Green salad with quinoa, lemon, feta & mint

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
DifficultyEasy
Servings6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 150 g green beans, trimmed
  • 150 g snow peas, trimmed
  • 150 g fresh podded broad beans
  • 150 g sugar snap peas, trimmed
  • 50 g snow pea shoots, trimmed
  • 1/4 cup white Quinoa, rinsed
  • 75 g goats feta, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup toasted flaked almonds

Lemon dressing

  • 1 lemon, juice & zest
  • 1 tsp Digon mustard
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil & blanch the beans & peas for 2 minutes, then refresh under cold water, to stop them cooking.
  • Remove the skins from the broad beans.
  • Place quinoa in a small saucepan & cover with 1/2 cup water.
  • Place over a medium-low heat & bring up to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover & cook for 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed & the grains have opened & become translucent.
  • Remove from heat & allow to cool.
  • To make the dressing, place all the ingredients together in a screw top jar & shake until well combined.
  • To assemble the salad, place the blanched greens in a large mixing bowl with the cooked quinoa, feta, mint & almonds & toss together until well combined. Serve with lemon dressing.

Three ways with beans & peas:

  • For a light pea & mint soup, melt 20g butter over low heat, add 1 diced onion, cover & cook for 10 minutes. Add 1kg podded peas, 2 cups chicken stock & bring to the boil, cook for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 an iceberg lettuce, 400ml can evaporated milk, 1/4 cup mint leaves, salt & pepper. Puree with a stick blender until smooth.
  • To add extra avour to steamed beans, melt 50g butter in a frying pan, add 1 clove chopped garlic & cook for 2 minutes. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper & then toss the cooked beans until well coated. To serve, sprinkle with toasted almonds.
  • Using a fork mix together 1 cup each of cooked peas & cook broad beans that have had their skins removed. Toast slices of sourdough, drizzle with olive oil & rub with garlic. Top with broad bean mixture, crumbled feta, torn mint leaves & season with salt & pepper.