
A friend made me this hearty salad for lunch yesterday; it’s incredibly satisfying and the vegetables mixed through the quinoa gives this salad great texture. I enjoyed it served at room temperature. If you have any left over it saves well chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Cooling time about 15 minutes
Makes: serves 3 to 4
Gluten Free, Vegan option
Ingredients
2 cups cooked quiona
100g (I cup) broccoli florets, sliced into bit sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 green beans, with ends trimmed off sides
1/4 red pepper, chopped into small bite sized pieces
6 cherry tomatoes, chopped into 1/4
6 cornichon or 1 gherkin, chopped small
100g feta (crumbled) or marinated firm tofu (for vegan option)
4 pieces of falafel, (check ingredients for gluten free)
1 small, or half a larger courgette, julienne (very thinly sliced)
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1 small leak, finely chopped
For the dressing
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon pesto sauce, optional
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160 oc / 320 oF
- Place the falafel in the oven to warm for about 10 minutes.
- In a large frying pan, sauté the leaks in a tablespoon of olive oil for two minutes, then add the green beans, broccoli pieces and red pepper and sauté until ‘al dente’ – this should be approximately 4 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked quinoa.
- Transfer ingredients to a mixing bowl. Set aside to allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Now to make the dressing: whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and pesto sauce (if using) together in a small bowl or jug. Season with a small pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes, spring onion, pickled cornichon/gherkin, feta/tofu and thinly sliced courgette.
- Roughly crumble the warmed falafel into bite sized pieces and mix in.
- Drizzle the salad dressing over the salad and stir together well.
- Ready to serve.