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

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

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