The Cheffy Nephew's Quinoa Salad

I was chatting (via text) to my sister Blondie the other day, as we do every day.  We talked about what we'd been eating lately, as you do.  She told me her son (my cheffy nephew) had been cooking up quinoa for a salad.  Then she asked what I was up to?  I said blogging, and she said: 'How about The CN cooks up something for your blog?'  'Go for it!' I replied.  Et voilà, here we have his quinoa salad.  And yes, he is a qualified chef, as is my sister's son-in-law.  The nephew-in-law has a café in Melbourne called Settle Gretel if ever you're down that way.  (Yes, gratuitous, unashamed plug.)    

healthy salad for lunch

Serves 2:


ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup organic quinoa, rinsed well under running water

1 small tomato, diced

1/4 continental cucumber, diced

half a large orange, segmented and chopped into chunks

1/3 red onion, finely sliced and sautéed in 1 tbs EV olive oil

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

2 tbs pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

2 tbs pine nuts (optional)


Dressing:

stir together lime juice, olive oil, salt (and sneak in some freshly ground black pepper), and pour over the salad.  I suggest 1 tbs lime juice to 2 tbs oil, and a really big pinch of salt (and pepper).  The cheffy nephew suggests you could use balsamic vinegar or a shop-bought dressing if you're taking it easy


Method:

Put the water and well-rinsed quinoa in a saucepan, bring to a boil, turn down and let it simmer for about fifteen minutes till tender; allow to cool

Place the quinoa in a large bowl; add the chopped tomato, cucumber, orange and sautéed onion

Give it all a good stir, then add the sunflower seeds, pepitas and pine nuts

Stir the dressing into the salad

Serve with extra tomato slices, cucumber, grated carrot and whatever else you fancy - some fetta or bocconcini would be nice, and some sliced apple or celery

gather your ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa cooked in  one cup of water for about fifteen minutes till tender

cheffy nephew about to start chopping

add the chopped tomato

chop that orange

dice the cucumber

finely slice the red onion for sautéeing

try some balsamic if you wish:-)

Hear the clatter!  Such a great sound.  (Press play twice if the video doesn't appear.)

add the seeds

ready to eat

looking delicious and healthy

gratuitous shot of the cheffy nephew :-)

(Thanks Sis for the photos and video.)