I’m so excited about this fabulous salad rich with herbs and vegetables, some cooked and some raw, and all intense with the saltiness and flavours of summertime. This quinoa salad takes on Mediterranean flavours and and ties them together with a simple dressing. It is fresh and light yet has bold, strong and hearty taste from the tapenade. It is also a breeze to make and looks as pretty as picture because of colourful vegetables I used. Quinoa is such a great vehicle for flavours and becomes magical when combined with other ingredients like fruits, veggies, herbs and nuts. Here, refreshing parsley, soft and mellow pumpkin and zucchini, crunchy beans, nutty quinoa are all balanced well with the antipasto flavour. It is the perfect thing to bring to a picnic or potluck as it can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. Just a reminder, once tossed with the dressing, the quinoa will soak up and go a little soggy. So do not overcook quinoa and add dressing a couple of hours before serving. Enjoy x
Ingredients (serves 4)
2 cups of cooked tricoloured quinoa
1 cup of chopped parsley
10 black olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup of sun-dried tomato strips
1 tbsp coconut oil to cook veggies
1/2 cup of chopped zucchini
1/2 cup of chopped butternut pumpkin
handful of yellow beans
2 tbsp of green olive tapenade
1 tbsp e.v.o.o
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp raw honey
salt and pepper to taste
Heat coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped zucchini, pumpkin and beans into a pan, season with salt and peppr and cook for 5-10 minutes until cooked. While veggies are cooked, make a dressing by mixing tapenade, e.v.o.o, vinegar and honey in a bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside. Take cooked veggies off the heat, cool it down and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add cooked quinoa, chopped parsley, olives, sun-dried tomatoes into a bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Check seasoning and transfer to a serving plate.
