quinoa and tomato salad with feta

How to make quinoa and tomato salad with feta recipe

Serves 4

Total cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients:
150 g (5 oz) quinoa, rinsed under running cold water
300 ml (½ pint) boiling water
4 yellow or red tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1 large green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced
100 g (3½ oz) pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
½ cucumber, cut in half lengthways, deseeded and sliced
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped mint
4 small red or white chicory, sliced
100 g (3½ oz) feta cheese
2 tablespoons toasted mixed seeds
small handful of alfalfa sprouts
salt and pepper
lemon wedges, to serve

Method:
Tip the quinoa into a medium-sized saucepan and pour over the measured boiling water. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 12–15 minutes. It is ready when the seed begins to come away from the germ. Drain the quinoa in a fine sieve and cool under running cold water. Drain well.

Meanwhile, mix together in a large bowl the tomatoes, pepper, spring onions, olives and cucumber, then stir in the lemon rind, parsley and mint.

Mix the cooled quinoa through the vegetables and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste. Set aside for 5–10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.

Scatter the chicory onto 4 serving plates, spoon over the quinoa salad and crumble over the feta. Sprinkle with the toasted seeds and alfalfa sprouts and serve.

For minted pea quinoa, heat 250 g (8 oz) ready-to-eat red and white quinoa or ready-to-eat red mixed wholesome grains, according to the pack instructions.

Tip the quinoa or grains into a bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons each of chopped flat leaf parsley and mint, 125 g (4 oz) thawed frozen peas and 2 finely sliced spring onions.

Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste, and crumble over 100 g (3½ oz) Wensleydale cheese or a similar crumbly white cheese. Sprinkle over 2 tablespoons toasted mixed seeds and serve. Total cooking time 10 minutes.

quinoa and tomato salad with feta