Bean and Quinoa salad complimented with spinach, topped with a lemon & garlic yogurt dressing..

You’re probably thinking as I do when I see another salad quinoa recipe…..”enough with the quinoa already!” We surely have embraced this little grain from South America! The trouble is that it really is as good as all that. Nutritionally it packs a punch, and functionally it turns its hand to many and varied uses. I use quinoa in soups, salads, bread, pilafs……

Credit must go to my budding chef Kirsty who first compiled this delight. We were having Mark’s cousin Denise and her husband Roy over to lunch and we had this salad with crusty olive bread. We also had a lovely cheese board and fresh fruit for dessert, just in case you’re all thinking “geez! that wouldn’t fill me up!” She and I have conferred over the exact measurements for this recipe and now agree that it is perfect!

Denise’s mum (Olive) and Mark’s dad (Ronald James) were 2 of 6 Waters siblings. There were 2 sets of twins in there! No wonder Mark and I had twins as my mother is also an identical twin, and this was before the time of fertility drugs.

In the late 50’s and early 60’s, 3 of them decided to move to the Antipodes. Rick settled in Tasmania, Eric in New Zealand, and Leo tried it but didn’t like it and returned. Mark’s dad Ron died early in a motor cycling accident, Olive made a life here in the UK as did Joan who never married.

The importance of all this is we are now in contact with all of Mark’s first cousins (I will tell you about his mum’s side another time) since his 60th birthday. Its a precious thing especially as Rick (the Tasmanian uncle) had 7 children some of whom we have now met.

This is so simple that really all it is, is me supplying you with the idea and a few measurements. This bean & quinoa salad lends itself to life on both sides of the Atlantic. I would simply use lime instead of lemon if I were making this in St. Lucia.

1. Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the packet (don’t forget the salt as it is critical) and set aside to cool.
2. Mix all the dressing ingredients together.
3. Assemble the salad in a pleasing way. I started with the leaves and then artfully arranged everything else upon them. The carrots strips were literally achieved using my potato peeler.
4. Dribble on the dressing being a bit cautious as you don’t want to drown your salad.

Serves 4

the dressing

1 clove garlic pressed

juice 1/2 lemon

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 heaping tbsp natural yogurt

salt and pepper

the quinoa salad

1 can borlotti beans (1 cup freshly cooked)

1 can canellini beans (1 cup freshly cooked)

115g baby spinach

6 or 8 pieces sun dried tomatoes

few strips of carrot for garnish

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