Keep yourself nourished with hearty root vegetables and the super grain quinoa. The beets give this dish a most amazing magenta coloring. Bring this to your table and everybody will gasp with delight – guaranteed!
serves 6
Salad:
2 medium beets, tops removed, whole
2 cups (480 ml) water
1 cup (240 ml) quinoa, rinsed
2 pinches salt
1 bulb fennel, cut into small cubes
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 handful chopped basil plus a few leaves
Dressing:
juice of 1 to 2 lemons
4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 Place the whole, unpeeled beets into a pot, add water to cover and boil until soft, about 40 to 60 minutes.
2 In a separate pot, bring the 2 cups (480 ml) of water to a boil and add the quinoa and salt. Bring to a second boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting and simmer, covered and untouched, for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Spread the cooked quinoa on a large plate to cool.
3 When the beets are soft, douse them in cold water until cool, then peel and cut them into small cubes.
4 Combine the cooked quinoa and beets in a bowl and add the fennel, scallions and chopped basil.
5 Combine the dressing ingredients in a glass jar. There should be about twice as much lemon juice as oil. Close the lid and shake to mix.
6 Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Let the salad marinate for at least ½ hour.
7 Just before serving, toss gently and adjust lemon juice and seasoning if necessary.
Garnish with basil leaves.
ENJOY!