Holiday Quinoa Salad

 

2 cups water or chicken broth

1 cup uncooked quinoa

½ cup crumbled feta

½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

½ cup chopped green onions

½ cup dried cranberries

zest of 1 orange

citrus dressing (recipe below)

 

Bring water or chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add quinoa and cover with a tight-fitting lid.

Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, allow to stand 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and chill.

Toss chilled quinoa, feta, pecans, green onions, cranberries and orange zest together.

Drizzle dressing over the mixture and then toss quickly to combine.  Serve cold.

 

Citrus Dressing

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 Tbsp. olive or canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tsp. kosher salt

10 cracks black pepper

1 tsp. creole seasoning

Whisk ingredients together.  If possible refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

 

Chickpea Mediterranean Couscous

 

1 zucchini

8 oz heirloom grape tomatoes

¼ oz fresh thyme

4 scallions or green onions

4 cloves garlic

1 lemon

1 (3.4 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 Tbsp. butter

1½ cup Israeli Couscous

1½ cups veggie stock

1 cup Feta cheese

 

Wash and dry all produce.  Put oven racks on the middle and upper portions of the oven and preheat to 425°.

 Trim zucchini, then cut into ½ in cubes.  Halve tomatoes.  Strip thyme leaves from stems.  Trim, then thinly slice scallions, keeping greens and whites separate.  Mince garlic.  Half lemon.

Toss zucchini, tomatoes, and half the thyme leaves on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven on the middle rack until tender (about 20 minutes) tossing halfway through.

 Toss chickpeas, paprika, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place on another baking sheet.  Roast on the upper rack until crisp (about 20 minutes) tossing halfway through.

 Heat butter, garlic, and scallion whites in a medium pot over medium-high heat.  Once the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, add couscous and remaining thyme leaves.  Toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook, tossing until couscous is lightly toasted (about 2 -3 minutes.)

Stir in veggie stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until couscous is al dente (10 -12 minutes.)

Add half the veggies, half the feta, and a squeeze of lemon to the pot and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.

 Divide the couscous between plates, and top with chickpeas and remaining veggies.  Sprinkle with scallion greens and the remaining feta.

This recipe can be found here.

Greek Pasta Salad

 

8 oz. pasta (your choice)

1 medium cucumber, chopped

½ medium red onion, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 (15-oz.) can black olives, drained

1 cup grape tomatoes, rinsed

2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

pepperoni, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 recipe Greek Salad dressing

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add the pasta and cook al dente. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes, and feta cheese and any other ingredients you’re including. Add the cooked pasta and about 1 cup of the Greek salad dressing and toss to distribute evenly, add more dressing if needed. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. 

Greek Salad Dressing

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup white vinegar

2 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. seasoning salt

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. black pepper

4 cloves garlic

1 cup oil

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

¾ tsp. Greek or Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. dry oregano

 In the jar of a blender, combine all the ingredients through the garlic. Blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and add the feta and pulse the blender a few times (more if you want a creamier consistency). Whisk in the herbs. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. 

These recipes can be found here and here.

Lentil Quinoa Salad

½ cup quinoa

½ cup lentils

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsps. red wine vinegar

¼ cup vegetable oil

1/3 tsp. garlic powder

1 lime, zested

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 green onions, chopped

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

feta cheese to taste

Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add quinoa and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Stir and cool.

Rinse lentils.  In saucepan, simmer lentils in 2 cups water until tender, about 30 minutes.  Drain and cool.

Whisk mustard and vinegar together.  Slowly add oil.  Add garlic powder, lime zest, salt and pepper.

To assemble salad, mix quinoa, lentils, green onions, and cilantro.  Top with dressing, toss to coat and serve.

This recipe can be found here.

Greek Quinoa Salad

1¼ cups quinoa, rinsed
Kosher salt
1 15 -ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ seedless cucumber, chopped
3 large plum tomatoes, chopped
½ red onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh oregano, plus more for topping
Freshly ground pepper
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (about 2 ounces)
1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped
¼ cup halved pitted kalamata olives

Bring 1¾ cups water, the quinoa and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium low; cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork; let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, toss the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil and the oregano in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper and let sit 10 minutes.

Pulse the feta, 2 tablespoons water and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a mini food processor until smooth, adding up to 1 tablespoon water, if needed; season with salt and pepper.

Divide the lettuce among bowls; top with the warm quinoa, the chickpea mixture and olives. Drizzle with the feta dressing and sprinkle with oregano.