Place quinoa in a strainer and rinse well with water to remove the bitter saponins.
Add rinsed quinoa with fresh water to a medium sized saucepan, and a dash of salt. Bring to a boil, and then turn to low heat to simmer for about 20 minutes. When cooked, remove from heat and let cool. While quinoa is cooking and cooling, chop your veggies and place them in a large salad bowl. Place ‘dressing’ ingredients in a blender and blend on high for a few seconds. Set aside. When the quinoa has cooled, but still slightly warm, add it to the large bowl of chopped veggies. Stir quinoa and veggies together to mix well. Now, you can the dressing to the salad in spoonfuls, until it has reached the desired taste. (Usually we have some left over, which you can use on a green salad or another quinoa salad). Add nuts and seeds just before serving.