Tastē Tuesday~ Happy Valentine's Day. I hope that in a small...or large...or just special way, you felt that you were loved today. In honor of it also being Heart Month, here is a versatile, heart-friendly recipe that can be used for lunch, dinner, or a side dish. The original recipe calls for red quinoa which adds more color for presentation purposes. I had plain quinoa in the cupboard, so that is what I used. With the cucumber, feta cheese, and tomatoes, it still turned out nice.
This salad has some prep time due to allowing the quinoa to cool and the dressing favors to meld, but it can be prepped in stages to make it an quick dish at serving time. Check out the notes/tips at the end of the recipe for how I altered the timing so we could come home from church on Sunday afternoon and be sitting down to eat within 20 minutes. Lastly, garnishes are often pretty, sometimes add flavor, and other times just an extra hassle. In this case though, don't forget the lemon wedge. A squirt of fresh lemon juice on top right before eating adds a flavorful twist!
This salad has some prep time due to allowing the quinoa to cool and the dressing favors to meld, but it can be prepped in stages to make it an quick dish at serving time. Check out the notes/tips at the end of the recipe for how I altered the timing so we could come home from church on Sunday afternoon and be sitting down to eat within 20 minutes. Lastly, garnishes are often pretty, sometimes add flavor, and other times just an extra hassle. In this case though, don't forget the lemon wedge. A squirt of fresh lemon juice on top right before eating adds a flavorful twist!
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Adapted from Amanda Haas, Cooking Light, September 2012
Ingredients 1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced seeded tomato
1/2 cup (1/2-inch) diced seeded cucumber
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
4 lemon wedges
Preparation 1. Bring chicken broth and quinoa to a vigorous boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until quinoa is tender and chewy, with white serial-like threads appearing around each grain - about 15 minutes. Place in a large bowl. Let cool 1 hour.
2. While quinoa cools, combine oil and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Let stand 20 minutes.
3. Add dressing, tomato, and next 4 ingredients (through chickpeas) to quinoa; toss well. Add cheese, and toss gently. Serve with lemon wedges.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (Printable Recipe)
Adapted from Amanda Haas, Cooking Light, September 2012
Ingredients 1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced seeded tomato
1/2 cup (1/2-inch) diced seeded cucumber
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
4 lemon wedges
Preparation 1. Bring chicken broth and quinoa to a vigorous boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until quinoa is tender and chewy, with white serial-like threads appearing around each grain - about 15 minutes. Place in a large bowl. Let cool 1 hour.
2. While quinoa cools, combine oil and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Let stand 20 minutes.
3. Add dressing, tomato, and next 4 ingredients (through chickpeas) to quinoa; toss well. Add cheese, and toss gently. Serve with lemon wedges.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (Printable Recipe)
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