Summer Quinoa Salad Recipe

I remember my first sleepover at my best friend’s house like it was yesterday. We were eight years old, she rang me on our landline the night before and asked: “Are you allergic to anything? Mum wants to know for dinner”.

“Um, yes, I’m allergic to… oranges, cow’s milk, animal fur, dust…” I paused as I heard her rattling off the list to her mum in the background.

A couple of moments later she said, “Mum says that’s a lot, what do usually eat, air??”

We had a good laugh, and a great meal the next day. As an asthmatic kid growing up in the late 90’s - early 2000’s Singapore, this was a pretty common reaction, but recently, it’s amazing how much food has evolved to suit almost any dietary requirement under the sun.

One of our greatest joys at Jotterbook Flowers is nourishing you in heart, mind and body during our workshops. It’s so important to us that everyone takes a moment to enjoy being present over a delicious meal. We select a variety of seasonal fruits and fresh-baked goods from our local bakeries, and during our Christmas Wreath and Enchanted Terrarium workshops with High Tea, my beautiful Mum creates a star dish from scratch to bring to the table.

This summer, she’s making a gorgeous Summer Quinoa salad that is not only vegan, gluten- and dairy-free, but juicy, crunchy, filling and absolutely delicious. We’ve been enjoying this outside in the garden during each workshop, basking in the warmth of the sun on our faces as we share stories and delight in each other’s presence. Read on for the recipe:

Summer Quinoa Salad

Serves: 6-8 people depending on serving size

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20

Dietary specifications: Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
• 2 cups water
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• ¾ cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cook the Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa, drain and combine with the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease to a gentle simmer. With the pot uncovered, cook while simmering gently, until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat, cover the pot, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes. This gives it time to get nice and fluffy.
2. Prepare fresh ingredients: In a large serving bowl, combine the rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped cucumber, bell peppers, onions and parsley. Toss gently to combine and set aside.
3. Make dressing: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.
4. Combine: Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the large serving bowl with the fresh ingredients, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
5. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary.
6. Serve and enjoy!

I’m so excited to have this again at our High Tea workshops this year. It’s the perfect combination of healthy and delicious, and a great way to nourish our weary bodies after a long week.

Come along and try it for yourself and join us on our upcoming workshops