Quinoa and Pomegranate Salad

Recipe from Younger Skin in 28 Days  

SERVES 2 (OR 4 AS A SIDE DISH) PREPARATION TIME 20 MINUTES

This antioxidant-rich salad is a classic dinner party dish and perfect for Christmas day. It is acid–alkaline balanced for healthy skin and the low GI red quinoa contains skin protective anthocyanins. The recipe is suitable for everyone including vegetarians, vegans, diabetics and those with allergies to dairy and wheat (as it's free from gluten, wheat and dairy).  

Ingredients

1 cup red quinoa, rinsed

1 organic vegetable stock cube (use gluten-free or no stock if you are gluten intolerant)

1 large pomegranate

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large lime, juiced (2 tablespoons), plus extra if desired

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1⁄2 cup raw almonds, chopped (see notes)

1 cup mint leaves, finely chopped

Method

1. Place the quinoa into a saucepan with 2 1⁄2 cups water, cover and bring to the boil. Crumble in the stock cube and simmer on low heat for approximately 20 minutes or until the grains have softened (you should see plenty of white).
2. Meanwhile, remove the seeds from the pomegranate (read How to de-seed a pomegranate). Remove any discoloured ones. You will need about 1 cup of pomegranate seeds.
3. Drain the quinoa, sprinkle with the cinnamon and allow to cool. Then sprinkle on the lime juice and olive oil and mix.
4. Add the pomegranate seeds, chopped almonds and mint to the salad and lightly toss. Add extra lime juice to taste, if necessary. 

NOTES

Variation: If you have blemish-prone skin avoid almonds and use chopped pecans instead.

Black quinoa: this recipe does not work with black quinoa as it does not soak up liquid well. If you cannot find red quinoa use white quinoa, which takes 15–20 minutes to cook.

How to de-seed a pomegranate >

This is an edited extract from

Photographer Rachael Scobie