Happy Monday you guys! Although “Monday” and “Happy” are two opposite concepts and we all know that. I need another weekend already!
I’m accepting the Meatless Monday challenge and I’m going to share with you a super fast, fool proof vegan recipe that basically requires no cooking at all.
Brace yourselves!
Vegan Quinoa Salad with Tomatillo Sauce and Tahini.
Serves 2 people.
You are going to need:
Quinoa!
This earthy, smoky flavored cereal is a Native American staple. It comes in three varieties (black, red and white,) and I like this kind that mixes them up. When purchasing, make sure you get pre-washed quinoa which is ready to cook and requires no soaking.
Half a cup of Quinoa serves 2 people, and you can cook it in 1 cup of water (with a dash of salt).
Tomatillos!
They look like tiny green tomatoes and have a husk that needs to be removed. The smaller the tomatillos, the better. They have a very nice citrusy flavor and are mostly used in Mexican preparations.
Husked:
Tahini!
Tahini is sesame paste that is used to enrich the flavor of hummus and is wonderful added to vinaigrettes and salad seasonings. Keeps basically forever in the fridge.
Other stuff!
- Green and Black olives;
- Chickpeas;
- Corn (not in the picture, I decided to add it last minute!);
- Two Roma tomatoes;
- Two Persian Cucumbers;
- Jalapeno Peppers for the Tomatillo sauce;
- Arugula;
Also for the Tomatillo Sauce:
- Cilantro (I used Italian Parsley as I didn’t have any at home — would recommend the use of actual cilantro for that extra zest!);
- Lime (half does it).
Let’s prepare the Tomatillo Sauce!
Quarter the tomatillos and put them in the blender:
Mash them a little bit, then add lime, cilantro (or parsley) and jalapenos:
(Use as many jalapenos as your tastebuds can handle. This much makes for a pretty spicy sauce…)
MOAR mashing, then salt:
And here it is!
Now the other veggies!
Chop, chop, chop:
In the bowl they go:
Together with arugula, green olives and black olives:
+ corn + chickpeas:
Now let’s cook that Quinoa!
Bring 1 cup of water + dash of salt to a boil, then add quinoa:
When the water returns to a boil, turn the heat down to just a simmer, then cover and let it go for 6 minutes:
This is what you’ll see after six minutes — notice the little squiggly translucent germs that have come out of the grains, which indicate that it’s done!
Let’s add this bad girl to the bowl:
Add the Tahini paste:
And the Tomatillo Sauce:
Mix it all up:
And it’s ready to be served!
ENJOY!
You could also refrigerate this and serve it chill. It makes for a very balanced vegan meal, with protein from the chickpeas, healthy veggies and carbs+fiber from quinoa.
Share your Meatless Monday recipes with me! And happy cooking!
