Moroccan Quinoa Salad

Genius – you can prepare the salad ingredients while the quinoa cooks – then leave the entire dish to chill and marinate while you do some chilling yourself – have a candle-lit bath for example!

Serves:

2-4

Time:

20 mins plus 1 hour cooling time

Ingredients:

1 cup dried quinoa

2 cups hot stock (500 ml) – made with 2 level tsp vegan bouillon powder or follow the packet instructions if using vegan stock cubes

2 lemons: zest from 1, juice from 1-2 (do the zesting before halving the lemons!)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar

1 tin black beans OR chickpeas

1 tin sweet corn, drained (approximately 330g) – use the no-sugar, no-salt variety if possible – or the same weight, frozen

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

1 carton of fresh cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

Handful of pitted green or black olives (in brine, not oil)

Add just before serving:

4 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

4 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander

Serve with

1 tbsp plain soya yoghurt per person

1 hot wholemeal pitta bread per person

Harissa paste (optional) on the side – a spicy Middle Eastern condiment.

Method:

1. Cook quinoa by dry roasting in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Then add the hot stock and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally – add a little more hot water if it starts to stick.

2. While quinoa is cooking, whisk together lemon juice and zest, olive oil, orange juice, cumin, salt and sugar in a small bowl to make a dressing.

3. Combine quinoa and all remaining ingredients, except fresh herbs, into a medium-sized bowl.

4. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine.

5. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavours to combine. Add fresh herbs just prior to serving. May be served at room temperature.

6. Warm pitta bread through about 10 minutes before serving.