Quinoa with Basil & Peas

I don’t eat a lot of grains but I do love quinoa. Mostly because it’s delicious and I adore the slightly chewy texture. But also because its gluten free and pretty high in protein. It’s also easy to cook, just boil in water and drain like pasta. Just keep the cooking time short so you don’t get gluggy quinoa.

enough for 2
150g (5oz) quinoa
2 handfuls frozen or fresh shelled peas
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 bunch basil, leaves picked
handful roasted almonds

1. Bring a medium pot of water to the boil.

2. Add quinoa and set your timer for 8 minutes. Add peas and simmer for 2 more minutes. Drain.

3. Combine lemon with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Season. Toss drained quinoa and peas in the dressing.

4. Finely chop basil and stir through the quinoa. Serve with almonds on top.

Variations

basil oil – whizz basil with enough olive oil to make a paste. Drizzle the basil oil over instead of tossing through the chopped leaves.

different herbs – basil can be expensive so use mint, flat leaf parsley and/or coriander (cilantro).

carnivore – pan fry some chicken breast, bacon, chorizo or chicken thigh fillets and toss in the salad. Or serve as a side to BBQ chicken or steak.

higher protein – serve with a poached or fried egg on top.

no quinoa? – couscous works well instead. Just pour a cup of boiling water over the couscous and peas. Stir in a few tablespoons olive oil. Cover and stand for 5-10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and adding the lemon juice and basil. Or use other whole grains such as farro or brown rice, adjust the cooking time according to the packet and remember to add the peas in the last 2 minutes.

nut-free – just skip the almonds or replace with a handful of toasted breadcrumbs.

more substantial – see the carnivore or higher protein options or serve with ricotta, feta, marinated feta or shaved Parmesan on top. Some flat bread on the side might be lovely.

different veg – if frozen peas aren’t your thing try snow peas, asparagus, sugar snap peas. Grilled veg such as eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms or red peppers (capsicum) are also great with quinoa.

grain-free – replace quinoa with 1/2 head of cauliflower that has been whizzed in the food processor to make cauli ‘couscous’. Boil peas for 2 minutes and toss through the cauli with the dressing and basil. Or use lentils instead of the quinoa and increase the simmering time.

different nuts – cashews, pine nuts, walnuts or pecans.