Mediterranean Quinoa Salad |
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Recipe by Jeff Bland, Center of the Plate Specialist, U.S. Foodservice, Roanoke Division
Ingredients:
1 Cup Quinoa
2 Cups Cold Broth or Water
1 Cucumber, Peeled, seeded, and diced
2 Ripe Tomatoes, Seeded and Diced
3 Spring Onions, Sliced thin
A? Cup Kalamata Olives, Pitted and chopped
A? Cup Feta Cheese, crumpled
Juice of 3 lemons
A? Cup Good Olive Oil
1 Small Bunch Mint, Chopped
Instructions:
Salt and Pepper to taste
Rinse the quinoa grains well under cold running water. Place in a sauce pan and add the water or broth and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. Let the grains cool completely.
Put the cooked quinoa into a large bowl and mix in all of the vegetables and fold in the feta cheese. In a separate bowl, mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, and chopped mint and toss into the quinoa salad. Season the salad with sat and pepper, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
You can make this salad a day ahead of time if you wish. Garnish with chopped pistachios, slices of lemon, and mint leaves.
Quinoa is a grain coming from South America. It had the highest protein content of any grain and is high in fiber and many other nutrients. The grain is gluten free but bread and pasta are made from quinoa. You can find quinoa in health food stores and co-ops.
