Preparation time: 25 minutes
Makes 1 serving
• 1 portion of quinoa
• handful of asparagus (woody ends cut off)
• 3 tbsp frozen peas
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped mint
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped basil
For the dressing
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2–3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
Quinoa is both a delicious and filling ingredient, thanks to its protein content, and is now readily available in most supermarkets. It takes a little longer to cook than other grains, so if you are short of time make it the night before or substitute with couscous. Asparagus is our preferred vegetable for this dish, but if it’s the wrong time of year, cooked green beans are just as good.
The night before
Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions. Drain and leave to cool before popping in your lunch pail or container and leaving in the fridge overnight.
In the morning
Put a large pan filled with an inch of salted water on the heat. Once the water is bubbling, add the asparagus and simmer, lid on, for about 3 minutes. Thirty seconds before you’re due to remove the pan from the heat, add the peas. When the time is up, drain in a colander and run it all under the cold tap.
Once cool, extract the asparagus from the colander and chop into bite-sized pieces. Add to the quinoa in your container along with the peas and chopped herbs. Your lunch is almost ready.
Finally, add the dressing ingredients to a very small container—as usual, ideally compact enough to fit inside your lunch pail amongst the herby quinoa, for convenience. Tightly close all the lids and skip along the streets to work.
Come lunchtime
Give the dressing container a good shake and pour over the quinoa, stirring well to coat evenly. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, and enjoy!
SPEEDY COUSCOUS VARIATION
If you’re in a real rush to prepare this, use couscous instead of quinoa and simply stir in “raw” peas (frozen or fresh), omitting the cooked asparagus. Just as delicious and takes about 3 minutes. For this super speedy version in the morning, add a few tablespoons of couscous grains directly into your lunch pail, and just cover with boiling water and a dish towel. Once the grains are plump and fluffy, use a fork to separate them, then stir in a cupful of frozen peas, along with the chopped herbs. The genius of peas is that, like carrots, you do not have to cook them: the peas gently defrost in the warm couscous and are perfectly ready to eat come lunchtime. Drizzle over some olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of lemon, and you’re all set.