Black Quinoa & Broccolini Salad

To be honest, I don’t find a massive difference in the flavour of the different colours of quinoa. So if you can only find white or red quinoa, go ahead and use what you have. In keeping with my 10 minutes time limit, the quinoa comes out on the more ‘al dente’ side, which I quite like. If you prefer your grains to be softer and more tender, just cook a few minutes longer.

enough for: 2
takes: 10 minutes
1/2 cup black quinoa (100g / 3 1/2oz)
1 bunch broccolini, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 small bunch chives, finely chopped
1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted

1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil.

2. Cook quinoa for 5 minutes. Add broccolini and continue cooking for another 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile mix balsamic vinegar with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Season.

4. Drain broccolini and quinoa and toss in the dressing.

5. Add chives and almonds and serve hot, warm or chilled.

Variations

carnivore – serve as a side dish to a steak or lamb chops. Or replace the almonds with a few rashers of bacon that have been chopped into batons and pan fried until crisp. You could also replace the quinoa with ground (minced) beef or serve as a side to BBQ chicken.

nut-free – replace the almonds with some torn buffalo mozzarella, slices of goats cheese, a few chunks of ricotta or some generous shavings of parmesan.

no broccolini – replace with regular broccoli or a bag of salad or baby spinach leaves.

different herbs – feel free to use parsley, basil or mint instead of the chives.

different grains – replace quinoa with 1 cup cooked grains such as farro, brown rice or barley and skip the boiling step.

paleo – replace quinoa with 450g (1lb) minced (ground) beef. Brown beef in a little oil in a pan then toss in the dressing with the drained cooked broccolini, almonds and chives. Or you could just replace quinoa with an extra bunch of broccolini / broccoli.

carb lovers / more substantial – extra quinoa or serve with warm tortillas or flat bread.

more veg – add snowpeas, frozen peas or shaved fennel.

Problem Solving Guide

quinoa too crunchy – I’ll admit it is a challenge to get the quinoa cooked in 10 minutes. If you prefer your grains more tender, allow 12 minutes or so for the quinoa to cook.

salad too dry – drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil.

broccolini too crunchy – simmer for a little longer next time, or cut into smaller pieces so it cooks more quickly.

can’t find quinoa? – then boil the broccolini for 4-5 minutes, drain and return to the saucepan with about a cup of cooked grains such as brown rice or barley and stir over a low heat until the grains are warm then toss in the dressing and follow the recipe as above. To use couscous, place 1/2 cup in a heatproof bowl and pour over 1/2 cup boiling water. Season and stir through a tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Cover and stand while the broccolini cooks. Fluff with a fork and stir until the dressing with the drained broccolini.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

black quinoa / balsamic vinegar /almonds – keep in the pantry.

broccolini – can be frozen. Or steam it and it will keep in a container in the fridge for a few weeks.

chives – keeps in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few weeks but probably best to use for another meal.

Leftover Potential

Excellent. Wonderful both warm and straight from the fridge. Excellent school / work lunch.