Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a great base for any salad and I love to use it as an alternative to rice. If you’re not familiar with quinoa, then you will be impressed by it’s nutritional stats and how well it adapts to suit different flavours. Not only does quinoa contain B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium, but it also has a higher protein content than any other grain and is naturally gluten free!
Pop it in to cook with chicken or vegetable stock, seasoning, some spices and fresh herbs and you automatically have a gorgeous side dish for any meal. The combinations are endless! As an example, I combine quinoa with chicken stock, beans, sweet corn, coriander (cilantro), chilli powder, cumin powder and garlic to make an amazing accompaniment to chilli con carne.
For me, a salad needs to have different textures and flavours to keep me interested and to count it as a ‘real meal’. I like just the right amount of crunchiness combined with crisp fresh flavours, with a balance of sweet and salty foods and an added surprise element.
My ‘Super Seed Salad’ makes a great healthy dinner or a perfect lunchbox number that is packed full of flavour; and with a low GI rating, this quinoa salad will keep you fuller for longer with no need to reach for the peanut butter jar (don’t…I’m addicted!).
This colourful quinoa salad is jam packed full of healthy ingredients - apple, carrot, red onion, celery, puy lentils, basil, chopped almonds, sesame seeds and dried cranberries – and has the best coriander and lime dressing to give the whole salad an amazing bite. Filled with antioxidants and vitamins, use this salad as a cold and flu-buster before the winter chill sets in.
