“Moi j’adore le quinoa !” Lulu exclaims, reaching across the table to take a spoonful of quinoa from my plate.
I am surprised, then smile as she eats it with pride.
“Mais tu en as dans ton assiette !” I reply, which makes her laugh even more.
I feel fortunate to witness these small moments. Lulu truly loves quinoa — red, black, or white. P. and I joke that she knows quinoa comes in three colors. Lately she prefers red, because le rouge is one of her new favorite colors.
It’s charming to watch her tastes change.
For lunch, quinoa is my go-to when I’m alone and craving a protein-rich meal. I’m not here to debate its science — others do that better — but every time I eat quinoa my body feels calm and satisfied. Nourished the right way, I don’t need convincing that quinoa is good for me.
When life gets busy, quinoa is often my quick lunch solution. The seeds (technically not a grain) cook in about twelve minutes, and I build the rest of the meal around them depending on time and mood.
Sometimes I eat it warm and plain alongside sunny-side-up eggs and a simple mixed greens salad. Other times it becomes the base for a composed salad full of flavor.
Yesterday, after a morning in the garden planting, I came inside hungry and wanted a fast lunch. I had a bowl of blanched fava beans saved from another project and some local asparagus I’d bought the day before. Quinoa would cook quickly, and I envisioned a fresh, spring-like salad.
It turned into a nourishing all-in-one lunch that satisfied me completely.
And the next day I made it again because it delivered exactly what I expected: simple, tasty, and filling.
You need:
- Olive oil
- 4 green or purple asparagus, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- Sea salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon chopped chives
- 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
- 1 cup (160 g) cooked quinoa
- 1/3 cup (60 g) blanched and peeled fava beans
- 1 handful (30 g) red grapes, halved
- 1 orange, peeled and segmented (membranes removed)
- 3 pink radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 ounce crumbled fresh soft goat cheese
- A few radish shoots or microgreens
Steps:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook for about 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute so the asparagus stays crisp. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the tahini, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil to emulsify, then stir in about three-quarters of the chopped herbs and set the dressing aside.
- In a serving bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, fava beans, and asparagus. Add the grapes, orange segments, radish slices, and goat cheese.
- Toss gently with the dressing to coat.
- Transfer to a plate and finish with the remaining herbs and radish shoots.
Note: Once cleaned, fava beans need only about 1 minute in boiling water. Shock them in an ice bath and then slip them out of their small inner skins before using.