My Tutti Frutti Pesto & Quinoa Citrus Salad

This is an incredible salad – a powerball of superfoods.  It’s best served slightly warm or at room temperature is  best and it’s a hearty salad for the autumn, winter and spring months – it is full of rainbow colours, vitality and has a wonderful aroma and texture.  The taste is sublime and you will want to make this again.  If you have extra left, refrigerate it and place it in an airtight container, but bring it out of the fridge a half hour before serving, so that it is back to room temperature. Try sprinkling your favourite seeds on top of it for an extra health crisp treat (crushed raw almonds, linseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds).  The citrus just gives it that extra dimension – my guests said it’s out of this world !  Enjoy and let me know how yours goes.

This is an incredible salad – served slightly warm, or at room temperature is best – and it’s a hearty salad for the autumn, winter and spring months.  It is full of rainbow colours and vitality, and has a wonderful aroma and texture.  The taste is sublime, and you will want to make this again and again.  If you have extra left, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate, but bring it out of the fridge half an hour before serving, so that it is back to room temperature. Try sprinkling your favourite nuts or seeds on top for an extra healthy crisp treat (for example crushed raw almonds, linseeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds).  The citrus just gives it that extra dimension – my guests said it’s out of this world ! Enjoy, and let me know how yours goes.

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD

the zest of an orange

the zest of a lime

the juice of half an orange

the juice of half a lime

1 small eggplant (aubergine), chopped and griddle-panned

1 red bell pepper, or red romano pepper, chopped and griddle-panned

1 medium sized zucchini, chopped and griddle-panned

½ cup red quinoa, pre-boiled (don’t overcook it), drained and set aside

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 spring onion, chopped

¼ cup dried black raisins (I used the jumbo ones)

2 Tbsp dried cranberries

1½ cups sweetcorn

INGREDIENTS FOR PARSLEY & CILANTRO WALNUT PESTO

2 handfuls fresh flat leaf parsley

1 handful fresh cilantro (coriander)

12 walnuts

2 sun dried tomato halves

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (available in the US from here, or in the UK from here)

6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

a pinch of Himalayan salt – add with caution, as this salt’s very concentrate (available in the US from here, or in the UK from here)

METHOD FOR THE PESTO

Place the dried ingredients in a food processor, and process until all is finely chopped, then gradually add the oil until a thick paste is formed (taste the finished product for salt).  Then spoon out and set aside in a bowl.

METHOD FOR THE SALAD

1. After griddle panning the veggies, set them aside in bowls and go make your pesto.
2. Now add all the salad ingredients into a large serving bowl of your choice (except for the lime and orange juice), then spoon in the quinoa on one side, and the pesto on the other.
3. Toss the lot gently, add the citrus juices, toss again gently, and serve.  This salad tastes best when served at room temperature.  Enjoy !

All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010

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