Hello! You might remember me from such films as “that blogger who went on holiday”.
I’m here with another post from the archives that I posted as a farewell a few years ago when we took a trip to Japan. I had my very lovely neighbour and blogging powerhouse Nikki from Styling You do a guest spot with a salad she made for me one night when I went over for dinner. I had never had quinoa before, on account of it sounded like hippie food. But then I remembered I actually liked hippie food and she made this and I was converted.
Take it away, Nikki and Stacey of December 12, 2011!
Greetings!
Today is the day – the one where I am finally reunited with one of my favourite dishes. After all this time, a dish that I haven’t made myself in a vain attempt to recreate a million moments I miss very much.
HUZZAH!
And while I’m gone, you may be bereft of my posting presence. Devastating, no? A whole week. Well, in order to keep you from throwing yourselves into a pit marked “despair”, I have gone and found you a suitable replacement. Stylish gal, blogger extraordinaire, champagne-lover, and excellent friend… none other than my (yes, real life) neighbour, Nikki of Styling You.
She made me this salad last week and I proposed marriage.
****
We’re very much a barbecuing type of family at this time of year. Love keeping the heat out of the kitchen, so to speak.
And I love a good salad.
Not just a toss some lettuce, tomato and cucumber into a bowl type of salad. No, I like my salads with a twist. I like them to be tasty meals in themselves. I like them to be colourful and I like them to cover off a few healthy eating bases as well.
Last week I had Veggie Mama and St Murphy over for dinner, and I made my quinoa, antipasto and goat’s cheese salad. Veggie Mama has been on at me to give her this recipe for like… forever.
Now, if you’re scratching your head and still back at the word quinoa, don’t worry. I hadn’t even heard of this super dooper grain until a weekend at a luxe health retreat almost four years ago. Now, we’d eat it at least once every week. And it’s available in your local supermarket (I used to have to hunt it down at health food stores).
Jules over at The Stone Soup has the lowdown on why quinoa has earned its superfood status, but in a nutshell, it’s gluten-free, low in carbohydrates, and high in protein.
Yep, that adds up to one very satisfying meal ingredient.
Quinoa, Antipasto and Goat’s Cheese Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa
6 cups water
handful baby spinach
handful baby rocket
Mint, shredded (to taste)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 jar of char-grilled vegetables (or grill your own, diced)
4 cubes of marinated goat’s cheese
Drizzle of olive oil from goat’s cheese jar
Method:
Prepare quinoa via absorption method. I use my Thermomix, you could use a rice cooker or saucepan (bring water to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes).
In a large salad bowl toss baby spinach, rocket, mint, lemon zest, char-grilled vegetables or antipasto vegetables.
Add warm or cool quinoa (I like warm as I like how it melts the goat cheese). Crumble in the goat’s cheese, pour on lemon juice and drizzle oil to taste and desired consistency.
Toss in bowl and serve.
Serves 8 as a side dish; 6 as a meal.
Do you cook with quinoa? Have a recipe you’d love to share? Or do you have a salad that always gets two thumbs up when you serve it up at home?
You’ll find me blogging over here and on Twitter here.
Ermagherd you guys! Quinoa AND a Thermomix! I’ve hit blogging paydirt!
Also: Twitter was so big back then. Look, not even a mention of Facebook. We didn’t even have them for our blogs! I miss you Twitter. Come back.
All of this sounds fantastic – except I can't stand the flavour of goat's cheese! What do you reckon might be the best alternative cheese to include in this salad if you're not a goat's cheese fan?
fetta?
Thanks! I shall print this out and try that…do like fetta.
I'd go fetta or haloumi.
I got the books from you today that I purchased via Ebay. Thanks so much!
I like to make this recipe with quinoa http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/warm-and-nutty-cinnamon-quinoa-recipe.html
Pretty yum breakfast
YUMMMMM. Imma make this. I am. XXX
Can't say I've ever cooked with 'keen-wa' but I'm kinda keen now… wa! x
That looks delicious! I'm a veg too and its making my mouth water..
It's such good stuff!
Oh god! I groaned AND giggled, so… you win!
I'm scared to try it for breakfast, but it looks so good!!
Oh I'm pleased!! I hope you like them 🙂
Oh feta would be awesome! But I'm quite partial to haloumi too 🙂
I'm so behind in blogland… You are probably home by now and I'm only just reading this! This salad looks SO good! I make a similar one with coucous but quinoa is a much healthier alternative. Will have to give it a try! Hope you had a great trip!
Katie x
I am, but I had an excellent time! I can never make cous cous properly… it clumps in a most unappetising manner 🙁
HELOOOOOO DELICIOUSNESS! <3 <3!
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