As far as superfoods go, quinoa is up there with the most heroic of them. Not only is it one of the most protein rich foods we can consume, but it is also high in fibre, iron and magnesium as well as contributing to weight loss and energy metabolism. Healthy quinoa salad recipes such as these are not only delicious, but also pack punch as far a nutrition is concerned. They’re also perfect for summer entertaining!
Roasted Veggie and Quinoa Salad
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients
1 cup of roasted vegetables (see recipe below)
1 cup of quinoa, cooked and cooled
2 tbsp. organic dried cranberries
3 tbsp. toasted almond flakes
A generous handful of roughly chopped herbs (I use mint, dill and continental parsley).
3 tbsp. of good quality feta (optional)
1 avocado
1 cup of roughly chopped spinach leaves
1 zucchini (I use a peeler and make ribbons)
2 tbsp. good quality olive oil
2 tbsp. good quality balsamic vinegar
Season with Himalayan pink rock salt and a good quality pepper
Method
1. In a medium size-mixing bowl, add all the ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl make the dressing. Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
3. Mix the dressing in with ingredients.
4. Put in the fridge for an hour before serving, let’s the dressing absorbed into the salad.
5. Serve at room temperature.
(I would add any protein to the salad, makes for a fantastic lunch or dinner).
Roasted Vegetables
You can use any starchy vegetables you have, work with what you have. I like doing some starch and then adding greens, fennel and red onions to my bake.
Ingredients
¼ pumpkin (my favorite is JAP), cut into small squares with skin removed
1 red onion, sliced
1 fennel, remove head and slice (keep the stalks to garnish in salads)
3 beetroots, skin removed and cut into small squares
8 brussel sprouts cut into quarters
8 asparagus stalks, cut into halves
1 red capacisum, cut into strips
8 baby carrots, trimmed to the green stem and cut into half
Bulb of garlic, don’t remove skin.
1 tbsp. melted coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 tbsp. cumin powder
Good handful of rosemary
Season with Himalayan pink rock salt and a good quality pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°
2. In a large baking tray, place all your prepared vegetables, garlic and rosemary.
3. Add your oil, cumin, salt and pepper and mix and coat the vegetables
4. Put in the oven and cook for 35 – 40 minutes, making sure you turn the vegetables over halfway through the cooking process.
5. They should be soft when you stick a fork in, means they are ready.
6. Once cooled, put in an airtight container and will keep in the fridge for about 5 days.
Making Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup of quinoa (you can use any colour, I often use white)
- 2 cup of water
- 1 tbsp. cumin
- 1 tbsp. turmeric
- Season with Himalayan pink rock salt and a good quality pepper
Method
1. Place in a medium saucepan the quinoa, water, cumin and turmeric, salt and pepper.
2. Bring to the boil and then simmer it with a lid on for about 7 minutes. Stirring with a fork occasionally.
3. Tip: once quinoa is cooked place a clean towel on top of the pot and the put the lid over the towel. Let it stand for another 7 minutes.
4. Once cooled, put in an airtight container and will keep in the fridge for about 5 days.
Recipe courtesy of Rachelle Gormely from My Wholesome Kitchen
Cannellini Bean, Pomegranate and Quinoa salad
This is a really quick salad to throw together. To make it even yummier, gently warm the oil over low heat, and then add 2 whole cloves of garlic and the sumac. Add this to the dressing, discarding the garlic if you want. Of course other vegetables such as steamed broccoli, peas, beetroot or beans will work in this salad, as will raw capsicum or fennel.
Ingredients
2 cups quinoa
4 cups filtered water
6 small spears asparagus, woody ends trimmed
400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 corn cobs, kernels removed
1 handful snow peas, cut into three on the diagonal
1 pomegranate, seeds removed
1 cup coriander leaves
1 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
1 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
2 spring onions, finely chopped
½ cup in total sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pepitas, toasted, plus extra to serve
½ cup walnuts, toasted
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 handful chopped coriander, to serve
Dressing
½ tbsp umeboshi or white wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil
2 tsp sumac, plus extra to serve
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Method
1. Put the quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Drop to a simmer, put the lid half-on and cook until you can’t see the water and little ‘volcano holes’ appear in the quinoa.
3. This will take 10–15 minutes. Taste the quinoa; it should be tender and almost cooked. If not, add a splash more water.
4. Put the lid on and turn the heat off. Allow the quinoa to cook in its own steam for another 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to serve.
5. Steam the asparagus until just tender, then rinse under cold water to stop it cooking. When cool enough to handle, cut each spear into thirds.
6. In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together.
7. For the dressing, put all the ingredients in a jar and shake well (or whisk in a bowl).
8. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again.
9. Serve on a large platter, sprinkled with the extra sumac, the extra toasted seeds and the chopped coriander.
Recipe courtesy of Janella Purcell in conjunction with Australian Organic
Tomato, Chilli and and Capsicum Quinoa
Ingredients
Serves 6, or 4 as main
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, finely sliced
1 red capsicum, seeded and diced
4 medium, ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, seeded, finely chopped
1 cup white quinoa
3 cups gluten free vegetable stock
3 Tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1⁄2 cup Vitasoy Soy Milky Regular
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄3 cup chopped coriander per serve
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, capsicum, tomato and chilli and cook until the onion has softened.
2. Turn up heat to high and add the quinoa and stock.Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender and nearly all of the stock has been absorbed. Stir through parsley and Vitasoy Soy Milky Regular and heat for a further 2 minutes. Turn off heat, season with pepper and serve in a large serving dish topped with chopped coriander.
Recipe courtesy of Vitasoy
