Quick salad with fresh spinach and asparagus, the creamy quinoa and then garnish it with big chunks of fresh orange for a refreshing flavor.
As the traditional German harvest season of the asparagus begins at the end of April and runs through the end of June, I figured I only have one week left to reap its benefits. Of course, asparagus, especially the white one, may be found year round from other parts of the country, but nothing compares to the texture and flavor of this meticulously cultivated local delicacy during its season.
I never gave a chance to this white stalk until I moved to Germany. To understand how much the Germans love it, you need to know that they tend to eat it every day while it is in season. I think that’s the definition of “true passion”.
Ok, I admit that I have also fallen in love with both, green and white asparagus. I prefer to grill it as I find it extremely tasty, crunchy and the best way to keep it succulent.
Free of regular and saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium, asparagus makes a great source of vitamins C, A and K, fiber, folic acid, calcium and iron.
So I decided today to go for a fully loaded vitamin K salad with spinach, asparagus and the creamy quinoa and garnish it with big chunks of fresh orange, which gives it a refreshing flavor and makes it very different from any other salad.
- 1 bundle of white asparagus
- 2 bundles of fresh spinach
- 150 g of quinoa
- half of orange
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat.
- Rinse the quinoa, place it in a medium saucepan and add 300ml water. As I mentioned in another recipe, the rule is simple - two parts of water for one part of grain, cover, and cook for approximately 15 minutes until the germ separates from the seed. Try it before taking it out and keep it as al dente as possible, which gives it extra flavor. When it is done, set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, bring ¾ inch of water to a boil in a saucepan and put an Asian bamboo steamer on top. Add the spinach in the steamer, cover and let it cook for maximum 3 minutes.
- Then wash the asparagus thoroughly and place it on a plate. Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus, roll them until well coated and season it with salt. Put the asparagus directly on the grill for about 5 minutes, making sure to turn them on all sides as needed, to prevent burning it.
- At the end, combine the spinach with quinoa and large chunks of asparagus in a bowl or on a salad plate and garnish it with chunks of orange or your favorite fruit for some variety.
Sharing is kind of SEXY!
Leave a Reply