Roasted Med Veg Quinoa Salad

During this cold weather I love nothing more than warming foods like soups, stews and curries. Dishes like these let my body know it’s winter and it’s time to warm up from the inside out. Although, I have to admit, there are times I do crave a salad. My husband Howard has nicknamed me the rabbit as I tend to eat a lot of greens during the winter and the summer.

This year, as shh I’m secretly a rabbit in disguise, I have decided to try and cook myself warming salads. It means I won’t miss out on the foods I love and I will still be able to help my body’s central heating system. If you enjoy a salad but don’t like the coldness of them in the winter then this is one for your recipe books.

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Vegetable peeler
• Baking tray
• Tablespoon
• Blender or Food processor
• Saucepan

Serves 2

Ingredients

• Olives x 8 – 10
• Red pepper x 1
• Aubergine x 1
• Courgette x 1
• Tomatoes x 1
• Garlic x 2 – 4 cloves
• Salt to your taste
• Quinoa x 150g
• Kale, Rocket or Spinach

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200°C or gas mark 6.
• Cut the top from the red pepper and remove the seeds and stalk.
• Slice the pepper into chunky 1 inch pieces.
• Now peel the aubergine and courgette and cut into chunky 2 centimetre pieces.
• Remove the skin from the garlic and slice it.
• Put all of these chopped vegetables and the small tomatoes and olives into the baking tray.
• Drizzle over enough oil to cover the vegetables and sprinkle over salt to your taste.
• Then toss the veg in the oil.
• Put the tray into the oven for about 30 – 40 minutes or until the vegetables are golden brown.
• Meanwhile put the quinoa on to boil.
• Fill the pan with the quinoa and pour in the water until it fills 2 centimetres above the quinoa.
• Bring the pan to boil and turn the heat down to low.
• Leave to simmer until all the water disappears.
• While the quinoa and vegetables are cooking mash the avocado.
• Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the mashed avocado.
• Once the quinoa is cooked, remove from the heat and remove the vegetables from the oven.
• Mix all of these ingredients together and add in the rocket, kale or spinach.
• Serve into bowls or onto plates of your choice.

Roasted Med Veg Quinoa Salad was a delicious meal that I made for myself. My husband Howard and son Ted I don’t think would have been interested in this meal if I served it to them. They aren’t rabbits like me. So this was a mummy lunchtime dish that I thoroughly enjoyed. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, please enjoy.