Quinoa Pilaf with beetroot, tempeh and tahini

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and roast the beetroot on an oven tray with a good drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt for 30 minutes. It should be golden and tender.

In a saucepan combine the quinoa and broth/stock and bring to the boil on medium heat. Once the water is boiling turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes with the lid on. 

Remove from the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

Pour onto a plate so the quinoa doesn’t keep cooking in the hot pot.

In a large pan, saute the leeks with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 pinches of salt for about 3 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another 2 minutes stirring regularly. Add the chickpeas and stir to combine. Add the cooked quinoa and and stir well so the spices, leeks and chickpeas combine well throughout the quinoa. Add the currents and remove from the heat. Add the parsley leaves and salt to taste.

Pan Fry the tempeh for 3 minutes each side until golden with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Finally, add all of the ingredients for the tahini dressing in a small bowl and mix well. Add a splash of water so the dressing isn’t too thick. Just enough so you can pour over the meal. Just add a little at a time until you reach a nice consistency.