Have you noticed that everyone has gone raw lately? It’s all about the raw food revolution and the green smoothie. I haven’t really gone there myself. I’m almost convinced the smoothies probably taste good, but I haven’t been tempted enough to blitz kiwi fruit, spinach and whatever else I can find lingering in my fruit and vegetable drawer. One day.
I have, however, dabbled in a little raw food. I went to a BBQ recently and we were all asked to bring a dish. Of course I brought a calorie-laden potato bake. It’s a crowd-pleaser {but not a waistline-pleaser}. My girlfriend brought a raw quinoa and broccoli salad*. I think she was just trying to show me up, or make me feel bad {kidding Sheree!}. The salad was good. So good that I took home leftovers for dinner and then asked for the recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa {use red or mixed}
1 small bunch coriander, finely chopped
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ cup pecan nuts {or almonds}, toasted and roughly chopped
½ broccoli head {florets only}, finely chopped
1 small lemon, juiced
2 tbsp Tamari {use soy sauce if you don’t have Tamari}
Olive oil
Method
♥ Bring 2 cups of water to the boil. Add the quinoa, and then simmer until all the water has been absorbed. Cool and then add in all the other ingredients. I think a bit of fetta would make it a bit magical.
This recipe was adapted from this one here.
*Is it still raw if you’ve toasted the nuts and cooked the quinoa?
I bought a juicer about a month ago and I LOVE it. I’m not always organized enough to get my green breakfast made the night before (I’m not cruel enough to put everyone in the house through listening to that monster juicer at 6:00 a.m.) so am not using it to its full potential but the fruit smoothies? OMG – good, good, good! The breakfast ones are “less good” but you feel so good about yourself for drinking it that the taste takes a back seat. And they aren’t all bad. Throw in an apple to add a bit of sweetness. I nice simple one is a cucumber, a couple of stalks of celery and a pear. Green, good and simple. Good luck – I think the green smoothie is definitely a great, healthy idea.
I have a Thermomix, so perhaps I should make at least just one. You’re so thoughtful not to juice while everyone sleeps. I’ll probably just crank it up!
Love a green smoothie. Adding frozen banana is the key to making it sweet and getting a good thickness. xx
Oh wow that looks good! I love raw broccoli in salads so I might give this a try!
thanks for this recipe! i cook with quinoa all the time but love some inspiration for new dishes 😀
Looks delicious, but I can only dream – none of those ingredients available here – will add it to my recipe file for next year!
Oh really? Where are you living?
Haha no it’s not raw if the quinoa is cooked and it depends on how hot the temperature is when toasting the nuts, but it’s delicious, and that’s the main thing! I make a salad like this all the time, Quinoa is king in our house! (ps you cannot taste spinach in smoothies, I promise) x
Master, you have spoken.
And I clearly have NO idea when it comes to raw stuff. Can you even it quinoa raw? If I was home I might open up a pack and take a nibble to see.
I once had it fried on top of a dish, and they resulted in crunchy little balls off goodness.
Ooh fried! I’d totally do that.
I think you can do quinoa raw if you soak it for like, a day? Then it absorbs the water and fluffs up without you having to apply heat. I’ve never tried it with quinoa but apparently that’s the raw way to prepare other grains etc.
Meanwhile, I’m totally making this tonight.
I did try the green smoothie and I guess it contains a chockful of good vitamins and fibre. However, spinach or kale is really expensive and not as readily available where I am (Singapore). Thus I usually blend fruits smoothies with a combination of self-freeze fruits and drinking yogurt/milk.
Broccoli crunchy?! Really?!
I’m a bit like you, seems like a good idea… One day!
This mumma enjoys yummy cakes and biscuits ..which have lots of sugar …bit can be easily made…especially with a toddler and a bubba!!
Green can wait! Haha
But really broccoli raw is nice?!
Yeah, broccoli raw is kinda good.
Also, so is cake.