a moderate heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the chilli, garlic and chopped tomatoes to the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the beans to the onion mixture, mashing them roughly with a wooden spoon or a potato masher to give a chunky texture. Heat through, then season with salt and pepper and keep warm over a low heat.
4. Cover a large platter with the lettuce leaves and arrange the red pepper and tomatoes randomly on top.
5. Peel, stone and roughly chop the avocado. Stir the chives into the yoghurt or soured cream.
6. Spoon the red bean mixture on to the centre of the salad. Sprinkle the chopped avocado over it, then drizzle some of the yoghurt or soured cream mixture over everything – put the rest into a small bowl to serve with the salad. Serve the salad at once, garnished with fresh coriander leaves, if you wish.
Make it vegan: Replace dairy soured cream or yoghurt with vegan ones: you can get vegan soured cream at health shops and plain, unsweetened soya yoghurt at large wholefood stores.
Warm Quinoa Salad with Broad Beans and Pomegranate
A pretty, refreshing salad that’s light but nourishing and can be served warm or cold. I love it just as it is, but you can jazz it up: serve it with crisp little gem lettuce leaves to use as scoops; have it with some salty crumbled feta, some hummus or another of the creamy dips in this book, such as the Tofu Mayonnaise, and some slices of ripe avocado, or a swirl of Sunflower Cream.
Serves 2–4
Vegan
125g (4½oz) quinoa
250ml (9fl oz) water
200g (7oz) frozen broad beans
1 pomegranate
4 slim spring onions, chopped
Salt
For the dressing (optional)
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
1 tbsp mirin
2 tsp chopped fresh mint
1. Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under the cold tap, then put it into a saucepan with the water, bring to the boil, cover and leave to simmer over a gentle heat for about 15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.
2. Meanwhile, cook the broad beans in boiling water to cover for 2–3 minutes, until tender. Drain the beans and cover them with cold water to cool them quickly, then with your fingers pop them out of their grey skins, revealing the brilliant green beans inside.
3. Mix together the dressing ingredients, if using, dress the beans and set aside.
4. Cut the pomegranate in half around its equator. Holding one half over a bowl, cut-side down, bang the surface of the pomegranate with a wooden spoon to release the shiny red seeds; repeat with the other side.
5. Add the broad beans and pomegranate seeds to the cooked quinoa, along with the chopped spring onions and salt to taste.
Warm Salad of Roasted Cauliflower, Watercress and Salty Cheese
Roasted cauliflower is a revelation, with concentrated flavour and lovely crispy bits for added texture. It makes a great warm salad when combined with a salty, crumbly white cheese such as Caerphilly, Wensleydale or Cheshire; read the label or ask at the counter to make sure it’s vegetarian.
Serves 4
1 cauliflower, divided into florets, outer leaves removed
125g (4½oz) crumbly white cheese
Bunch of watercress, trimmed
For the lemon and garlic dressing
4 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1 lemon
Black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas 6.
2. Slice the cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces. Put into a single layer in a roasting tin or shallow casserole dish. Add the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and black pepper, and mix so that all the florets get coated.
3. Put into the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and lightly browned in places. Crumble in the cheese, and serve with the watercress.
Quinoa with Basil and Pine Nuts
This is one of my favourite ways to eat the fabulously nutritious grain quinoa. Serve it with a warm Roasted Vegetable Salad, for a meal with a sunny Mediterranean flavour.
Serves 2–4
Vegan
200g (7oz) quinoa
400ml (1 pint) water
4 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
Good bunch of basil, roughly chopped
Salt
1. Put the quinoa into a sieve and wash under the cold tap (see for why you do this), then put into a saucepan with the water and a pinch of salt, bring to the boil, cover and leave to cook gently for 15 minutes, when the quinoa will be tender and all the water absorbed.
2. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts by stirring them in a saucepan over a medium heat until they’re an even golden brown colour. Immediately tip them on to a plate to prevent them over-browning in the hot pan.
3. Stir the olive oil into the quinoa along with the pine nuts and basil. Serve hot or warm.
