Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Sprouted Quinoa Salad

I served this salad with my pesto salmon and it was just superb! It's packed with delicious flavour and is extremely good for you. My very dear culinary companion Leeana has braved a raw food diet and insists that sprouted quinoa is a delicious alternative to cooking it. It is delicious- it adds an interesting texture and nutty flavour. I will probably revise the recipe and make it with 75% cooked 25% sprouted quinoa for more depth. Regardless if you sprout or cook, the delicious play of crunchy bell peppers, cucumber, asparagus and red onions when contrasted with the sweet potato and tangy mustard vinaigrette is to die for!

Ingredients:
1 cup sweet potato cut into bitesize pieces
1/2 cup quinoa
7 pieces of asparagus
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup red bell pepper, large dice
1/2 cup cucumber, large dice
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 sprig of dill
1 handful of parsley
1 handful of basil
2 ounces feta cheese

Method:
5 hours prior to cooking, wash quinoa and cover them with cold water. Plastic wrap and let sit for 5 hours. Preheat oven to 420 and line a baking tray with tinfoil.

In the meantime, place asparagus and sweet potato on the tray. Toss with salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Bake the asparagus for about 10 minutes or until they're nicely cooked (taste it and see if it's to your liking). Remove the asparagus and cut into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the red onion, quinoa, bell pepper and cucumber to the bowl as well as a rough chop of the herbs.

Whisk the mustard's, lemon juice and oil together with a good pinch of salt and toss into the bowl. Crumble the feta over the contents. Check if the sweet potato is cooked through (it should take about 40 minutes). Once it's to your liking toss it with the rest of the salad and ENJOY:)

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