HEALTHY GREEN QUINOA SALAD

Such an easy salad to put together, but so nourishing and satisfying.

I often prep the grains and the dressing on a Sunday, so this takes 10 minutes to put together.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa

• 2.5 cups water or vegetable stock

• 2 cups spinach, chopped

• 2 lebanese cucumbers, diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 1 large avocado, diced

• 3 spring onion, finely sliced

• 1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

  Dressing:

• 1 cup basil leaves

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 1 small shallot, chopped

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1/2 lemon, juice squeezed

• 1/2 tsp caster sugar

• 1/2 cup extra Virgin olive oil

• Sea salt

• Pepper

Method:

1. Rinse quinoa under water in a fine sieve. In a medium saucepan, add the quinoa, water or stock and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 mins. Turn off the heat and strain the quinoa and let it sit. Fluff with a fork and let it cool down while you prep your other ingredients.

2. For the dressing: Add all ingredients, except the olive oil, to a food processor/blender/stick blender and blend until smooth. Whisk the olive oil through at the end. Add more seasoning if you wish.

3. To a large salad bowl: Add the quinoa, spinach, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, avocado, spring onion and almonds. Drizzle over the dressing and gently combine.

   Tip: if you’re preparing this earlier, hold off on dressing the salad until you’re about to serve.

   If you make the dressing in advance, it will last up to a week in the fridge in a screw top jar