Quinoa Salad, Five Grain Pilaf With Oil-Free Lime Cilantro Dress

i got this from a friend and wanted to share a healthy delicious dish - the pilaf recipe was included - i'm unsure if it's to be served alongside the salad, or as part of it...

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 8 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 5 Grain Pilaf

• 2  cups cooked brown rice
• 1  cup  cooked quinoa
• 1  cup  spelt berries, and cooked (soaked overnight)
• 1⁄2 cup  cooked wild rice
• 1⁄2 cup  cooked Bulgar wheat (optional)

• Quinoa Salad with Lime Cilantro dressing

• 2  cups  uncooked quinoa
• 4  cups boiling water
• 8  dried apricots, finely diced
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped sun-dried tomato
• 2  ears corn, cut off the cob
• 6  small green onions, sliced in thin rounds
• 2  tomatoes, diced
• 1  cucumber, diced
• 1⁄2 cup  finely diced colored bell pepper
• 1 (4 ounce) can artichoke hearts (reserve 2 for the dressing below)
• 1⁄4 cup  toasted  slivered almonds
• 1  avocado, chopped

• Cilantro Lime Dressing

• 2  artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1  bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed well, stems removed
• 4  sprigs fresh basil, rinsed, stems removed (optional)
• 1⁄2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 -4  limes, juice of

Directions

1. quinoa salad:
2. toast the quinoa in a dry skillet for a ew minutes. add 4 cups boiling water, apricots and sun dried tomatoes.
3. cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. add the corn kernels and let rest for 10 minutes. transfer to a fine mesh strainer and allow to drain well for another 10 minutes, transfer to a large bowl and add remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. lime-cilantro dressing:
5. place all dresing ingredients into a food processor or blender and proess until well mixed. taste and adjust seasonings as desire, addin kosher salt to taste. toss with the quinoa mixture and serve. the grains will absorb some of the tartness of the dressing, and it will seem milder when served with the grains.