This salad makes me happy. It’s packed with freshness: zingy herbs, crunchy vegetables, creamy feta and lovely pistachios. What’s more, it’s a super versatile salad! You can swap all elements for what you find at home – so I’ve included some swap tips below. Just play with it – and make it your own happy salad!
40g raisins
150g quinoa
350ml vegetable or chicken stock, hot
200g French beans
70g edamame beans, podded
40g pistachios, shelled
100g pomegranate seeds
50g capers
20g coriander, chopped
10g mint, chopped
100g feta
olive oil, to serve
lemon wedges, to serve
For the yoghurt:
200g yoghurt
1 small garlic clove, curshed
lemon zest
salt and pepper
Serves 4
Put the raisins in a little saucepan and cover with water, bring to the boil, then set aside and leave the raisins to soak while preparing the remaining ingredients.
Rinse the quinoa, put in a saucepan and add the hot stock. Cover and boil for 10 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove the lid and cook while stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Put in a big bowl and leave to cool completely.
Trim the French beans and cook in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes add the edamame beans and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain under a cold tap.
For the yoghurt: in a bowl, mix the yoghurt with the garlic, a bit of lemon zest and salt and pepper.
Add the beans and edamame to the quinoa. Drain any liquid that remains with the raisins and add the raisins to the quinoa with the pistachios, pomegranate seeds, capers and herbs. Drizzle with olive oil and a bit of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.
Distribute the quinoa salad between 4 bowls and crumble some feta over each portion. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt and a lemon wedge.
SWAP TIPS:
Swap the feta for:
• grilled halloumi
• tinned sardines/mackerel
• pan-fried smoked tofu
Swap the pistachios for:
• roasted salted cashews, pine nuts, smoked almonds or any other nuts
• go nut-free and use roasted crispy chickpeas instead
Swap the coriander and mint for:
• basil + parsley
• dill + parsley
Swap the raisins for cranberries
Swap the capers for:
• olives
• pickled pepperoni peppers, sliced
Swap the quinoa for:
• bulgur
• couscous
