porridge or mixed with rice because rice is more expensive than millet. The Westerner misses out on the health benefits from all these grains. A healthy diet comes from natural food intake. Kale is also known as a nutrient powerhouse because it provides Vitamin, A, B, etc... If the body lacks vitamin A or B, it could cause trouble for eyesight and leads to cataracts.  I am not an expert nor give advice to people, but I know well enough that the super-foods can be combined together to make a super healthy meal. The salad that I am introducing in my blog today contains all of these wonderful grains, the green vegetables and beans. I also use garlic and cumin for the dressing. The last ingredient to complete this powerhouse salad is avocado; As studies have shown, one cup of avocado has 35 percent of one's daily allowance for vitamin K. This vitamin is associated with bone formation and proper blood clotting as well as the transport of calcium through the body (Web MD has all this information). I mixed and matched the ingredients, but this powerhouse salad is one of my favorites of all time.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup lentils, the red, green, or pink are okay
A small piece of kale
2 cups of water
1 tsp salt
The salad ingredients:
1 cup kale
1 cup spinach
1 total cup of:
Cucumber, celery and red or yellow bell pepper, cubes
1/4 cup red onions cubes
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 avocado, cubes
Chopped cilantro and green onions
Dressing ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup total of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Combine quinoa, millet, and lentils in bowl of water and rinse well. Drain and add into the rice cooker. 

Add water, piece of kale, and salt. Close the lid and turn to cook. When done cooking, fluff with fork and let cool.

To prepare the dressing:
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a Vitamix container and secure the lid. Select variable 1. Turn the machine on and slowly increase the speed to variable 10 and blend for 30 seconds. If you do not own a Vitamix blender, just whisk the ingredients well in a bowl. Refrigerate until using.
To prepare the salad:
Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch kale for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove and place into cold water to stop the cooking. Blanch the spinach the same way. Let both of them cool and then chop

In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa mixture with the rest of the vegetables and drizzle the dressing over it. Mix well.

Serve warm or cold