This salad is a taste sensation! It is so fresh, vibrant and full of flavour and textures. You have fresh fragrant herbs, crunchy pistachios and radishes, sweet pomegranate seeds, sweet and tart dried berries (barberries, cranberries or goldenberries all work a treat!) with creamy avocado chunks. To top it all, this salad is brought together with a delicious pomegranate sumac dressing.

Berry good! Clockwise: dried goldenberries, cranberries and barberries

With barberries and cranberries

This recipe is a twist on tabbouleh. However, instead of using bulgar wheat, I have used quinoa to keep this recipe gluten-free. Also, to boost the protein content, I Iove adding protein powder to the dressing. (This also thickens it slightly so the salad ingredients are coated better). Soya bean, pea and whey protein powders are my favourites.

With goldenberries and barberries

This colourful healthy salad is great as a main meal or as a side dish. It is always goes down well at dinner parties and barbecues!

Serves: 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side salad.

Preparation time: 15 mins.

Cooking time: 15 mins (for the quinoa)

Ingredients:

• 100g uncooked quinoa
• 15g fresh parsley, chopped finely
• 10g fresh mint, chopped finely
• 30g dried barberries or dried cranberries or dried goldenberries (or a mixture of all three if you wish!)

• 10-12 large radishes, sliced finely
• 20 cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 pomegranate, deseeded
• 1 large avocado, deseeded and cut into chunks

To decorate: a handful of pumpkin seeds and some chopped parsley

Dressing:

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice lemon juice
• ¼ tsp sweetener of choice (honey/ date syrup/ agave/ 1/8^th tsp stevia)
• ½ tsp sumac
• ¼ tsp salt
• Pepper, to taste
• ¾ tbsp protein powder (if using; soya bean, pea or whey)

Method:

• Cook the quinoa as per manufacturer’s instructions. Allow to cool.
• In the meantime, chop up the salad ingredients.
• Make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients.
• In a large bowl, mix together the quinoa, salad dressing and the chopped up salad ingredients, reserving some parsley for the garnish.
• Garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and a handful of pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Don’t forget you can find my favourite recipes in my FREE eBook here.

Variations:

• Make a green Middle Eastern style salad by adding ½- ¾ tsp of spirulina or wheatgrass powder to the cooked cooled quinoa.

Wheatgrass and spirulina add a beautiful green tinge to the quinoa

• Substitute berries for dried apricots our sour cherries.
• Substitute quinoa for bulgar wheat, cauliflower rice or giant cous cous.
• Include chunks of cucumber.

Cucumber adds crunch and a refreshing bite

• Mint can be substituted for fresh coriander.
• Sprinkle hemp seeds, flaxseed, bee pollen or chia seeds on top for an extra nutrient boost.