quinoa salad with herbs, lemon and white beans
I've only ever encountered two positions on quinoa,- take it or leave it. That's it: just the two extremes. People either freaking love it for its nutty taste, fluffy texture and assorted nutritional benefits, or hate it for its very existence. Personally, I'm a permanent resident of the take-it position. I genuinely, truly love quinoa. The taste, the texture, served hot or cold, as a side, a main or in a salad,- I'm into it all. And as a nice side benefit (as I'm sure everyone in the world is aware of by now), quinoa is a superfood, aka. an exceptionally nutrient-rich food. In the case of quinoa, it's super high in fibre and protein, is a whole grain and is naturally gluten-free. Yay, quinoa!
And so I give you a recipe for quinoa salad with herbs, lemon and white beans. Packed with protein, very filling, easy to prepare, and super tasty with a lemony, fresh, herby element that just screams spring. Enjoy!
quinoa salad with herbs, lemon and white beans
Serves: 2 as a main, 4 as a side Prep time: 20 minutes Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup quinoa
- 1 tsp vegetable or mushroom bouillon (optional)
- 2/3 cup parsley, washed well and chopped
- 2/3 cup mint, washed well and chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 250g cooked white beans, drained and rinsed to remove excess starch
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Rinse the quinoa well in a fine mesh strainer under cold water. This serves to remove the quinoa's natural coating (called saponin) which can have an unpleasantly bitter or soapy taste.
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil over high heat. Season the water with some salt or a bit of bouillon to add an extra, subtle layer of flavour to the dish.
- Boil the quinoa for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Drain the quinoa and rinse under cold water to remove the residual starch and assist in cooling the grains. Allow to dry while preparing/assembling the dish's remaining elements.
- In a large bowl, add the chopped parsley, mint and green onions, the rinsed white beans, the crumbled feta cheese and the ground allspice, smoked paprika and garlic powder. Add the dried quinoa, olive oil and the zest and juice of the 1/2 lemon and mix well.
- Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!
