Have you ever tried quinoa? Do you like it? It’s actually quite similar to cous cous (that I love!) but unlike cous cous, it’s great also for people who can’t tolerate gluten as it’s gluten free and easy to digest. Quinoa is an ancient grain and it originally comes from the Andes in Bolivia. It can be white, red or black and they all taste a bit differently, it seems that white one is lighter and has more subtle flavor and that’s the one I use. Quinoa is a complete protein source and is a rich source of iron, magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, potassium and it also has high fibre content and works well to regulate your blood sugar.
I love both cous cous and quinoa as they are so easy to prepare, you basically just add water (as per instructions on the packaging), boil for few minutes (a bit longer for quinoa, about 15 min) and add whatever you like to make a quick, healthy and delicious meal.
I love this combination of creamy avocado, fresh cherry tomatoes and crunchy broccoli! This dressing of olive oil, tahini and honey is from one of my favorite books lately Deliciously Ella and I use it all the time on roasted or boiled vegetables, it’s so good! It’s such a nice, tasty vegetarian meal and it takes 20 minutes to prepare, which makes it even better because who wants to spend hours cooking in the summer when it’s hot and sunny outside, right? 🙂
On a different note, I am so excited to be travelling home to Dubrovnik in few days yaaaay! As I already know that I won’t have much time to cook/bake/photograph/edit but be spending my time with family and friends, I am working hard and trying to prepare some posts in advance so I can still share some yummy and simple recipes with you while I’m away. Hopefully I’ll manage everything I planned!
- 1 cup (170 g) quinoa
- 1 small broccoli
- 1 avocado
- 10-15 cherry tomatoes
- For dressing (optional):
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
- 1 tbsp honey
- Rinse quinoa with cold water and place in saucepan with 2 cups (500 ml) of boiling water.
- Let it cook on low heat 10-15 min until the water has evaporated. Quina should be tender and fluffy when cooked.
- While the quinoa cooks, boil or steam the broccoli florets for 5-7 minutes. Cut cooked broccoli and avocado in small pieces and cherry tomatoes in half.
- In a large mixing bowl combine cooked quinoa and prepared vegetables, add a bit of salt (and pepper if using) and serve.
- To prepare the dressing, combine olive oil, tahini and honey and drizzle over the prepared dish. Alternatively if you do not wish to use this dressing, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Enjoy!
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