RECIPE: Quinoa & grilled vegetable salad

Serves: 10 - 12

Ingredients:

2 medium beetroots

2 medium baby marrows

1 medium carrot

1 medium sweet potato

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 red onion

45ml (3 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

400g quinoa

1-litre (4 cups) water

1 lemon, zest and juice

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2) Cover one beetroot with foil and roast for about 20 minutes or until you can insert a sharp knife easily. Once it has cooled down, peel.

3) Thinly slice the rest of the vegetables, including the second beetroot, into equal size pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until golden and cooked through.

4) Cook the quinoa in the boiling water for about 8-10 minutes. Strain the water off and leave to cool down completely. Then add the lemon zest, juice, and salt and pepper.

5) Grate the roasted whole beetroot and mix it into the quinoa. Add half the roasted vegetables to the quinoa and toss through gently.

6) When you are ready to serve, plate the quinoa and use the rest of roasted vegetables to decorate the salad.

• Recipe from 'Feast with Sababa: Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Food ' by Tal Smith, Jacana, R310.