Escape From Tuna Salad

A collection of recipes, put together by an author with a tiny kitchen and a busy life.

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Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Feta Quinoa is high on the list of FOODS I FEEL I SHOULD EAT, but I am still building up a repertoire of ways to use it. Today was my first crack at this salad as a work lunch, and it was pretty successful! I’ve adapted this recipe from Taste to make a batch big enough for two work lunches. Ingredients  500ml (2 cups) water 150g (1 cup) quinoa, rinsed, drained Olive oil spray 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths 1 large red capsicum, roasted 40g crumbled reduced-fat feta 30g sunflower seed kernels 2 shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced 1 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley 1 1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice 2 tsp honey 2 tsp olive oil 1 tsp sweet paprika 2 big handfuls of baby rocket leaves Method Combine water and quinoa in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, preheat a large chargrill on high. Spray lightly with oil. Cook the asparagus for 2-3 minutes or until tender crisp.  Char grill your capsicum however you prefer - I just popped mine in our little toaster oven and rotated it until it was black all over, then remove the charred skin and slice it up. Add the asparagus, capsicum, feta, sunflower seed kernels, shallot and parsley to the quinoa. Whisk the lemon juice, honey, oil and paprika in a small bowl until well combined. Add the dressing and rocket to the quinoa mixture. Season with pepper and toss to combine. Note: For work lunches, I separated out the quinoa, the dressing, the rocket and the other stuff into separate containers, then put together just before I ate them. It’s worth the hassle to stop everything getting soggy.

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus and Feta

Quinoa is high on the list of FOODS I FEEL I SHOULD EAT, but I am still building up a repertoire of ways to use it. Today was my first crack at this salad as a work lunch, and it was pretty successful! I’ve adapted this recipe from Taste to make a batch big enough for two work lunches.

Ingredients 

  • 500ml (2 cups) water
  • 150g (1 cup) quinoa, rinsed, drained
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths
  • 1 large red capsicum, roasted
  • 40g crumbled reduced-fat feta
  • 30g sunflower seed kernels
  • 2 shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbs chopped fresh continental parsley
  • 1 1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 2 big handfuls of baby rocket leaves

Method

  • Combine water and quinoa in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, preheat a large chargrill on high. Spray lightly with oil. Cook the asparagus for 2-3 minutes or until tender crisp. 
  • Char grill your capsicum however you prefer - I just popped mine in our little toaster oven and rotated it until it was black all over, then remove the charred skin and slice it up.
  • Add the asparagus, capsicum, feta, sunflower seed kernels, shallot and parsley to the quinoa.
  • Whisk the lemon juice, honey, oil and paprika in a small bowl until well combined. Add the dressing and rocket to the quinoa mixture. Season with pepper and toss to combine.

Note: For work lunches, I separated out the quinoa, the dressing, the rocket and the other stuff into separate containers, then put together just before I ate them. It’s worth the hassle to stop everything getting soggy.