Lighten Up!

Sometimes you just need a salad, you know? I actually find myself needing a salad quite a lot, but it’s easy to get bored with the green varieties. I endeavor to mix it up with spinach, arugula and mesclun, but even then, I often find myself craving a change.

That brings us to the recipe du jour: quinoa salad. To make it a little heartier, I added pistachios and dressed it with a pesto for a minty kick. This works well as a side for barbequed tofu or grilled chicken, but is also nice on it’s own as a simple, midweek, pick-me-up salad supper.

Quinoa Salad with Pistachios and Parsley-Mint Pesto
Serves 4 as a side.

1 c. quinoa
2 c. water
½ c. shelled pistachios
juice of ½ a lemon
2 tbsp. (about 4 sprigs) fresh mint
½ c. (a big handful) fresh parsley
1 clove garlic
¼ c. pine nuts
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

In a medium sauce pan, toast the quinoa over medium-low heat until you hear it popping and can smell its nutty aroma. Add in the water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.

While the quinoa cooks…
In a small skillet, toast the shelled pistachios over medium heat until they brown slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then roughly chop.

In a food processor, combine the mint, parsley, garlic and pine nuts and pulse into a coarse grind. Add the vinegar and salt and pepper. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil (if you like it thinner you may need more than ¼ a cup) until you reach the desired consistency.

When the quinoa has finished cooking, let stand for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork. Squeeze in the ½ a lemon and add the chopped pistachios. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve quinoa on a large platter drizzled with the pesto.