Quinoa salad
This is such a versatile, nutritious and colourful salad & keeps fresh for days
Quinoa pronounced “Keen wah” is a nutritional powerhouse. It is so versatile, if can be used in a variety of salads or served as an alternative to rice. It is gluten free and contains high levels of protein as well as some calcium, phosphorus and iron. You can now find it in the health food section of most supermarkets and in health food stores. There is white, red or black quinoa available; I prefer the three mixed together.
Ingredients:
200g quinoa
150g baby spinach leaves
1⁄2 red pepper, chopped small
1⁄2 yellow pepper, chopped small
1 courgette grated
1 handful dried apricots chopped
1 handful Nuts, coarsely chopped. (hazelnuts/almonds/walnuts etc)
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 handful mint, chopped
Zest and juice of a lime
pepper and salt
1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved or semi dried tomatoes Drizzle of Extra virgin olive oil to blend
Method:
- With plenty of water in a saucepan, bring the quinoa to the boil and simmer for 10-12 mins, until the grains begin to sprout.
- Rinse in cold water and drain very well, comb over with a fork to ensure it is light and fluffy. (Bang the quinoa in a sieve onto kitchen paper sheets, discard and repeat until the paper is completely dry)
- Place the spinach in a serving bowl, add in all other ingredients, including the quinoa, season and toss through.
- Taste and add more seasoning if required.
Variations: I often vary this recipe based on what I have in the house. You can use scallions, red onion or shallot. You could use any type of nut or mix them. Instead of the lime you can use lemon, grapefruit or orange and add small segments of the fruit. You could blend up the spinach with garlic, chilli, oil and herbs in the processor then add to cooked quinoa to create a moist green quinoa salad. Pomegranate seeds work very well too. You can vary the herbs according to your taste. Try asparagus and goats cheese with pomegranate molasses.
Serving suggestions: This is a fantastic side to fish, eg grilled hake, pan-fried mackerel. It is fantastic as a salad for lunch, add in a tin of tuna or a few slices chicken if you want more substance. It can replace rice or potatoes in so many meals, it really is so versatile.
Storage: This type of quinoa salad keeps very will in the fridge in a sealed container for 4-5 days, it travels well in a lunch box, however it doesn’t freeze.
