Sunshine Salad

What can I say? I thought this was the perfect name for this salad, as it can only bring a smile to your face and a ray of sunshine to your day. It is a beautiful salad inspired by Mediterranean flavours from the olive oil & Greek feta, to a classic combination from Maghreb cuisine: honey, lemon & mint... all finished with a dash of harissa to add a bit of flare! If the watermelon is giving you pause for thought, shoo those thoughts away! It pairs beautifully with the rest of the ingredients, bringing a gentle sweetness & freshness that brings it all together marvellously. This salad is best served cold but doesn't fare too well if it is left to sit too long after being assembled. Too many hours in the fridge may cause it to go soggy. I would recommend preparing it 1-1.5 hours before serving so it retains maximum freshness all the while having enough time to chill in the fridge.

2 Servings (for a main meal)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp honey

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp harissa

Juice of 1/2 lemon

S&P

250gr quinoa, cooked & cooled

100gr cucumber, peeled, deseeded & cut into small cubes

100gr seedless watermelon, peeled & cut into small cubes

150gr feta cheese, cut into small cubes

5gr fresh mint (leaves only), finely chopped

Chopped roasted almonds, to serve (optional)

Sunflower seeds, to serve (optional)

Instructions:

In a salad bowl, whisk together the honey, olive oil, harissa & lemon juice to create the dressing.

Season with salt & pepper.

Add the quinoa, cucumber, watermelon & feta.

Toss gently to combine all ingredients with the dressing. Tossing too vigorously may cause the feta to crumble & squash the watermelon.

Place the salad in the fridge until it is cold.

You can add a sprinkle of chopped almonds and/or sunflower seeds when serving, to add a little crunch.