Summer Strawberry Quinoa Salad with a Balsamic Fig Dressing

**This salad is so refreshingly delicious!! I absolutely love it. It is super easy to throw together when you are short on time and it is great to have ready for any summer get together that you might have coming up. I like to add some steak to this or whatever I have on hand! The flavors from the dressing are so tasty and it makes for a great “healthier” alternative to your typical salad dressings. Get creative with it and add in some additional flavors (feta, gorgonzola, or blue cheese) and ingredients that you like. Try it with blueberries instead of strawberries or add a little bit of both.  🙂 

Serving Size: 3-4 (depending on portion)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of cooked and chilled quinoa 
• 1 cup of fresh cut strawberries (bite size)
• 4-6 cups of fresh spring mix/salad mix of your choice
• 4 tablespoons of sunflower seeds 
• 1 cucumber sliced and peeled
• 6-8 dates (chopped)
• 1 thinly sliced avocado **optional

Dressing: 

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic
• 6 dried/chopped figs (fresh would work, but you will have to cook them down over the stove first) 
• 1-2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Prep the dressing by blending the balsamic, honey, figs, and olive oil together until smooth. 
2. Toss all of the ingredients together and set aside until ready to serve.If you are planning to have extra for later, toss the dressing on only what you need.