Tricolour Quinoa Salad

Top Foodie Tip: This delightful dish – it’s not really a salad, but that’s the closest term – is very yummy with all the herbs and spices. Also very fulfilling and healthy, with quinoa being a good source of protein and iron, so vegans and vegetarians should incorporate this dish into their diets with a helping of smoked tofu or grilled haloumi. It’s also beautiful on its own too, and completely guilt-free, eat as much as you want!

This recipe makes 4 portions.

Cooking time: 60 mins.

 Ingredients

• 1 medium courgette halved and sliced
• 1 medium aubergine halved and sliced
• 2 small green or yellow peppers sliced
• 1 small carrot julienned (match stick)
• 1 handful raisins
• 180 g tricolour quinoa
• 1 handful fresh basil chopped roughly
• 1 handful fresh mint chopped roughly
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger finely minced
• 50 grams toasted almond flakes
• 3 small shallots finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic finely sliced

Method

1. Slice the aubergine, courgette and peppers (and the onions too) and on 175C roast them in the oven (in a roasting dish) for 25 -30 minutes. Add a little bit of olive oil.
2. Rinse the quinoa. In a saucepan, bring quinoa and about 400ml water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
3. In the meantime, chop the carrot into match stick size pieces.
4. When the vegetables are done (al dente, and not too soft!) add everything into a mixing bowl and combine well. Season with the herbs, salt and pepper and fresh ginger. (I sometimes just grate the ginger with a Parmesan grater.)