Sexy Summer Salad

Gather

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 4-5 medium mushrooms thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup sweetcorn
• 1/2 cup fresh peas
• 8-10 green olives (mine were marinated in basil)
• Himalayan salt to taste
• —————————————–
• 3 tablespoons coconut yogurt
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• juice of half a lime
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mint
• ——————————————-
• 2-3 tablespoons mixed seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower)

Prepare

1. Wash the quinoa in a sieve until the water runs clear. Add the quinoa to a saucepan, add the water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in nutritional yeast and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Peel the sweet potato and chop into bite size dice. Heat the olive oil and balsamic in a frying pan, add the potato and cook until golden stirring occasionally. Add one tablespoon of maple syrup, stir in and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Turn the heat off but leave the pan on the ring, add the remaining maple syrup, coat all the pieces of potato then sprinkle the sesame seeds over. Gently mix to coat evenly. Remove to a cold plate to cool.
3. Melt the coconut oil and add the mushrooms. Cook until changing colour then add the black pepper. Stir through and continue to cook until all mushrooms are dark golden brown.
4. Gently toss the sweet potato, mushrooms, sweetcorn, peas and olives with the quinoa. Season with salt to taste. Serve cold with tahini yogurt dressing and toasted seeds.
5. For the dressing, mix together the yogurt, tahini, lime, chili and mint.
6. Dry fry the seeds until they start to pop – immediately transfer to a cold plate to stop them cooking further.
7. Serve the quinoa with a dollop of dressing and a sprinkle of seeds!
8. Enjoy!

Serve & Store

• This salad is designed to be eaten cold – store refrigerated (covered) for up to three days.
• Best served with the dressing and seeds but these can be omitted.
• Follow the sweet potato stage (stage 2) for a delicious side dish – serve hot or cold.
• Instead of nutritional yeast, stir through a half to one teaspoon of Cajun spice.
• Add fresh salad vegetables such as sliced yellow peppers, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes or spring onions.
• Stir the dressing all the way through instead of adding it on top – and the seeds too!
• Spoon it into crispy lettuce and use them as wraps.
• Serve on its own or with some tofu, chickpeas or falafel.