This delicious, nutritious salad from Donna Hay’s Fresh and Light is a great combination of flavor and textures. Add wilted kale and fresh parsley to cooked red quinoa and toss with a smokey paprika dressing. Top with some grilled halloumi cheese and you have a wonderful side dish or vegetarian entrée. Halloumi is a semi-hard, unripened, brined cheese typically made from goat’s milk, sheep’s milk and, sometimes, cow’s milk. Because it has a high melting point, it is great for grilling or frying. Cook’s note: arugula would be a good substitute for kale in this salad.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
Read the label on the cheese to ensure it does not contain additives or colour. Make sure the smoked paprika does not contain colour.
Pour boiling water over the kale to wilt it slightly
Cooked red quinoa, parsley and smokey lemon dressing
Halloumi has a high melting point, so it is great for grilling or frying
Toss quinoa, kale and parsley with dressing
Fry the halloumi for a few minutes on each side, until browned
Red quinoa, kale and halloumi salad
Ingredients:
5 oz (150 g) kale, trimmed
2.5 cups (750 ml) cooked red quinoa
½ cup (125 ml) flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 lb. (500 g) halloumi, thinly sliced
Olive oil, for brushing
For the smoky lemon dressing:
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) sweet smoked paprika
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
Preparation:
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions and set aside.
Cut the kale into large pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over and allow to stand for five minutes. Drain and pat dry. Toss the kale with the quinoa and parsley.
To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, paprika and oil. Pour over the salad and toss.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush the halloumi with oil and cook until golden. Divide the salad between serving plates and top with the halloumi to serve. Serves 4.
From Fresh and Light by Donna Hay
This lovely salad from Style at Home is perfect for a summer picnic or buffet. Roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas are mixed with red quinoa, nuts, seeds, mint and dried cranberries, and then tossed with a harissa-flavoured dressing. This would also be a great vegetarian entrée. I omitted the pomegranate seeds.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
Use a mustard that does not contain sulfites or sodium benzoate, such as President’s Choice grainy honey mustard. You can make your own harissa paste (see recipe below). Check the ingredients of the chickpeas and dried cranberries to make sure they are all natural.
Rinse the quinoa well before cooking
Roast the sweet potato and chickpeas
Toast the pecans
Moroccan sweet potato, red quinoa and roasted chickpea salad
Ingredients:
For the harissa paste
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 chipotle in adobo, minced, plus 1teaspoon adobo sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground caraway
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Combine ingredients.
For the dressing
¼ cup flaxseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp honey mustard
1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
2 tsp harissa paste
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp cinnamon
For the salad
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3⁄4″ cubes
1 540-ml can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup beluga black lentils
1 cup red quinoa, rinsed
2 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
½ cup chopped toasted pecan halves
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves + more for garnish
¼ cup dried cranberries
1⁄3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the honey harissa dressing.
Toss ¼ cup of the dressing with the sweet potatoes and spread out onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Toss another 2 tablespoons of the dressing with the chickpeas and spread out onto another parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.
In a small pot, bring the beluga lentils and 4 cups cold water to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Drain, rinse and place in a large bowl, along with the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas.
Meanwhile, in another small pot, bring the red quinoa and 4 cups water to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes. Drain the quinoa and let dry in the sieve for 2 minutes. Add to the sweet potato mixture.
Stir in the green onions, pumpkin seeds, pecans, mint and cranberries. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and toss gently to combine. Place the warm salad on a large serving platter and garnish with the fresh pomegranate seeds and mint leaves. Serves 6.
From Style at Home magazine
