Veggie pots with quinoa and tahini dressing

Veggie pots look stunning and they are a fun way to serve a selection of bright interesting vegetables. You can vary them by adding a little feta cheese or using puy lentils instead of the quinoa. Veggie pots make a fabulous lunch dish and can be packed up and taken with you for a lunch box treat.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 aubergine, cut into rings and sprinkled with cooking salt

2 - 3 tbsp olive oil

100 g quinoa

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsp Oat drink

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 tablespoon olives - black or green, chopped

handful of baby spinach leaves, shredded

one spring onion, finely sliced

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted in a hot pan for 5 minutes

a few pomegranate seeds if you have them

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C /Gas 6. When beads of moisture appear on the cut surface of the salted aubergine rinse it in copious amounts of cold water. Pat dry and lay on a lightly oiled baking tray. Brush the upper surface with a little olive oil and place the tray in the oven for 15 minutes. When the aubergine is tender and beginning to brown on one side it is perfectly cooked. Return the aubergine to the oven for a little longer if you need to.

Place the quinoa in saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring the water to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes or until the quinoa is tender to the bite and little ‘tails’ appear from the grain. Drain the quinoa and allow to cool.

Place the tahini in a bowl with the lemon juice, garlic and Oat drink and season well with salt and pepper. Stir well adding a little water to make the dressing the consistency of mayonnaise. Taste and correct the seasoning.

To assemble the veggie pots

Place a tablespoon of quinoa in the bottom of a jar or bowl and top with a layer of diced tomatoes. Place a circle of cooked aubergine over the tomatoes followed by a layer of dressing. Next sprinkle some shredded spinach and spring onion into the jar followed by another layer of aubergine. Add another layer of chopped tomatoes, olives and shredded spinach. Finally top with a little more dressing and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin and pomegranate seeds.