In a simple salad you get the high protein, gluten free punch of quinoa. Low GI of sesame seeds and quinoa as well as packed with vitamins through the rocket leaves to name a few. This salad can be enjoyed as a side dish or a light meal. We prefer to eat the salad with warm pumpkin, however it can be served cold.
Ingredients
- 3 cups butternut pumpkin – peeled, deseeded, rinsed, sliced into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – for roasting pumpkin
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa – Simple basic & quinoa recipe
- 6 cups rocket – washed, drained
- 1/2 cup walnuts – roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup
Directions
- Preheat a fan forced oven to 180C / 356F.
- Prepare the pumpkin and add to an oven proof dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. Place in oven for 30 minutes or until fork easily passes through the pumpkin. Remove from oven, add sesame seeds and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Prepare the quinoa following the Simple & basic quinoa recipe. Allow to cool and set aside.
- Prepare the rest of the vegetables while pumpkin and quinoa are cooking.
- In a large serving bowl add the rocket, cooled quinoa, walnuts mixing well. Finally add a layer of the pumpkin and sesame seeds on top.
- In a measuring cup add olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey or maple syrup and mix to combine. Drizzle on top of salad and mix lightly.
- Serve to table the large bowl or on individual plates.