Celebrity-approved quinoa salad: Nutrient-packed delight

The presence of quinoa in the salad shouldn't be surprising, as it's been one of the biggest culinary hits in recent years. In South America, the plant, which — according to Indigenous legends — was a gift from the gods to the people, was cultivated as far back as 5,000 years BCE, though the rest of the world appreciated it much later. In fact, it was only in the 21st century that we discovered the extraordinary qualities of the seemingly unremarkable quinoa seeds, which belong to the same family as our native beet and spinach.

The rise in quinoa's popularity is largely thanks to celebrities who publicly rave about the fantastic properties of the "golden grain of the Incas." One of them is Angelina Jolie, a big fan of natural products. The magazine The National Enquirer once revealed quinoa as the secret behind the actress's slim (some would say even skinny) figure. Do you need any better arguments to prepare a quinoa-based salad?

Quinoa is a very rich source of complete proteins – it provides the body with a full set of essential amino acids that our body cannot produce. Until now, it was believed that such a set is found only in meat and soy, which are also products rich in saturated fats or genetically modified. Quinoa lacks these drawbacks. Among the amino acids, there is lysine, which has anti-cancer properties, and arginine, which stimulates growth hormone in children and enhances immunity in adults. Quinoa also provides other valuable compounds, especially flavonoids (known for their strong antioxidant and anticancer effects) and saponins (substances with diuretic and expectorant properties, also enhancing mucus secretion and accelerating fat metabolism).

The "grain of the Incas" is a treasure trove of iron (helps combat anemia), magnesium, and potassium (have a positive effect on the nervous system, promote water balance and blood pressure regulation) as well as zinc (keeps skin, hair, and nails in good condition). Quinoa contains a lot of calcium (more than milk), which is notably much better absorbed by the body.

Quinoa is a rich source of B vitamins, vitamin E (not coincidentally referred to as the "vitamin of youth and vitality"), and fibre, which regulates the digestive tract and makes us feel full longer after a meal. This should be appreciated by people looking for products that aid in weight loss. Even more so because quinoa has a low glycemic index, and thanks to its high content of unsaturated fatty acids (twice as much as in wheat grains, for instance), it accelerates the burning of fat tissue. The salad also includes other ingredients with high nutritional value, like butternut squash and kale.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut the butternut squash into cubes (1.5 cups), drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake for half an hour, stirring halfway through. At the same time, cook the quinoa (half a cup), according to the instructions on the package. Drain a can of chickpeas and transfer them to a small bowl.

Chop a bunch of kale, drizzle with olive oil, mix, and transfer to a large salad bowl. Add quinoa, squash, chickpeas, diced apple, pomegranate seeds (half a cup), crumbled goat cheese (half a cup), and roasted pumpkin seeds (half a cup).

Prepare the dressing: combine olive oil (1/3 cup) with apple cider vinegar (3 tablespoons), tahini paste (2 tablespoons), maple syrup (1 tablespoon), chopped shallot, Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon), juice from one squeezed lemon, and cinnamon (1/4 teaspoon). Pour the sauce over the salad, mix, and serve.