quinoa salad that actually fills you up

Right so I know quinoa salad has a bit of a reputation — sad desk lunch energy, tastes of good intentions — but hear me out because this one is properly good. I've been leaning into what's coming through at the market right now: radishes, spring onions, early peas, a bit of watercress. Threw it all with cooked quinoa, some roasted courgette (still using courgette from last week, it needed eating), a handful of pumpkin seeds and a dressing made with Welsh rapeseed oil, lemon, a tiny bit of Dijon and honey. That's it basically. The reason I keep coming back to quinoa over other grains is genuinely nutritional rather than just habit. It's one of the few plant sources that provides all nine essential amino acids, which matters if you're not eating much meat. 100g cooked gives you roughly 4g protein, decent iron, and magnesium — not huge amounts individually but they add up across a day. The pumpkin seeds do a lot of work too, zinc and healthy fats, and they stop it feeling like punishment food. Rough quantities for 2: - 160g dry quinoa (cook it in stock, not water, makes a difference) - 1 courgette, sliced and roasted with a bit of oil and salt - Handful of fresh or frozen peas, just blanched - 4–5 radishes, sliced thin - 2 spring onions, roughly chopped - Big handful of watercress or rocket - 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted Dressing: - 3 tbsp Welsh rapeseed oil - Juice of 1 lemon - 1 tsp Dijon - 1 tsp honey - Salt and pepper Whisk the dressing, toss everything together while the quinoa is still slightly warm so it absorbs a bit. The watercress wilts a touch which is actually nicer than it sounds. Rhys had two portions and he's not really a salad person, so. There's nice.