I try to make sure that greens feature in my diet every single day, from steamed or lightly stir-fried broccoli, asparagus and mangetout, to huge salads and spinach and kale in green smoothies and juices. It definitely means being a bit more organised with grocery shopping and always having the fridge (and freezer) stocked up. But they’re so worth it!
Green veggies are rich in chlorophyll, the compound that gives them their green pigment. Chlorophyll has an almost identical molecular structure to the haemoglobin in human blood, which makes greens an excellent food for building and oxygenating your blood. I find that increasing greens in my diet helps to support my energy levels, and kale, spinach and broccoli are useful plant-based sources of iron.
For this warm and zesty quinoa salad with greens, I simply cooked the quinoa, added steamed green peas, spring onion and lime, and whizzed up a basic dressing using creamy avocado. A few leaves of refreshing mint, and it made a quick and simple but really nourishing lunch or dinner. It’s also an ideal dish to make in bigger batches, to last you for a few days.
I would love to know if you get a chance to make this Zesty Quinoa Salad with Avocado Dressing! Simply tag #RosannaDavisonNutrition on Instagram or Twitter or come on over to my Facebook to say hello 🙂
- 85g (1/2 cup) dry quinoa
- Water, for cooking
- 80g (1/2 cup) green peas, steamed
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- Handful of fresh ripped mint leaves, with coarse stems removed
- Pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 a ripe avocado
- 12g (handful) fresh parsley
- 1 tsp raw organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp low-sodium tamari dressing
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1 clove garlic
- Pinch of dried chilli flakes
- Pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Rinse the quinoa well under cold water.
- In a saucepan over a medium heat, cook the quinoa in double the volume of water.
- Allow it to simmer for ten minutes, until the seeds open out.
- Remove from the heat and allow it to cool and absorb any remaining liquid.
- While the quinoa cooks, prepare the dressing by placing all ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth and creamy. Taste and season. Use more water for a thinner consistency.
- Add the steamed peas, lime juice, spring onions, mint leaves and seasoning to the warm quinoa, tossing well.
- Serve topped with the dressing (You'll probably have extra left over).
- Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.