Tropical Mango Avocado Quinoa Salad

# Components:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

02 - 2 cups water

→ Fruits & Vegetables

03 - 1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced

04 - 1 ripe avocado, diced

05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

06 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

07 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced

08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Lime Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

11 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup

12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and cool completely.

02 - In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup, cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.

03 - In a large bowl, add the cooled quinoa, mango, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, and cilantro.

04 - Pour the lime dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine, taking care not to crush the avocado.

05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It comes together in under 40 minutes and actually tastes like you spent way more time on it than you did.
The lime dressing is bold enough to make every bite interesting without drowning out the fresh fruit flavors.
You can prep most of it ahead, then toss and serve whenever hunger strikes, making it perfect for meal prepping or last-minute dinner guests.

02 -

Add the avocado last or right before serving—I learned this by making the salad in the morning and watching the avocado turn gray and mushy by lunchtime.
Rinse your quinoa thoroughly; it's the one step that separates fluffy grains from a bitter, gritty texture, and most people skip it thinking it doesn't matter.

03 -