Walnut Pear & Avocado Bowl

By: Patty Mastracco

Enjoy this healthy bowl with quinoa and a creamy avocado dressing. This is a quick meal perfect to beat the summer heat.

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 of a firm but ripe red Anjou pear, peeled and cubed
• 1/4th of a firm but ripe avocado
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Bowl

• 3 cups precooked chilled quinoa (1 lb 4 oz.)
• 2 cups small torn pieces curly kale
• 1/2 cup small thin slivers red onion
• 1 large firm but ripe red Anjou pears, cored and sliced
• 1 1/4 of firm but ripe avocados, cut into bite-size cubes
• 3/4 cup very coarsely chopped California walnuts, toasted
• Torn fresh cilantro leaves (garnish)

PREPARATION

1. Puree all dressing ingredients except pepper in a small blender until smooth.
2. Place quinoa in a large bowl and drizzle with dressing. Stir to coat,
   then stir in kale and pepper 1 cup quinoa cooked in 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth may be substituted for the precooked quinoa.
3. Place a slightly heaping 3/4 cup of quinoa mixture into 6 bowls.
   Top each with 1/4 of a sliced pear, 1/6th of the diced avocado,
   1 1/2 tablespoons red onion and 2 tablespoons walnuts.
   Garnish with cilantro leaves.