Creamy vegetable quinoa salad with lemon sesame butter

Creamy vegetable quinoa salad with lemon sesame butter
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Quinoa has been gaining in popularity lately. It’s the perfect base ingredient for couscous and summer salads. It’s ready pretty quickly (just like rice) and can be added to all kinds of recipes, both savoury and sweet. On top of that, it’s very easy to digest, gluten-free, and high in protein and omega-3. 

If you like fresh vegetables and sesame butter, this recipe will be your new favourite.

  • ServesServes 6–8
  • Prep time10 min
  • Cook time25 min
  • Timeout-
  • FreezingFreezes well

Ingredients

  • 2 cups quinoa
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 Italian eggplant, diced
  • 1/2 red pepper, diced
  • 14 oz (1 can, 398 ml) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 green onions, minced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Sesame seeds, to garnish (optional)
For the sesame butter
  • 2 tablespoons sesame butter (tahini)
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons water

Steps

  1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water until the foam disappears.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a pot and add the quinoa. Coat well. Season, add water, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid.
  3. Transfer to a salad bowl. Set aside.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the pepper and eggplant. Add oil if needed. Season and sauté for 8–10 minutes, or until eggplant is nicely browned and soft.
  5. Add the eggplant, pepper, chickpeas, green onions, and parsley to the salad bowl.
  6. Using a peeler, cut thin zucchini slices over the same salad bowl. Mix all the ingredients together. Set aside.
  7. In another bowl, combine all the sesame butter ingredients until the dressing is smooth. Season and pour over the quinoa. Mix well and enjoy.
Recipe published on August 19, 2018