Preparation: 10 minutes
Serves: 2 adults + 2 small children
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa preferably soaked for 6 – 8 hours and rinsed.
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup cooked brown lentils or 2 400g BPA free cans rinsed and drained
- A good handful of english spinach or baby spinach
- A bunch of lightly steamed seasonal asparagus or fresh green beans, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup finely chopped cabbage (optional)
- ½ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped (or the amount you enjoy)
- approx. 1/3 cup goats feta unmarinated or marinated in olive oil
- ⅓ cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 to 4 Tbsp lemon juice, to taste
- 1 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp tahini
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Add the quinoa to the water into a medium pot. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 10 – 12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, cover and allow to gently cool.
- Gently toast the pumpkin seeds in a shallow pan over a medium heat, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until just browned. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
- The dressing. In a small jar with a lid or a bowl and combine all the ingredients. Taste, and add more lemon juice or salt if need be.
- When the quinoa is ready add it to a large salad bowl and add all the remaining salad ingredients you’re using i.e. spinach, asparagus or green beans, cabbage, spring onions, parsley, coriander, feta and pepitas!
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad, and combine.
- Serve immediately, or leave in the fridge for later.
- To make it dairy free leave out the Feta
- Add capers or olives for extra deliciousness!
Inspiration for this recipe comes from http://cookieandkate.com