BEETROOT, AVOCADO & ROCKET QUINOA SALAD WITH SPICED WALNUTS & MINT

Ingredients

Salad
• 2 medium sized beetroot
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tspn chinese five spice powder *
• 1 tspn olive oil for cooking walnuts
• 1.5 cups of baby rocket
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 medium red onion
• 1/2 cup cubed goats feta *Optional
• 2 Tbspn sunflower seeds
• 1 Tbspn fresh mint
• Salt and Pepper to taste
Salad Dressing
• 2 Tbspn extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbspn balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced.

Instructions

1. Wash the beetroot and cut the ends off the beets then place in a steamer or a colander set on a saucepan with about 2 inches of simmering water. Steam for about 20 minutes until beets are tender when piercing with a knife. Remove and leave to cool.
2. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa before cooking. Put the quinoa in a saucepan. Pour in 2 cups of water. Cover and bring to the boil and then simmer for about 12-15 minutes until all of the water is absorbed. Then drain the quinoa to make sure any excess water is removed and place in a bowl.
3. While the beetroot and quinoa are cooking prepare the rest of the salad.
4. Lightly pan fry the walnuts in the coconut oil and sprinkle the chinese five spice powder over the walnuts to coat while cooking. Pan fry the walnuts for 2-3 minutes until light golden brown. Set the walnuts aside to cool on a plate lines with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
5. Chop up the red onion, peel and slice the avocado and chop up the fresh mint.
6. Peel the cooled beet's skin off with a vegetable peeler and cut each beetroot into halves, then each half into wedges.
7. Mix the rocket leaves evenly through the cooked quinoa, then arrange the beetroot wedges and avocado evenly over the salad.
8. Top with the spiced walnuts, goats feta, sunflower seeds and chopped mint.
9. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving.
10. Add salt and pepper to taste.