Quinoa has a reputation for being a bit dull, and that’s because it is! So here I’ve jazzed it up with a lot of other ingredients and finished it with a spicy dressing. This dressing would be a great accompaniment to grilled chicken or merguez sausages.
SERVES 4 side by side
QUINOA SALAD
100g quinoa
200ml vegetable stock
100g Kale, chopped
One lemon juice
Olive oil for drizzle
Drained 240g canned chickpeas
100g of cooked puy lentils
100g Cashews, torn in a dry skillet and then roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
DESSING
4 tbsp olive oil
Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsp chopped finely oregano leaves
¼ tsp English mustard powder
¼ tsp ground coriander
125g piri-piri sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
SERVE
20g sunflower seeds
10g sesame seeds
20g Pumpkin Seeds
- Heat the quinoa in the oil and fry for approximately 10 minutes on high until it starts to turn golden brown. The stock should be added. Turn down the heat to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Place the kale into a bowl. Add the lemon juice to the bowl. Season the salad with salt, pepper, and olive oil. To soften the leaves, use your hands to vigorously whack the kale with your fingers for one minute. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Combine the cooked quinoa with chickpeas/lentils, cashews, and kale. Mix well.
- In a large saucepan heat oil. Add the garlic to the pan and stir for about 1-2 minutes. Mix in the vinegar, mustard powder and ground coriander. Cook on medium heat for approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Toast the seeds for 2 to 3 minutes in a hot, dry frying pan, while stirring constantly. Spread the salad onto a platter, drizzle the dressing on top, and garnish with the nuts.