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Just back from a few days in the French Alps, I was in desperate need of something light and nourishing, as I threw this salad together for lunch. Despite what the French think about being world masters of cuisine, their knowledge and creativity around vegetarianism or anything that lies beyond what's considered traditional french cooking, is quite shocking. I know this well but still, every time I go to France, I somehow hope that a miracle has descended. Reality check once again, no miracles have happened!
After being away, i'm never not delighted to be back in my kitchen, to be greeted by friendly jars of wholegrains pulses, nuts, seeds, spices, condiments and everything else that contributes to the kitchen stores. Today, knowing exactly what my body asking was for, I went straight for the quinoa and a tin of black beans. I love this combination because the lightness of quinoa compliments the richness of the black beans so perfectly. Tossed up with a little celery and radish for colour, crunch and an uplifting energy, along with some avocado for quality fat and creaminess, this makes the perfect lunch salad under the circumstances of my present needs! To make it even more creamy and delicious, I made an almond dressing using white almond butter. White almond butter, as opposed to regular almond butter, is made from blanched, skinless almonds. It has more of a marzipan flavour than the regular almond butter and because it is white, it works a treat in dressings and desserts.
I often get asked if it's okay to use tins of cooked beans, so I just want to clarify here that of course it's okay! We live in a busy world and the reality is most of us don't have time to soak dried beans overnight and cook them the next day, so never be afraid to use a tin. Buy organic where possible and always ensure there is nothing but water added to the beans. With most beans, I would drain them from the tin and rinse under cold water. However, black beans and aduki beans are an exception, as the liquid can be used to make black bean or aduki bean tea. I know that might sound a little strange but it's actually delicious and extremely nourishing for the kidneys and the blood. Simply drain off the liquid and either keep it for later use in the fridge or heat it up in a saucepan, add a little shoyu and drink immediately just like a soup. The warming effect is immediate and you can feel the power of this liquid as it moves through the digestive tract. This made the perfect accompaniment to my salad. I urge you to give it a go!
After being away, i'm never not delighted to be back in my kitchen, to be greeted by friendly jars of wholegrains pulses, nuts, seeds, spices, condiments and everything else that contributes to the kitchen stores. Today, knowing exactly what my body asking was for, I went straight for the quinoa and a tin of black beans. I love this combination because the lightness of quinoa compliments the richness of the black beans so perfectly. Tossed up with a little celery and radish for colour, crunch and an uplifting energy, along with some avocado for quality fat and creaminess, this makes the perfect lunch salad under the circumstances of my present needs! To make it even more creamy and delicious, I made an almond dressing using white almond butter. White almond butter, as opposed to regular almond butter, is made from blanched, skinless almonds. It has more of a marzipan flavour than the regular almond butter and because it is white, it works a treat in dressings and desserts.
I often get asked if it's okay to use tins of cooked beans, so I just want to clarify here that of course it's okay! We live in a busy world and the reality is most of us don't have time to soak dried beans overnight and cook them the next day, so never be afraid to use a tin. Buy organic where possible and always ensure there is nothing but water added to the beans. With most beans, I would drain them from the tin and rinse under cold water. However, black beans and aduki beans are an exception, as the liquid can be used to make black bean or aduki bean tea. I know that might sound a little strange but it's actually delicious and extremely nourishing for the kidneys and the blood. Simply drain off the liquid and either keep it for later use in the fridge or heat it up in a saucepan, add a little shoyu and drink immediately just like a soup. The warming effect is immediate and you can feel the power of this liquid as it moves through the digestive tract. This made the perfect accompaniment to my salad. I urge you to give it a go!
Recipe (serves 2)
3/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1 large stick of celery finely sliced
2 baby radishes finely sliced
1/2 an avocado finely sliced
1 spring onion finely chopped
Small handful of coriander chopped
For the dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
1.5 tsp white almond butter
1 tsp shoyu
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp raw honey or maple syrup
Method: Rinse the quinoa in a sieve and place in a saucepan with 1.5 cups of water. Cook for 15 minutes, until the water is gone and the grain is fluffy. Remove to a bowl and add all the other ingredients. To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender or whisk well by hand. Pour over and mix through with a fork.
Tip: This salad would also be delicious served with roasted sweet potato or slices of roasted squash.
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