GLUTEN FREE VEGAN MIDDLE EASTERN RED QUINOA

Here's the last dish of the four that my niece, Taibi, pictured below

made for me while I wasn't feeling well. I'd never had red quinoa before, and really loved this. Especially the mint. Isn't almost anything better with fresh mint?

MIDDLE EASTERN RED QUINOA

3 cups cooked red quinoa (be sure to rinse quinoa several times before cooking)

1 15oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained

4T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup torn spinach leaves

1/4 cup roughly chopped mint leaves

juice of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Saute chick peas in garlic and 2T olive oil. Cool.

Make a vinaigrette with lemon juice, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Toss spinach, quinoa, mint and chick peas in vinaigrette to coat well.

This collage is one of a series Taibi did in a collaboration with writer, Matt Briggs.

For more info on Taibi Mastelse's collages, paintings, drawings and sculptures, look here.