Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets, Chick Peas, and Orange

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 beets, trimmed and quartered
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup fruity olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 2 tsp tamari sauce
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar or rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp organic raw agave nectar or local honey
• 1 cup drained rinsed chickpeas
• 2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves
• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 1 fresh orange, peeled, trimmed, cut into bite sized pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Cook quinoa in rice cooker or on stove. While quinoa is cooking, roast beets in medium size roasting pan, by combining beets with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt. Place pan in center of oven and roast until beets are tender (roughly 45 minutes). Remove beets from hot pan and set aside to cool.

2. When cool enough to handle, rub off the skin. Cut beets into bite sized pieces.

3. To make dressing, combine the olive oil, orange juice, tamari, vinegar, and agave in a glass measuring cup and whisk. Set aside. Combine warm, cooked quinoa in a mixing bowl with the chickpeas and baby spinach leaves. Pour in salad dressing and toss lightly. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste. Gently add in cut up roasted beets and fresh orange pieces. Do not over mix or your entire salad will turn beet red. We think it's more attractive to keep staining to a minimum. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh goat cheese, or slivered almonds, if desired. Serves 4.