Freekeh salad

Freekeh adds a wonderful nutty flavour to this colourful salad. This can also be turned into a main meal by adding some pan-fried salmon pieces.

Ingredients

1 cup	Cracked freekeh grains, rinsed (Main)
1	Lemon, finely grated zest and juice
¼ cup	Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp	Honey
1 tsp	Sea salt
2 handfuls	Tender young green beans, trimmed and lightly steamed
3	Spring onions, trimmed and diced
1	Lebanese cucumber, trimmed and diced
1	Small zucchini, trimmed and diced
2 handfuls	Cherry tomatoes, cut in half horizontally
1	Avocado, ripe but firm, halved, stone removed, peeled and diced
1 large handful	Mint leaves, torn

Directions

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the freekeh then reduce the heat and simmer until the freekeh is al dente, about 20 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water and leave to dry.
2. Place the lemon zest and juice, oil and honey in a clean screw top jar. Season with salt, screw on the lid and shake well to emulsify.
3. Place the cooked freekeh in a large bowl and add the prepared vegetables and mint. Drizzle with enough dressing to moisten and gently toss to combine.
4. To serve, place in a large shallow serving bowl.

Tips:

• You could also add: baby spinach leaves, picked watercress, grilled corn, and other herbs such as flat leaf parsley and dill.
• Sweeten dressing with brown rice syrup, if following a vegan diet.
• If the dressing is too tart, add extra salt and a dash more olive oil.