Tuesday 26 April 2016

Grasping at Health...A Delicious Quinoa Salad


I've learned something about myself over the past two years.  I am not a raging carnivore.  Don't get me wrong, I would miss it if I never got to eat meat, but I'm really happy not to eat it too.  The trouble with that is that the alternative - legumes - are not my friends.  I don't mind eating them, but then I don't want to be near me.  Which is pretty much inescapable!

We have had a bit of back-and-forward tussle in our house over things like couscous and quinoa.  I enjoy them; my family does not.  Until last night.  Inspired by a recipe from "Jamie's 15 Minute Meals" and a lunch I was served on a PD (Independent Schools Victoria completely spoil their seminar attendees!) I decided to try a quinoa salad.  My goal?  An ecstatic moan-inducing salad.  No pressure, right?

This salad?  Life-changing!

I cooked a cup of raw quinoa and half a cup pearl couscous using the absorption method in chicken stock, and then mixed that with:

  • toasted pinenuts
  • diced oranges
  • finely sliced spring onions
  • fried and diced haloumi (the haloumi I got from Costco - amazing!)
  • finely chopped parsley

After mixing it together I dressed it with the juice of a lemon and a good drizzle of olive oil.
I would have added avocado but mine weren't ripe yet, and if you preferred you could use feta.

All of my non-quinoa people enjoyed this salad.  Guess what's for lunch this week?!

4 comments:

Emily said...

Sounds great! I don't eat cheese - do you think it would work without the haloumi? #teamIBOT

Tracy said...

Hi Emily - of course that would work. Take out what you don't like, add things you do. You could also add sultanas, or currants or craisins. If you like celery, that was in the one I had at the PD. I don't like it that much so I left it out. You could use different nuts, but my daughter has an allergy so pine nuts are the only one we know to be safe. Be adventurous!

Stephanie@stephsjoy said...

I think i have all the ingredients to try this recipe out Tracy! Thanks! It sounds delicious.

EssentiallyJess said...

I don't think I could do it. Quinoa is not my favourite thing. Glad you've found something you like though.