A tasty and good-for-you salad with roasted pumpkin, green beans, quinoa, and a tasty Thai peanut dressing. This salad has just the right amount of different tastes and textures to make it a filling and healthy meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 small pumpkin, peeled and diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Put the quinoa and water in a medium-sized saucepan
Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the quinoa is done and the water is dry
Take it off the heat and let it cool down
Start by heating the oven to 400F 200C
Add some olive oil to a baking sheet and sprinkle the diced pumpkin on top
Season with salt and pepper
Put the pumpkin in an oven that has already been heated and roast it for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is soft and slightly caramelized
Take it out of the oven and let it cool down
Boil some water in a pot while the pumpkin is cooking
After you add the green beans, blanch them for two to three minutes, until they are soft but still have some crunch
To stop the cooking process, drain them and put them right into ice water
Once more, drain and set aside
Put the cooked quinoa, roasted pumpkin, blanched green beans, sliced red bell pepper, chopped red onion, and chopped cilantro leaves in a large bowl
To make the Thai Peanut Dressing, mix the following in a separate bowl with a whisk: - 2 tablespoons soy sauce - 1/4 cup peanut butter 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar 1 tablespoon of honey 1 tablespoon of lime juice 1 minced garlic clove 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger Pour the dressing over the salad and toss it gently to mix everything together
Crushed roasted peanuts should be put on top of the salad
If you think it needs it, add more salt and pepper to taste
You can serve the Roasted Pumpkin and Green Bean Quinoa Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing right away, or put it in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors mix
Have fun!