Recipe - Moroccan Quinoa Salad

Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") is apparently an ancient grain that has been rediscovered and found to be a super food, because it has a low glycemic index and is full of protein.  So immediately we were skeptical as to its taste. 

So after obsessing about it for a few days we bit the bullet and wondered where keeen-wah had been all our lives?  What a tasty little grain you are, keeen-wah!  Try this Moroccan Quinoa Salad, we guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Kind to the waist too, if you don't eat the lot ;-)

Ingredients - Salad

1 1/2 cups fresh chicken stock

1 1/2 cups water 

3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dried)

1 1/2 cups canned black beans (from health food stores or you can substitute borlotti or kidney beans)

1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh is best but you can use canned or frozen)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

1/4 cup fresh chopped mint

1/4 cup fresh chopped coriander

Ingredients - Dressing

2 teaspoons ground cumin seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (juice from about 2 lemons)

Method

Cook quinoa in chicken stock and water for around 12-15 minutes depending on the directions on the pack, it generally needs 3 times the amount of liquid to dry ingredient. Stir to ensure it doesn't stick to the saucepan.  

While quinoa is cooking, whisk together lemon juice, cumin, salt & sugar into a small bowl.

Combine cooked quinoa with remaining ingredients (except fresh herbs) into a medium sized bowl & refrigerate for an hour so the flavours combine.  Add fresh herbs just prior to serving.

The whole salad contains 1340 calories and will serve 5 people easily.  So that's around 258 calories per serve.  We served with a healthy green salad.