Friday 16th, 2010

Remember how I talked about the importance of whole grains the other day. Well this salad below contains one of the nicest whole grains around... quinoa. For some reason people freak out when I mention this grain, like its a deep mystery and can only be cooked by masters!! However, its so easy and quick to cook that I use it a lot if I want a meal in a hurry. Quinoa contains a relatively high amount of protein for a grain, and so can contribute towards the protein content of a meal; one cup contains just over 20 grams of protein.

Try this out as part of your healthy eating plan and let me know how you go...

Healthy Eating Recipes: Quinoa and Lentil Salad

200 grams quinoa
1 tin of puy, green or brown lentils - drained and rinsed well
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons mint or basil, chopped
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
4 fat scallions. spring onions, chopped
2 celery sticks - diced
1 red pepper - diced

Dressing:

Zest of two lemons
Juice of one lemon
4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash the quinoa well under running water - this is a really important step and stops of the quinoa tasting bitter. Place in a saucepan with 2 cups of water and the bay leaf, bring to boil and then simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the dressing, mixing all ingredients.

Once cooked, remove the bayleaf and pour the dressing over the quinoa while they are hot and set aside to cool.

When ready to eat, fluff up the quinoa with a fork and add the lentils, diced celery and pepper and the onions and mixed herbs.

Serve with a little sunshine..

Wheat free, gluten free, sugar free and dairy free