So, I graduated from 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training last weekend. Yay for me and my amazing classmates!!! And how do all good yogis celebrate, with a vegan potluck, of course. Everyone brought in the yummiest food and we all sat around in our circle of gratitude and chowed down. I brought this Moroccan quinoa salad.

The salad is simple and it feeds a crowd well. I just cooked the quinoa according to the package directions. Chopped up a bunch of vegetables. Made a spice blend called Ras-El-Hanout, a simple orange dressing and threw everything together in a big bowl. Super easy. I loved sharing it with these wonderful people.

Moroccan Quinoa Confetti Salad

Serves 6-8

1 cup quinoa

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1/2 cup cucumber, diced

1/2 cup yellow squash, diced

1/2 cup red pepper, diced

1 cup spinach, cut into small strips

1/4 cup mint, finely chopped

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup pistachios, chopped

zest from 1 organge

1/4 dried apricots, chopped

1/4 golden raisins

Moroccan spice blend (recipe follows)

Juice from 1 orange

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp coconut palm sugar or cane sugar

Sea salt and pepper

Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Set aside and let cool slightly. Place quinoa in a large bowl and add carrots, cucumber, yellow squash, red pepper, mint, spinach, beans, apricots, raisins, orange zest and pistachios. Toss to mix well. Begin to add Moroccan spice blend a few teaspoons at a time. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, olive oil and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss salad with orange juice dressing. You may not use all of it, save remaining for another use.

Moroccan Spice Blend (Ras-El-Hanout)

Adapted from Gourmet

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste

1/4 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp ground cloves

In a small bowl, mix all spices together.