MILD SPICY QUINOA SALAD WITH CALIFORNIA PRUNES & FETA

Prune It is a healthy eating campaign designed to educate consumers to understand the role that California Prunes can play in helping to help reduce the fat and sugar content across a wide range of recipes. When blended into a puree, prunes offer a useful fat replacement in cooking by adding fat-like (but fat-free) characteristics that also work to enhance the flavours in both sweet and savoury dishes. In addition, the naturally occurring sugars present in California Prunes can also be used to provide a natural replacement for some of the processed sugars that traditionally feature in sweet recipes. And because of their high fibre content and ability to add bulk to dishes, California Prunes also have a role to play in reducing portion size without compromising on filling power or taste.

Method:
* First cook the Quinoa as instructed on the packet.
* In a frying pan heat the olive oil and soften the red onion, garlic, celery and California Prunes, now add the cumin, coriander, chilli and mixed spice. Add two tablespoons of water and cook for a further minute until the liquid has evaporated.
* Season with pepper, and add to the Quinoa and mix well.
* Add most of the parsley leaving enough for a garnish. Add the cooked beetroot and mix. Fold in the cut tomatoes leaving a few for garnish. Now crumble the feta leaving some for garnish.
* Add the lemon and test for seasoning. Place into a large serving dish and garnish with the feta, tomato and parsley.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 200g Quinoa
• Water
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 cooked beetroot, diced
• 12 California Prunes, finely sliced lengthways
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• ½ teaspoon chilli
• 140g feta cheese
• 16 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 4 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• Juice of one lemon
• Pepper to taste

By Rosemary Shrager