Quinoa with vegetables, olives, fresh herbs, lemon zest and poppy seeds

by Alice on ottobre 22, 2009

Quinoa with vegetables, olives, fresh herbs, lemon zest and poppy seeds

Ingredients

half a cup quinoa, rinsed under running water
filtered water and a pinch of whole sea salt (to cook the quinoa)
1 medium zucchini, trimmed, peeled and sliced
half a head of Romanesco broccoli, washed, broken into bite-sized florets and cooked in salted boiling water for 3-5 minutes (they should stay crunchy)
a large handful of green olives, stones removed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 small fresh red chilli, seeds removed and chopped
2 handfuls of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
a handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
zest of 1 lemon, grated

Makes 2-4 servings.

Quinoa with vegetables, olives, fresh herbs, lemon zest and poppy seeds

Directions

Place the quinoa in a heavy bottomed saucepan and pour water over it (2 parts water,1 part quinoa). Bring to a boil, add a pinch of salt, cover then turn down the heat to a low simmer. Let the quinoa cook for 15-20 minutes, until amost transparent and a bit fluffy. Remove from the heat then transfer into a large salad bowl or a serving tray.
Let cool a bit then add the zucchini, the broccoli, the olives, the garlic, the chilli, the parsley and the basil. Season with the olive oil and salt, mix thouroughly then garnish with the poppy seeds end the lemon zest. You can serve it either warm or cool.


Posted in: autumn,lunch-box,salads,savoury,vegetables

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Denise ottobre 22, 2009 alle 13:41

I just made quinoa for the first time last week in a sort of tabouli type dish. It was wonderful! I can’t wait to do more with it. This looks tasty!

2 Alice ottobre 22, 2009 alle 13:50

Thanks Denise! I like quinoa a lot and love the fact it is packed with complete vegetable protein.

3 Mihl ottobre 25, 2009 alle 05:51

What a fantastic idea to add poppy seeds to a savoury dish!

4 Alice ottobre 25, 2009 alle 08:51

Poppy seeds are so cute. The perfect final touch in some dishes. They’re also high in calcium and protein ;)

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