Hello everyone, what perfect timing for a salad made with roasted vegetables, with the weather in Sydney turning cool and overcast, even rainy at times, this Easter weekend. I promised you I'd give you another recipe using quinoa, for those who went out and bought some to make last week's recipe. I love this salad so much I have started making it regularly to take to work for lunch. It's a delicious way to make sure you eat lots of vegies! Once again it's a recipe from delicious, the current edition of March 2008. I have made a few slight modifications to it to suit my tastes, but as you will see you can really use any vegetables you like.
Lots of people who know me will know that I moan and complain about the cold all through winter, and it's true that I prefer the warmth and light of summer. Still, as I closed the curtains against the dark last night and turned on lots of lamps, then prepared my first batch of rhubarb and apple for the colder months, I had to admit that the advent of the cooler months does bring a certain cosiness which I love. I think I spend even more time in the kitchen in autumn and winter, turning out lovely comfort food.
Have a lovely Easter (as well as roasted vegetables my family will be enjoying chocolate bread and butter pudding) and I hope you enjoy this week's recipe.
Love from Jane xx
Quinoa salad with roasted vegetables and feta
Serves four
What you need:
- 1 zucchini, sliced (about 2cm thick)
- 1 small butternut pumpkin (about 400g), cut into small cubes that will go nice and crisp
- 1 red capsicum, cut in small pieces
- 1 ear of corn, or 2 small tins
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves
- 100g feta, crumbled (I use quite a creamy one which works really well)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 200C.
- Divide the chopped vegetables, excluding the corn, between two baking trays.
- Drizzle the vegetables with the oil and roast for 30 minutes or until golden.
- Add the corn half way through the cooking time.
- Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in a sieve and place in a pan with stock.
- Bring to the boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the water has been absorbed (keep a close eye on this so the quinoa doesn't boil dry).
- Remove the quinoa from the heat and set aside, covered, for a further 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
- Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and add the roasted vegetables, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and feta.
- Toss with the olive oil and lemon juice and serve immediately.
