…and feta. But it was already a mouthful of a title. A bit like the salad itself. This is no plate of floppy iceberg and not much else – no, this is salad done my way! Full of flavours that feel just right together, and gorgeous textures from silky smooth chunks of feta to the gentle crunch of pomegranate seeds and pecans, this salad is summery and satisfying.

Beyond tasting gorgeous, it’s packed full of superfood goodness. Quinoa is an ancient grain which has gained popularity in recent years, and with good reason – it is one of the only plant-based source of complete protein, that is, it contains all 9 of the essential amino acids that are crucial to human function and health. It is also gluten free. In addition to quinoa, pomegranate is well known as an excellent source of antioxidants as well as vitamins A, C, E and iron. The spinach, rocket and watercress salad is a great source of vitamin A, and there is also plenty of protein provided by the feta, pecans and Quorn sliced fillets. *2017 UPDATE*: If you’re vegan, just omit the feta and gently fry and cool some Fry’s chicken-style strips instead. This really is a super salad; and what’s more, it tastes fabulous.

Serves 4.

For the peach vinaigrette:

• 1 peeled and sliced peach (or about 100g tinned peaches – drain and rinse thoroughly.)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tbsp cider (or white wine) vinegar
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Blitz everything in a mini chopper or use a jug and a hand blender.  Set aside in the fridge until required. It will sit happily in the fridge for a few days so don’t be afraid to make it in advance!

For the salad:

• 140g quinoa (Makes about 420g cooked weight)
• Seeds of 1 pomegranate (or about 100g. Alternatively you can just buy a tub of just the seeds in the supermarket)
• 80g (minimum) bag of salad – I like a rocket, spinach and watercress mix
• 200g vegetarian feta cheese (sometimes labelled ‘salad cheese’)
• 1 x 140g pack of ready-to-eat Quorn ‘sliced fillets’ (find it near the packets of ham etc in the supermarket)
• 100g pecans
• Fresh chopped mint to garnish (optional)

1. Bring 700ml water to boil in a large pan on the hob. Add the quinoa (rinse and drain it first) then return to the boil and cook for 20 minutes. The grain will look ‘separated’ – quinoa has a soft exterior while remaining ever so slightly crunchy in the centre. There shouldn’t be much water remaining, but if there is you can drain it off in a fine mesh colander and then return the quinoa to the pan.
2. Fork through the quinoa to separate it and let it sit for ten minutes with the lid clamped on. It will ‘dry out’ a bit (you don’t want a plateful of really soggy quinoa.) As with the dressing, you can make this in advance.

Prepare the pomegranate:
1. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate by slicing through the middle as shown above. Hold each half over a bowl and batter with a wooden spoon, Nigella-style, so that the seeds drop out into the bowl underneath. You might need to squeeze the pomegranate a little bit to help loosen the seeds, and a fork is helpful for removing the last pesky ones. Just make sure you’re wearing an apron, as the red juice tends to get everywhere. Drain the seeds (drink the juice!).

Once the quinoa has cooled down a bit, stir in 45ml – about 3 tablespoons – of the peach vinaigrette. Try to coat the grains as evenly as possible.

Add the salad leaves to each plate and sprinkle with the quinoa. Top with crumbled feta, Quorn sliced fillets, pecans and pomegranate seeds. Finish by spooning the dressing over each plate and garnish with a little chopped mint, if you like. 

If you intend to eat this over a few days, you can either prepare and store everything separately in tubs in the fridge and put it together as above for a neat looking meal, or, if you don’t mind it looking a bit of a mess, you can gently mix everything into the cooked quinoa (once cooled, remember to add a little peach vinaigrette to it as above) and keep in one big tub. When you are ready to eat it, spoon a portion out on to some salad and finish with a little extra dressing.