If there is one aspect of my life that I am truly international in, it is food. Whenever I am out to do culinary related shopping, I know that all the vendors and supermarkets know me as the odd one out who is going to look for weird food from other countries. Well, I take that as a compliment. I enjoy the different tastes and relish the variety that I can cook for my family. My husband and children have also developed the curiosity to try out new foods and they support me one hundred per cent whenever I endeavor on a new journey to discover or invent a new flavor.

I draw my inspiration from renowned chefs all over the world and usually rely on regional experts to get the right taste for the recipe. I have been on a quest to discover if vegan food is tasty. I am totally impressed with the health benefits but I most certainly would not like to sacrifice the taste buds. It was the love for food and the privilege of indulging the taste of it that got me cooking in the first place.

One challenge though that I set for myself was whether the vegan food could be equally tasty without the use of any oil. The first target on my cooking station (my kitchen shelf) was a vegan quinoa salad recipe. When I think of health, immediately the words, vegan and avocado pop up in my mind as if they were synonyms. In my eyes, they pretty much are. Avocado is an essential part of breakfast in my home.

I have added some avocado to bring a buttery goodness to the salad and this is essential if you want to overcome the slight lack that may develop since you are not using any kind of oil on this salad. This quinoa salad recipe that I am sharing with you all of you is one among many breakfast recipes that I introduced to my family to keep it interesting for them. Now, quinoa is a South American grain which is not grown elsewhere but could be purchased in most parts of the world.

The first time I tried cooked quinoa, it was super smooth with a fluffy texture which somehow tasted like nuts. It is the perfect base for a vegan quinoa salad recipe. In order to prepare this salad, you will need to cook the quinoa, prepare the vegetables that you are going to add and finally have a dressing that is adequate for this beautiful recipe. Since mornings are quiet busy, to save time, I usually pressure cook the quinoa instead of on the stove. Also, sometimes, I like to pack it for my husband as a meal if he is in a rush to get to work.

Steps to prepare the salad:

1. Add the salt and garlic to quinoa in a pressure cooker and once you have secured the lid, turn the heat to maximum to build high pressure. Remove the heat after one whole minute and leave the pressure to be released without any effort from you. Use a fork to increase the fluffiness of the cooked quinoa. Now let it cool down to room temperature.
2. After this, in a separate bowl, add all the diced vegetables and other ingredients (except the lime juice, ground pepper and avocado). Mix the quinoa into this bowl and mix it well with the help of a spoon.
3. Ensure that the mixture is uniform and has no lumpy formation. It should look light and fluffed up.
4. Put the mixture in the fridge and let it chill. Take out before serving and add the lime juice and avocado. I like to dice and add the avocado mine. You can also lay it on top or bottom and simply have it in every bite.

This recipe is the best thing to start your day with.