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Books for Cooks: Quinoa Salad with veggies and beans quick, healthy and colorful

By Lorie Hutson lorieh@spokesman.com(509) 459-5446

Vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters who are looking for healthy vegetarian fare will find more than 150 recipes that can land on the table in 30 minutes or less in this new cookbook.

Robin Robertson, author of “Vegan Planet,” not only serves up recipes that are meat-free in “Quick-Fix Vegetarian,” but they’re also dairy- and egg-free.

The book includes tips for keeping your pantry stocked with vegetarian staples, ideas for organizing and planning menus and a chapter on vegetarian slow-cooking.

Here’s a recipe from the book:

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Asparagus, White Beans and Red Peppers

1 cup quinoa, thoroughly rinsed

2 cups water

Salt

1 bunch thin asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

1 (16-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 (6-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and cut into 1/4- by 2-inch strips

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

2 tablespoons minced scallions

Salad greens, for serving

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the quinoa with the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Salt the water, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Drain well and place in a bowl. Set aside to cool.

Arrange the asparagus on a lightly oiled baking pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 8 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice and salt and pepper. Add the white beans, roasted red peppers, celery and scallions, along with the roasted asparagus and cooked quinoa. Toss gently to combine. Serve on salad greens garnished with parsley.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 455 calories, 17 grams fat (2 grams saturated, 34 percent fat calories), 16 grams protein, 61 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 10 grams dietary fiber, 184 milligrams sodium.