In January most people start to detox a little after all the Christmas indulgences, I say most people because I did not. I ate my way through all the chocolate and cakes, and then bought or made more. While it was amazing at the time I am starting to notice the negative impacts of all my fun and relaxing.

So here we go. First step a healthy lunch for tomorrow at work.

When I thought about healthy eating I thought salad – but lettuce leaves are boring, or pasta but it’s a bit carb-elicious, then Quinoa came to mind. Quinoa is a great source of protein so it is especially good for vegans and vegetarians (although I am obviously neither).

Fennel, Orange and Pecan Quinoa

Fennel, Orange and Pecan Quinoa Salad

~ adapted from Fennel, Quinoa, Orange, Walnut and Basil Salad.

  • 150 grams of quinoa
  • 1 c Chopped fennel bulb
  • 1 ts Grated orange rind
  • 1 satsuma, juiced (although I would probably cut another orange into segments and serve with the salad)
  • 1/4 c Chopped pecans
  • 2/3 c Fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 onion, chopped finely
  • 2 tb Fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8 ts Pepper
  • 1 ts Grated lemon rind
  • 2 ts Olive oil

Cooked the onions in a pan until starting to soften. In the meantime rinse the quinoa several times in cold water. Once the water runs clear, add quinoa to the pan and water as per packet instructions. Cook the quinoa till ready, drain and leave to cool.

Mix the other ingredients (apart from the fennel) to form a dressing. Add the fennel to the dressing and leave it to soak some of the flavours. After 5 minutes add the quinoa mix and serve.

I loved this salad the day I made it, as it was so flavourful and the fennel adds a crunchiness you don’t get in a lot of salads. On a side note, I would say it’s best eaten the day it’s made!