Black Quinoa & Green Bean Salad with Sweet Potato Chips

Black quinoa looks striking on your plate and teams well with bright green and orange colours in this simple but impressive dish! And there is so much to love about this antioxidant-packed plate of goodness. It’s a feel-good, nourishing dish with plenty of layers and textures, from crunchy greens to soft sweet potato and an amazingly tangy aromatic dressing! Your tummy will be rumbling as you create this wonderful lunch or light dinner.  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black quinoa, soaked for 3 hours, rinsed, drained
• 21⁄2 cups filtered water
• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut crossways into 5mm-thick slices
• 1⁄4 cup cold-pressed olive oil
• 1 teaspoon quality salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 150g green beans, trimmed
• 150g snow peas, trimmed
• 1⁄2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1⁄2 cup pepitas
• 2-3 basil leaves, shredded, for garnishing
• 12 yellow grape tomatoes, halved, for garnishing

Basic salad dressing:

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon quality salt

Lime & basil vinaigrette:

• 1⁄2 cup cold-pressed olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup lime juice
• 12 basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon unpasteurised apple cider vinegar*
• 1 tablespoon hulled tahini
• 1 teaspoon quality salt

* You’ll find this ingredient at your local Santos Organics store or online.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C fan forced.
2. Place the Black Quinoa (drained if soaked) in a small saucepan with the filtered water and bring to the boil on a medium heat.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is soft and cooked.
4. Drain, then cool under cold running water. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl.
5. Meanwhile, place the sweet potato rounds on a large flat baking tray and toss with oil, salt and pepper to coat.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden and soft. Set aside.
7. Lightly blanch the beans and snow peas for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until they turn bright green but still retain their crunch. Drain, then cool under cold running water to prevent further cooking. Drain well and add to the quinoa.
8. Heat a medium frying pan on a medium heat and dry-fry sunflower seeds and pepitas, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes or until evenly toasted and golden brown.
9. Set aside to cool, then add half the seeds and pepitas to the quinoa mixture.
10. When ready to serve, make the salad dressing and pour over quinoa salad. Toss to combine.
11. Divide the quinoa salad onto 4 serving plates and top with sweet potato rounds, the remaining seeds and pepitas, the shredded basil and the tomatoes. Serve with the lime & basil vinaigrette on the side.

Basic salad dressing:

1. Place all the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously until well combined.

Lime & basil vinaigrette:

1. Place all the vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Pour into a small jug.

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