A quick quinoa salad idea to keep in the fridge and serve portions as required, enjoy alone with a sprinkle of nuts and seeds or as a side with some lean protein such as fish, chicken, eggs, and tofu. In colder months our bodies prefer warming foods, so I LOVE to put this in a frying pan to quickly warm through before diving in with a healthy drizzle of tahini on top.

INGREDIENTS – Serves 2

2 cup cooked quinoa

1 medium cucumber chopped into small chunks

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped finely

¾ cup finely chopped red onion

2 handfuls of kale

1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup olive oil

A handful of olives, cut up

¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

METHOD

In a large serving bowl throw together your cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine your kale with a splash of olive oil, salt and lemon and massage the kale until soft

In a smaller bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk or blend until combined

Grab your premade quinoa/grain from the fridge and add it to the serving bowl followed by the dressing on top.

Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. 6) Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary.

For best flavour, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This salad saves well in the fridge in an airtight container for about 4 days.

Recipe created by Nutritional Therapist, Eleanor Hoath for Hip & Healthy’s “Back To Wellness” campaign.