The Secret Street

This vibrant salad is packed with fresh vegetables, fluffy quinoa, and a creamy, zesty peanut dressing. It’s hearty enough for lunch yet light and refreshing, perfect for meal prep or a quick dinner. You can also swap quinoa for couscous or rice depending on what you have on hand.

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✨ At a Glance

• ⏱️ Prep + Cook Time: 25 minutes
• 🍴 Servings: 2
• 🌱 Type: Vegan (and gluten-free if using tamari instead of soy sauce!)

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🥒 Ingredients

For the base

• 100g quinoa (or couscous/rice as an alternative)
• 300ml water
• 1 vegetable stock cube

Vegetables

• 1 carrot, peeled into thin ribbons 🥕
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced 🥒
• ¼ red cabbage, finely chopped 💜
• 1 pepper (optional), thinly sliced 🌶️
• 2 spring onions, sliced 🌿

Peanut Dressing

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 30g peanut butter (about 2 heaping tbsp) 🥜
• A handful of fresh coriander, chopped* 🌱
• 2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime 🍋
• A splash of water, if needed, to loosen the consistency

*💡 Coriander substitute: If you’re not a fan, try fresh parsley, Thai basil, or mint for a different twist.

Topping

• A handful of peanuts, roughly chopped 🥜

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa:
   • Rinse the quinoa under cold water.
   • In a small pot, bring 300ml water to the boil with the stock cube.
   • Add the quinoa, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 10–12 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.
   • Fluff with a fork and set aside.
2. Prepare the vegetables:
   • Peel the carrot into ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
   • Slice the cucumber thinly.
   • Finely chop the red cabbage.
   • Slice the spring onions (and pepper, if using).
   • Place all the vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
3. Make the peanut dressing:
   • In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, peanut butter, chopped coriander (or substitute), ginger, and lime juice.
   • Add a splash of water if needed until the dressing is smooth and creamy, like thick pouring cream.
4. Assemble the salad:
   • Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl with the vegetables.
   • Pour over the peanut dressing and toss everything together until well coated.
   • Top with chopped peanuts for extra crunch.

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🍴 Serving Suggestions

• Enjoy as a light main dish or serve alongside grilled tofu.
• Perfect for meal prep, keeps well for up to 2 days in the fridge.
• For extra heat, add a chopped chili or a drizzle of sriracha to the dressing 🌶️.

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✨ Fresh, crunchy, and packed with flavor—this salad is proof that healthy food can be delicious and satisfying!