We all know that quinoa is fabulous. This is not ground breaking news. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and contains a great range of nutrients including iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fibre.
It is one of only a few plant foods that are considered a complete protein. So it’s a brilliant food for vegetarians who would like to up their protein intake in the absence of meat.
But let’s also get to grips with how easy it is to chuck together.
Ploughing through a busy day I had to stop to eat – this necessitated a level of calm as I was planning my presentation on Mindful eating and wanted to remain in the zone. This salad fit the bill as it delivered a heap of nutrients, took up only a little of my time and ticked the Mindfulness box. I didn’t dwell too much on the origin of the seeds or visualise the crop as it was harvested but I did sit and enjoy it without checking my Instagram account. I have a lot of time for Mindful principles but we do need to strike a balance in the reality of 21st C living!
So let’s cut to the chase –
Sauté an onion and two cloves of garlic in olive oil with thyme and rosemary leaves.
Add 1 cup of red (holds together well) quinoa and stir. The general ratio is 1 cup of uncooked quinoa to 2 cups of liquid. I add water as it cooks and used my judgement, topping up as need be.
Add a little sea salt and a grind of black pepper plus a good squeeze of lemon juice. After 10 minutes turn off the heat, leaving on the lid and go back to your work, crack on with this for 20 mins while the quinoa steams.
On return pop the quinoa into a bowl and chop in parsley, mint and coriander. Add a few olives, sun-dried tomatoes and a few chunks of feta. Drizzle with olive oil. Chew well.