Tagged with walnuts

Quinoa and Beetroot Salad with Walnuts and Chevre


Quinoa and Beetroot Salad with Walnuts and Chevre

1 cup uncooked Quinoa
1 each medium/large golden and red beetroot
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1 cup green beans, blanched and french cut
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1/2 a bunch of Freshly chopped parsley
Chevre frais
Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Wash and trim the beetroot and place them in an aluminum packet, sealed up on a baking tray, in the oven for about an hour. Remove from the oven and open packets so that the beets can thoroughly cool before peeling them with the backside of a spoon and dicing into quarter inch pieces. Place a pot on the stove with two cups of lightly seasoned water, or vegetable stock, and add quinoa. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid until all the moisture absorbs, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile add onions and vinegar to another pot on medium heat and reduce the liquid by half. At this point add a good tablespoon of grainy mustard and olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix well until the mixture emulsifiers. To assemble the salad first add the cooled quinoa to a large bowl, gently toss in the beets, sweet onion vinegar dressing, then the green beans, parsley and walnuts. To serve, add some crumbled chevre to the salad.

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Summer Love – The Importance of Pesto

Warm summer air, sipping on patron, easy island life… and an abundance of fresh basil. Summer is the perfect time to add fresh herbs into your food, and why not pack the punch when its available!
Pesto is a great way to add that punch, its great on pasta, or as a marinade for grilled vegetables. Make one batch of this vibrant green sauce and you’ll be hooked.

Simply Summer Pesto

  • 1/3 of a cup of lightly toasted pine nuts, toast them in a dry pan over medium low heat don’t take your eye off the pan – I’m serious.
    3 cloves of garlic, smash them up
  • 2 cups of packed fresh basil
  • 1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano, use good cheese.
    1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, a nice fruity light one is best.
  • Salt and Pepper

In a blender, pulse garlic a few times to chop up. Add pine nuts, basil and salt and pepper. Turn blender on and slowly add olive oil. Be sure to turn the blender off and scrape down the sides with a spatula if there are larger pieces not combining. Add parmesan and pulse a few times more just to combine. Voila! Fresh pesto in less than five minutes.

Variations – Add some diced red chillies into your pesto to add some heat. Or some fresh lemon zest to play off the citrus undertones in the basil. You could even replace the pine nuts for walnuts if you are so inclined.

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Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Chevrewalnutsalad(Salade de chèvre et noix de grenoble avec le vinagrette de dijon-miel)

  • Fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tomato, cubed
  • 1/3 cucumber, cubed
  • 1/4 cup split walnuts
  • 1/8 cup of crumbled fresh goats cheese

Dressing

  • 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbs white balsamic vinegar
  • 1tsp grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1tsp honey
  • Salt and pepper to taste

…et voila!

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