Pee-jay Heart's Quinoa (Keen-wah)

Just a little something I whipped up on the weekend......

We called it: Mediterranean Pesto Quinoa Chicken Stack


Preparation 15 minutes
Cooking 24 minutes
Serves 4

1 cup quinoa
½ Kent Pumpkin
1 Red Capsicum
1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
1 bunch Fresh Basil
1 100g Organic Cashews
2 garlic cloves, bruised
Mixed herbs of choice
2 x 180g organic chicken breast
1 avocado sliced
50g Persian Feta
50g Semi Sun Dried Tomatoes

1. Slice Capsicum and pumpkin into 5 cm x 10 cm strips. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 mins on 180 degrees.
2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Cook the quinoa for 10-12 minutes or according to packet instructions. Drain well.
3. Combine the basil, cashew nuts, fresh garlic, lemon juice & olive oil in a food processor to create a creamy pesto.
4. Fold the pesto into the quinoa until combined evenly. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine.
5. Meanwhile, place the garlic and mixed herbs in another medium saucepan, fill two-thirds of the way with water and bring to the boil. Gently lower the sliced chicken breasts into the water and return to the boil for 30 seconds. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and remove from the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
6. Rub the lining of a small container with olive oil. Fill with the pesto quinoa and pack tightly. Tip over onto a plate and slowly tap the container until the perfect shaped quinoa cube is on the plate.
7. Layer the capsicum & pumpkin strips on top of the quinoa. Slice the avocado into 1cm thick wedges and set on top. Top with a few droplets of Persian feta and semi sun dried tomatoes. 

ENJOY!