Mexican Quinoa, Corn, Avocado & Mango Salad

A vibrant and nutritious salad with a mix of quinoa, fresh vegetables, and a zesty jalapeño lime dressing topped with crispy pan-fried halloumi.

By @wholesomebysarah

Original recipe source

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup white quinoa
• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon powdered veggie stock
• 3 units corn cobs husks removed
• 400 g canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 unit Lebanese cucumber diced
• 1 unit large mango diced
• 0.75 cup coriander roughly chopped
• 1 unit large avocado diced
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 1 unit lime juiced
• 1 unit jalapeño deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0 salt
• 0 pepper
• 200 g halloumi cheese cut into cubes or strips
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups rocket

Instructions

1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove saponins, then bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add quinoa and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, grill the corn cobs on a hot skillet for about 8-10 minutes until slightly charred. Once cooled, use a knife to remove the kernels.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, corn kernels, chickpeas, diced cucumber, diced mango, chopped coriander, and diced avocado. Mix gently to combine.
4. For the dressing, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, finely chopped jalapeno, finely chopped coriander, honey, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
5. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add halloumi cubes and pan-fry until golden brown on all sides.
6. Assemble the salad by placing the fresh rocket on the serving dish, add the quinoa mixture, and top with the pan-fried halloumi. Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving.