In India I fell in love with ZEST.

Zest is a health food restaurant with vegan and vegetarian options to die for. I was surprised to find such fresh and healthy food in Goa and ended up eating there almost every day.

One of my favourite dishes was their vegan mexican bowl. It was hearty, nourishing and the ideal supper after a hard day of yoga.

Arriving back in freezing London I decided to create my own version of this yummy bowl, and I was very happy with the outcome.

Obviously I wanted to share it with you guys.

It takes around 25 minutes.

Serves 2.

You will need:

160g of quinoa

2 peppers

1 avocado

1 lime

1/2 a  lemon

200g of tomatoes

1/2 a block of feta

A bunch of coriander

Salt and pepper to season

Optional:

Jalapeños (if you like a bit of heat) and black beans would make a great addition.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200c/gas 6.

Rinse the quinoa in a sieve till the water runs clear.

Tip the quinoa into a pan with about 320ml of boiling water and half the lemon. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil.

Reduce to a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Whilst the quinoa is cooking prepare the veg by chopping the peppers into thin strips and tomatoes in half/quarters.

Cut the avocado into small squares and if you are adding jalapeños cut into thin slices.

Once the quinoa is ready, empty pan onto on a lined baking tray, season and place in oven for 10 minutes.

This is a great trick for cooking quinoa as it dries it out and means it keeps its crunch when all your other ingredients are added.

Grab a big bowl add the quinoa and veg and then crumble the feta and chopped coriander on top.

Squeeze the lime juice over your bowl and season again.

I love this mexican bowl. It is ridiculously easy and super fresh and tasty

If you are vegan simply take out the feta.

This is a great receipe for getting some quinoa into your diet. I like to use the organic black quinoa as it has slightly more crunch and adds a depth of colour to the bowl.

This meal is very easy to cook and a great one to take into work for lunch the following day.

Ro x