What’s up with the weather lately? We are nearing the end of May so it’s not crazy to expect some proper sunshine and warmth at this stage, surely? Instead, it’s windy and cold and the sun, while glorious when it lasts, never hangs around for very long.
I am desperately awaiting the time when I can swing in my hammock, iced coffee in hand and a punnet of strawberries by my side with my cat, Tina, running up and down the garden excitedly cos we are both out and she is a bit like a dog sometimes – excited to hang with her ‘tribe’. Well for now all we can do is dream and whenever the sun does make an appearance embrace it by slowly transitioning to lighter and more summer-appropriate meals. Like this intensely green salad, packed with an array of seasonal green produce, bulked with quinoa and served with a lemony and herby vinaigrette. It’s delicious, easy to make and will keep you full for ages as it’s packed with fibre. There are a number of ways you can go about making it too. If you are after maximizing flavour, I recommend roasting or charring the first three vegetables on a gridle pan. If you’d rather go for a healthier option, steaming or boiling is your friend but the key thing is not to overcook the vegetables or else you’ll end up with an uninspiring soggy mess. You want both the broccoli and the asparagus to have a bit of a bite left in them – not only will it preserve more of their nutritional value, it will also make them more satisfying to eat. I bulked this salad up with some quinoa to keep it gluten-free, but small pasta like orzo or a chewy grain like freekah would also work really well. We’ve enjoyed this fresh tasting (yet filling) dish for lunch and I hope you will too.
80 ml / 1/3 cup olive oil flesh and zest half a lemon 15 g / ½ oz basil, mint or both 1 garlic clove salt and pepper, to taste
