Pumpkin and sage are like the beach and ice cream; they just go
together. This quinoa salad has a wintery feel to it with the use of root
vegetables. I love the slight sweetness & naughtiness of the maple syrup as
a scant dressing. This was just a thrown together lunch for a good friend popping
over, until I observed how my meat-loving fiancée devoured it with gusto.
Loving this colder weather as it means I can experiment with robust ingredients
to create good ole comfort food that is healthy and nutritious.
- 600g pumpkin (weighed when chopped), cut into even 1-2 cm pieces, skin removed & seeds peeled
- 1 large turnip, cut into even 1-2cm pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 red onion, cut into thin wedges
- a handful of fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground sage
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (liquid form)
- sea salt & ground black pepper
- 1 cup quinoa
- 40g goat's feta, crumbled into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
Cooking
1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Toss the pumpkin, turnip, garlic, onion, fresh & ground sage, oil and salt & pepper in a large mixing bowl, then arrange in a single layer on the baking tray. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender and slightly golden.
3. Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa with cold water twice. Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Leave for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
4. Place the roasted vegetables and cooked quinoa in a large serving bowl. Add the goat's feta and maple syrup and toss well to combine. Serve warm with fresh sage leaves, if desired.
Serves / 4
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes
Total Cooking time / 30 minutes
x Emily
