Quinoa Grain Makes A Sensational Salad

Layered Sensation With Grain Of Quinoa, Roasted Pumpkin Beetroot & Parsley

This recipe makes 2 main sized servings or 4 sides.

Just Add	Part 1: Cook Quinoa
• 1 cup quinoa • 2 cups water • 2 ts vegetable stock powder	• Firstly, place the grain in a medium sized sauce pan and rinse them in lots of running water. You'll notice lots of bubbles at the start and by the third rinse, the rinse water runs clear. Friends tell me this is the washing away of enzymes that would otherwise cause bloating • Add 2 cups of water • Stir in the stock powder • Bring to a rapid boil then turn the heat down immediately to the lowest setting • Allow to simmer till all the water is absorbed • After turning the heat off, leave the lid covered for a further 5 to 10 minutes. • Fluff with a fork and the delicious quinoa is ready to serve.
Just Add	Part 2: Arrange the salad
• 1 cup roasted pumpkin pieces • 8 slices of tinned beetroot • 16 stems of flat leaf parsley • 1 cup of freshly shaved Parmesan cheese	To make one serve: • Arrange 1/4 of cooked quinoa on the dinner plate and shape into a patty • Layer with 1/4 of pumpkin • Layer with 2 slices of beetroot • Garnish attractively with the parsley leaves • Top with freshly shaved Parmesan • Repeat to make 4 layered salads, directly on the dinner plates

It is just gorgeous!

I've found quinoa grain to be easier to cook than rice as rice does tend to stick to the pan. There's no question this grain is much healthier for us being a low GI food and it is so versatile to cook with.

Easy Recipes - Tip

I love recipes like this which are cobbled together from bits of delicious left overs. All that was cooked fresh for this wonderful combination of flavors was the quinoa.