Lemon, Tomato, Feta Quinoa Salad

After Easter with all that chocolate, and after 6 weeks working in a pastry section, i thought should take a break from sugar and eat healthily for a few weeks. I did also promise a new salad recipe, and I'm pretty sure i won't be easing up on the salad front, any time soon: Sorry. Not Sorry. This is, by far my favourite quinoa salad I've made (I've already made it three times, and I'm making it again this weekend!), its fresh and zingy, and filling without being heavy. 

Quinoa has become a popular and trendy food item now, particularly with bloggers, as i have seen a big increase in the amount of recipes that use it, in whatever shape or form. I on the other hand, didn't get off with the best starts with it: My mum gave it to us when we were little, back when it was much cheaper, and we disliked it so much, that i had to buy the first packet myself just in case i didn't like it again; but hence this salad, i liked it.

As always feel free to switch up the ingredients if you don't like something, but personally i would just keep it, as it is. Serve on its own, or if you wanted to make a more substantial meal serve with grilled salmon, asparagus or green beans.

Ingredients

175g quinoa
1/2 tsp mustard
salt & pepper
1tsp red/white wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon
1/2 pack feta cheese
handful cherry tomatoes
handful mixed salad leaves eg. rocket, watercress, spinach
1/4 red onion


1. cook the quinoa 
2. Meanwhile make the vinaigrette; zest the lemon, juice of half the lemon,add       the mustard, vinegar, oil, and season to taste.

3. Finely chop the red onion and soften in the vinaigrette 

4. When the quinoa is cooked, drain, and leave to cool

5. Cut to tomatoes in half and add to the onions and vinaigrette.

6. Mix in the feta and salad leaves

7. Add in the quiona when cool

8. Mix together and serve

Poppies, The Shard and Borough Market

If you haven't heard about the poppies at tower hill, then you must have been living under a rock!

So with them disappearing soon, we decided to pop over to tower hill to see the poppies. They really are beautiful and if you haven't seen them and can before they get taken down then defiantly do it. I order you to and of course take an abundance Instagram worthy photos, that it makes it difficult to chose which one to post!

The poppies have attracted large crowds so i recommend getting there before 10, otherwise you will be very restricted in viewing them and it will take you a long time to walk all the way along. I think very early morning on a nice with the sunrise would look particularly beautiful similarly at sunset, and night with the lights also looks beautiful.

^ Soldiers laying down poppies for the 888,246 British fallen soldiers of WWW1.

^A sea of red

We then popped up the shard as it was free for children(for my sisters) in half term, and great for me as a student as its cheaper than a usual. its quite pricey for adults, but you can go half way up for free and have a coffee.

^ The magnificent shadow of the shard

Personally I love the unfinished look of the shard, unlike my sister who kept complaining that it wasn't finished, and why weren't they working on it ! 

^ a hazy Battersea power station.

We then headed over to borough market for a late lunch. It's one of my favourite places, as I love all the hustle and bustle, but sometimes during weekends and holidays there are so many queues (i swear it didn't used to be as popular), let me know of any more food market recommendations. 

Obviously, a trip to borough market wouldn't be complete, without several pictures of the delicious fresh fish stalls, and fruit & veg stalls.

^Giant cookies are always so tempting. And great mounds of chocolate always without a fail get my mouth watering.

How gorgeous do these English muffins and brownies look, I'm glad i live about 1hr away, instead of about 5 minutes  otherwise i would have these every single day.full stop.

There are always new food stalls in borough market, and these gourmet scotch eggs with an incredibly runny yolk served sweet potato fries looked super inviting, and on my ever extending list to have next time.

An old classic of borough market Raclette, with potatoes and pickles.

^A scrummy smelling hog roast.

We decided to have chips from the fish place as they are always so good, we quite often have the fish as well, but we decided to try something that we hadn't before, and fill our tummies up until they couldn't (well i'm sure they could) hold anymore.

We tried the vegetarian option in the market. spiced potatoes, which were incredible.

With a cauliflower and pea curry and served with rice and an optional sauce.

We also had an onion bhuji each, they were nicely spiced but were disappointing as they were cold and not crisp as we were expecting them to be.

The main part was delicious and perfectly spiced and wasn't heavy or to filling and I would have it again if there weren't so many other things to try first!

Emma x