Tricolor Quinoa Salad With Buttered Pumpkins & Green Peas

Recently, I came across a salad recipe online, using Tricolor Quinoa  by: The Devil Wears Salad.com.  To be frank, this is the first time trying out a salad dish using quinoa.  What interest me most is, how to cook fluffy quinoa.  I managed to get it right by following the recipe of 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup of water.

Since I am using whatever available ingredients in my fridge, I create my own bowl of 'Simple Yet Yummylicious' Salad for my lunch.

The ingredients I used are indeed very simple: pumpkin, green peas and green olives.

Steps: (serves 1)

1. To prepare the quinoa; rinse 1/2 cup (rice cup) of quinoa through a colander.  Add the quinoa to a small pan with 1 cup of water.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer gently.  Let it simmer until the water has absorbed.  Remove the pan from heat and cover with a lid.  Let quinoa steam for about 5 minutes.  Remove the lid and use a fork to fluff up the quinoa.  Set aside in a bowl for assembly.
2. Next, peel the pumpkin and cut into small cubes, and set aside in a bowl.
3. Set aside some green peas in a small bowl.
4. Slice the green olives (seedless) in half and set aside.
5. Prepare 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped.
6. To cook, add 2 tablespoon unsalted butter into a heated pan, add in pumpkin and garlic, stir-fry until pumpkin almost soft but not mushy, then add in the green peas.  Stir to mix and add dashes of chicken stock granules or salt, and ground white pepper, give it a quick stir and taste for correct seasoning.  Remove from pan into the bowl with the cooked quinoa.  Add in the green olives, and combine all the ingredients.  
7. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle some chopped spring onion, and serve.