Quinoa, Fennel and Broad Bean Salad

Name: Quinoa, Fennel and Broad Bean Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa; 6 leaves Kale or Cavolo Nero; 1 cup Broad Beans shelled; 1/2 bulb Fennel; 1/2 Red Onion; 6 Radishes; 1/2 Lemon Zest and Juice; 1 handful Parsley, Dill or Coriander; 1 handful raw Almonds; 1 pinch Salt (I only use a pinch to massage the Cavolo Nero); 1/4 cup Tahini; 1/2 Lemon Zest and Juice; 1 clove Garlic minced; 1/2 tsp Maple syrup; 1 tsp dijon Mustard; Freshly cracked Black Pepper to taste

This healthy Summer Salad is full of protein. It is wholesome, full of flavours and different textures. It is so delicious that you will want to eat it all summer. With super nutritious Quinoa and crunchy seasonal vegetables, a mouth-watering Tahini, and Lemon & Garlic dressing. It is easy to make, uses no oil and is perfect for lunches, weeknight dinners, picnics, or to take to a house party.

Ingredients

½ cup of uncooked Quinoa
6 leaves of Kale or Cavolo Nero
1 cup of Broad Beans shelled
½ bulb of Fennel
½ Red Onion
4-6 Radishes
½ Lemon Zest and Juice
1 big handful of Parsley, Dill or Coriander
1 handful of raw Almonds
Salt to taste (I only use a pinch to massage the Cavolo Nero)

Tahini Dressing

1/4 cup of Tahini
½ Lemon Zest and Juice
1 clove of Garlic minced
½ tsp of Maple syrup
1 tsp of dijon Mustard
Freshly cracked Black Pepper to taste

Instructions

Step 1 – Start by rinsing the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cool running water. Bring to a boil with 3/4 cup of water or veggie stock and 2 Bay Leaves (ratio = 1 part quinoa to 1½ parts water). Simmer on a low setting for 20 mins.

Step 2 – In boiling water blanch the broad beans for a couple of minutes. Once the beans are cool enough to handle, make a cut in the second shell (which will have come loose during cooking) and pop out the bright green bean inside. If the Beans are young and small you can keep the second shell and skip this step.

Step 3 – Wash the kale and cut the middle core with a knife, repeat for all the leaves. Cut the stalks very finely. They are full of fibre and vitamins. Bring together the chopped kale and stalks with a pinch of salt flakes. Add zest and juice of 1/2 lemon and massage with your hands for a few minutes.

Step 4 – Cut the Fennel and red Onion very finely with a knife or mandolin. Bring them together with a pinch of Salt, Pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice and put aside.

Step 5 – Roast the Almonds in the oven at 170C for 12 mins. Roughly cut the Parsley and Dill or whatever fresh herbs you have in hand. Coriander works very well too.

Step 6 – Cut the Radishes in small bite sized pieces.

Step 7 – In a bowl bring together the Tahini, minced Garlic, Maple syrup, Mustard, Black Pepper and the zest and juice of ½ lemon. Whisk together and slowly add the cold water until you get a smooth emulsion. Try the dressing and adjust according you taste buds.

Step 8 – Assemble the salad on a large serving plate. Start with the massaged Kale, top with the fennel and red onions, followed by the red Quinoa and Broad Beans.

Step 9 – Add the fresh herbs, Radishes and drizzle the Tahini dressing making sure you spread it all around. Top with chopped roasted Almonds, Sprouts and 1 tsp of Hemp seeds for extra protein. Serve in a small bowl and mix it to make sure the dressing coats all the veggies and Quinoa.

About the Ingredients

Broad Bean: You can substitute for any other bean or asparagus. It’s also very good with lentils or chickpeas. Broad beans are very high in protein and energy but also plentiful with health-benefiting antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and plant sterols. They are a very rich source of dietary fibre which acts as a bulk laxative and have also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing the re-absorption of cholesterol binding bile acids in the colon.

Almonds: You can substitute for another nut of your choice, but roasted Almonds really elevate this Salad, They bring another range of flavours and a crunchy texture, they are nutty, earthy, warm and compliment the Fennel and onion. Almonds are also high in antioxidants, vitamin E, protein, and fibre.

Lemon Zest and Juice: There are five flavours that serve as the foundation in every recipe: sweet, bitter, salty, sour, and umami. Lemon acidity cuts greasiness and heaviness and gives food a fresh, clean taste. Lemon juice can also change a food’s texture to fit a variety of needs, it contains citric acid, the zest contains lemon oil, which is where you’ll find the most flavour. Lemons are high in vitamin C, fibre, and various beneficial plant compounds.

Quinoa: I wasn’t a big fan of Quinoa because I thought it was bland and boring. The grains are so small they get lost everywhere. But Quinoa is such a protein packed little grain that I decided to give it a try. The secret for good Quinoa is to add lots of flavours and textures. Quinoa goes with everything. I love it with roasted vegetables too. Quinoa is gluten free and a complete protein, which means it contains all of the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins that make up your muscles, bones, skin, and blood.

Kale or Cavolo Nero: Kale contains fibre, antioxidants, calcium, vitamins C and K, iron, and a wide range of other nutrients that can help prevent various health problems. Iron from plants is harder to be absorbed by the human body. It needs extra vitamin C so that is the reason I massage the kale with lemon juice. The massage method isn’t just for fun though I enjoy it 😉

Tahini: Tahini is ground, toasted sesame seeds. You can make it at home using just sesame seeds or get a good quality one that is 100% sesame seeds. Tahini is a great and healthy source of fat and it makes the best of the salad dressings.