I am back with my weather rant. No, seriously, this heat in Gurgaon is truly unbearable. And we’re closer to winter now (dear time, fast forward, please) but still no sign of any cool. I was in Pune (yay, home!) last weekend and the weather was SO nice there. Cool mornings and cooler evenings made for some spectacular times in the garden with the fam. And needless to say, bottomless cups of tea. I love being part of a tea loving family. Before I got married, I’d enjoy my twice-a-day tea routine, but whenever I get together with my mom-in-law, everything we do is planned around our cups of tea. Love it.
Anyhow, so since it’s still summer (argh!) here, I’ve been making a lot of salads. And one of my most fave ingredients to use in a salad is quinoa. Pronounced as ‘”keen-wah”, it’s a teeny grain, often referred to as a “super food” and it’s packed with nutrients. Super high in protein, quinoa is amazingly versatile. You can use it in salads, main courses or even add it as a part of your snack.
Herby Quinoa Salad:
Serves 2| Prep time: 5 min | Cook time: 2 min
Ingredients :
Quinoa – 50 gms, cooked and fluffed.
Parsley- 1 cup, tightly packed, chopped
Pomegranate – 1/2 cup
Mint leaves – 1/2 cup, chopped
Flaked almonds – 2-3 tbsp
Crumbly feta – 3-4 tbsp
Lemon juice – 4 tsp
Salt and pepper – to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
Red onion – 2 tbsp, chopped (optional)
Steps:
Cook the quinoa as per the instructions on the packet. The idea is to not use too much water when you boil it, else it will simply turn to mush. Also, do not leave it to boil and go away. Perfectly cooked quinoa is tender and with an ever so slight bite. Add a pinch of salt when boiling the quinoa for added taste.
In a salad bowl, mix all ingredients together. Honestly this salad is so beautifully scrumptious by itself you don’t need any dressing to go with it. Just some good quality olive oil and a big squeeze of lemon and you’re good to go. Enjoy!
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