Green Beans, Avocado, Quinoa & Radish Salad
Food should be tempting, interesting, and pleasing to the eye. It should be alluring, engaging, charming, fascinating and glamorous. I think this dish deserves all of these adjectives. It has fabulous colors, texture, smells and tastes. Surprisingly, it is a salad. Easy to make, full of nutrition and fun to put together, it’s also a great way to get the kids to try new foods. If you get them in the kitchen at a young age, they will love to help you pick the ingredients, wash, chop, season and put everything together. I should know. It worked on me. My mother would have my brother, sister and myself in the kitchen every night after school helping with dinner. It’s worked with my three boys too. They help each night to prepare the family meal, set the table, and wash the dishes when we are all finished. It’s a family affair that helps you get to know your kids. You get that rare occasion when you can actually talk with them instead of them playing Xbox or being on their phones. In return, they get to know you, and learn a life skill.
Hope you enjoy this appealing dish, and remember to make time in the kitchen fun.
Green Beans, Avocado, Quinoa & Radish Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinse
2 cups fine green beans, trimmed, and sliced in half lengthwise
1 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small lemon, zest & juice of
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup radishes, thinly sliced
2 ripe avocados, halve, pit, peel and slice
2 cups mixed salad leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro
How to Make
Place the rinsed quinoa into a medium size saucepan and cover with 2 cups of cold water, then place on the stove over a medium heat.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender.
Remove the pan from the heat, rinse the quinoa with cold water and drain well, place into a large salad bowl.
Meanwhile, cook the green beans in lightly salted boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water, add the beans to the quinoa.
Take a small bowl and whisk the garlic, oil, lemon zest/juice, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper together to form the dressing, then pour over the quinoa and beans, stir well to evenly coat.
Add the radish, avocado, salad leaves and chopped cilantro, to the salad bowl, very lightly toss together and serve.