Ok, I think the times are over when you had to explain why quinoa is just an awesome grain. So let’s just assume you guys and gals know why. If not – read here for a whole list of awesome advantages. For those of you who already have been in love with quinoa for a while, you know how yummy, healthy, quick and versatile this grain is in our daily cooking. So why not give it a twist, instead of always using it the same way?
As usually I get inspired by looking in my fridge with a hungry belly. Recently I had half of a sweet potatoe left over in the fridge. I normally love them steamed with coconut oil (another really healthy and yummy thing) but this time I wanted more than just veg. So I decided to make a quick, warm quinoa salad and give it an oriental twist. I just read an article on the great benefits of onions and garlic (great against inflammations and for your immune system) so I also roasted them together with the sweet potato cubes, some ground cumin and freshly grated ginger (also both great immune boosters!). In addition I chopped up a cucumber, 2 tomatoes, fresh chives and mixed everything with currants and almond slivers (this is why the salad gets a nice crunchy texture). Then mix everything with cooked quinoa (I like the red and white mix), add the juice of a lemon, salt, pepper and a generous amount of curry powder. It gives a great blend of flavors – totally different to the ordinary quinoa dishes I had before and can be enjoyed warm as well as cold.
Variations:
If you like, you can also add some cheese. I used a bit of Gbejniet , the maltese special cheese, but also feta would go well. For a vegan version just skip it. This salad would also go lovely as a side with some grilled chicken or a BBQ.
Nadisunshine 