Cheat’s Pilaf | Daily Mail Online

This is a brilliant all-rounder, vegan as is, but you could also serve it with a poached egg or some thin medallions of pork fillet or lamb. Hungry vegans might like to add more quinoa.   

Serves 2

flesh of 2 avocados

a generous tbsp lemon juice

sea salt, black pepper

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 red onions, peeled and chopped

150g sugar snaps, ends trimmed and cut into 1cm slices

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

250g packet cooked quinoa (eg, Merchant Gourmet)

40g rocket, coarsely chopped

40g watercress, coarsely chopped

finely chopped roasted hazelnuts and chopped parsley, to serve

• Whiz the avocado, lemon juice and some seasoning in a food processor until smooth.

•  Heat the oil in a 28cm nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions for about 8 minutes until softened and lightly coloured, adding the sugar snaps and spices a minute or so before the end. Stir in the quinoa, season and fry for a couple of minutes to heat through, then stir in the rocket and watercress and fold over for a few minutes so it relaxes.

•  Serve the pilaf dolloped with the avocado purée and scattered with hazelnuts and parsley.