Green Spring Balance Bowl (Vegan + Gluten Free)

I tested this lovely salad out for a Spring birthday dinner party.  Not only was it very beautiful, but it was absolutely scrumptious.  This is a keeper for sure.

Serves 4
Recipe from Good Eatings 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Herby Quinoa:

¾ cup quinoa

1 ½ cup water

Packed ½ cup fresh coriander

Packed ½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley

1 lemon

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon herbal salt

Black pepper, to taste

Roasted Asparagus:

1 bunch asparagus

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Bean Salad:

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup shelled edamame beans

1 Tablespoon chili oil with “bits”

Basil Dressing:

1 ½ cup fresh basil leaves

1 cup baby spinach

1 lemon, juice only

1 shallot

1 garlic cloves

¼ cup nutritional yeast

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons tahini

3 Tablespoons water

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Salt, to taste

To Serve:

4 large handfuls mixed baby greens

2-3 cups sugar snap peas, sliced in half

A handful of microgreens, optional

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Rinse the quinoa if you wish and then transfer it into a sauce pan along with the water. Season with salt and cover with a lid. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until all the water has been absorbed by the quinoa. This usually takes about 20 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking trim the woody ends off on the asparagus and place it in an oven safe dish or on an oven tray. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Then prepare the bean salad simply by draining and rinsing the chickpeas and mixing them with the edamame beans and chili oil until well coated. Set aside.

Also make the dressing while the other components are cooking. Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until you are ready to use it.

To finish off the quinoa, once it is cooked, finely chop the fresh parsley and coriander and add to a bowl along with the quinoa. Use a Microplane or box grater to zest 1 lemon into the bowl and then squeeze in the juice of half of it. Drizzle over the oil and season with herbal salt and black pepper. Mix well to combine. To assemble the bowls start with a bed of mixed baby greens followed by the sliced sugar snaps. Then layer the herby quinoa and bean salad on top. Drizzle the dressing over it all and finish with the roasted asparagus.