Our family just returned home from spending a beautiful four days at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. We are exhausted, but have full hearts. We made new friends, went on peaceful walks, relaxed by campfires, and our kids were able to experience music and art in new and inspiring ways. It was a refreshing break from tv, computers, and the internet. Camp food was… well, camp food, and after four days, I was ready to get back to whole grains and fresh produce. I told Ryan that as soon as we were home again I was going to make a big quinoa salad, and I think he thought I was joking, but no, this was the first thing I made after we returned home. It was just what I needed and hit the spot. This dish is healthfully seasoned with curry, cumin, turmeric, and smoked paprika, has plenty of green from the grilled zucchini, grilled scallions, and parsley, and is generously garnished with crunchy toasted curry lime pepitas. Toasting the pepitas on the stove with some curry and lime zest only takes a few extra minutes and it makes all the difference. This can be served warm or at room temperature, but if making ahead of time, keep the pepitas stored separately until ready to serve so they don’t lose their crunch.
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon curry, divided
- ¾ teaspoon cumin, divided
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric, divided
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ pound zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini), trimmed and quarter lengthwise
- 1 bunch scallions (about 6 scallions)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon muscovado sugar
- ¾ teaspoon curry
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- zest from 1 lime
- In a small sauce pan, combine quinoa, salt, ¾ teaspoon curry, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon paprika, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until water is absorbed, about 15-17 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place zucchini and scallions on a large plate or tray. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoons of curry, cumin, turmeric, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Use hands to evenly coat vegetables.
- Grill zucchini 5-6 minutes, rotating after a few minutes, until tender and browned. Grill scallions 2-4 minutes, until slightly wilted and browned. Chop zucchini crosswise into small chunks and thinly slice the scallions.
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, zucchini, scallions, and parsley. Gently toss together and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve with a generous sprinkle of toasted curry lime pepitas.
- In a small bowl, mix together the muscovado sugar, curry, lime zest, and salt.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the pepitass with olive oil until they start to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle the curry lime mixture over the seeds and stir constantly until seeds are evenly coated and sugar is melted, about 1-2 additional minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Season to taste with additional salt if needed.
