I’m a bit of a salad queen, it is my go to meal all summer long, I have many recipes I reach for, and many new creations popping up every week as I empty the fridge with what I have left over. However the quinoa salad is one of my favourite, its the perfect balance between wholesome and hearty, making it an ideal recipe when you’re looking for a light lunch or a side dish to add to dinner, this salad satisfies while not making me feel to full or heavy.

The quinoa salads, can be a great side dish to family style meals, while being super easy to prepare and throw together if you are meal prepping for work lunches. The combinations to this protein rich salad can be endless, so get in the kitchen and have fun coming up with your own unique flavour combinations.

Quinoa

(pronounced KEEN-wah) is often referred to as ancient or gluten-free grain, usually grouped with cereal grains like oats and barley however it does not grow from grasses like other cereal grains do. It is technically considered a Pseudocereal grain. 

Pseudocereals are seeds that are prepared and eaten similarly to grains, examples such as buckwheat and amaranth. 

Quinoa was once all the rave in the super food industry, and this was due to its high nutrient rich values, this super grain is a complete protein source, offering 8–9 g of protein per cooked cup, it is a good source of complex carbs, fibre, iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium.

Quinoa Salad With Pomegranate, Pumpkin & Goat’s Cheese

Prep time 10 minutes

Cooking time 15 minutes

Serves 4, or a great side dish to accompany a BBQ

Ingredients

300 gm butternut pumpkin (about ½), diced into cubes

1 Spanish onion, cut into thin slices

1 tbsp olive oil

200 gm (1 cup) quinoa

1 cup coarsely chopped parsley or coriander

1 cup coarsely chopped mint

2 tbsp sunflower seeds

Seeds from ½ pomegranate

100 gm goat’s cheese (I LOVE Meredith Goat cheese – but its your choice)

Dressing

Juice of 1 lemon

60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method

1.Preheat oven to 220C. place pumpkin and onion on a roasting tray, drizzle with oil, season to taste and roast until caramelised (usually about 20 minutes).

2.Cook quinoa in a saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (10-15 minutes), then drain and set aside in a sieve to drain and cool completely.

3.Combine remaining ingredients except cheese in a bowl, add roasted pumpkin, onion and quinoa and toss to combine. Season to taste and serve scattered with crumbled goat’s cheese.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

PROTEIN: 56G FAT: 113G CARBS: 143G

• Approx 1884 kcal – Based off whole dish
• Approx. 471 kcal – When divided between 4 serves

HIGH IN

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin E
• B1, B2, B6
• Folate
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Copper
• Phosphorus
• Zinc
• Fibre
• Protein

Take aways

Quinoa is so versatile, this complete protein source can be mixed with almost any vegetable to create the perfect summer salad, experiment with your favourite flavours and get your creativity flowing.

We at Kin, love to immerse ourselves in the seasons and cook with in season produce from our local farmers market, I really do believe in good quality produce, you can taste the difference between freshly picked and when produce has been sitting in refrigeration for weeks on end. Produce freshly eaten contains higher quantity of vitamins and minerals, meaning it is better for you.

We do understand, that not everyone has the luxury of eating locally, but if you don’t have a market close by, your health food or grocery store will have a beautiful array of seasonal produce available for you and your family to enjoy.

Happy cooking and seasonal eating this summer.

Let me know in the comments section what your favourite summer dishes are, I would love some new inspiration.

Much love your KIN family x