Rinse the quinoa thoroughly and cook it in water until the grains are soft and starting to burst open. Then let the steam escape briefly.
Cut the courgette, red onion, pepper and cherry tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Toss them with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin.
Spread the vegetables out on a tray and roast in the oven at 200 °C (180 °C fan) for 20–25 min, until tender and lightly browned at the edges. The tomatoes can burst a little.
For the dressing, stir the tahini with the lemon juice, olive oil and a little water until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and a little more cumin if needed.
Mix the quinoa and roasted vegetables in a bowl while still warm. Pour the tahini dressing over and mix everything gently.
Arrange on plates and serve warm. Finish with a little extra lemon juice and freshly ground pepper if you like.
Good to know
A warm salad like this feels like a proper meal: satisfying and fresh, but still light. Especially lovely when the vegetables caramelise a little in the oven and the dressing brings everything together.
Swaps
Quinoa → millet (also contains minerals and is gluten-free) | Tahini → almond butter (milder flavour, also provides unsaturated fats) | Courgette → aubergine (a little more fibre) | Cherry tomatoes → roasted squash (more beta-carotene, a slightly sweeter note)
Allergens
Contains sesame from the tahini. Well suited to children if the cumin and pepper are used sparingly; during pregnancy it's generally fine, as long as the vegetables are well cooked and everything is freshly prepared.
