Warm Mediterranean Quinoa Salad – Fully Loaded!
I love to make fresh quinoa salads all spring and summer, filling them with fresh herbs like parsley and basil, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and other delicate raw veggies. The only problem with salads like these is they aren’t satisfying in the cold winter months (give me a hot lunch and dinner, or I’m hiding in bed and never coming out)!
What’s a salad lover to do? I decided to create a warm Mediterranean quinoa salad that is gluten-free, vegan, and packs in the flavour and nutrients. Added bonus: make a large batch because this is a salad you can reheat! It freezes well so put leftovers into meal-sized containers in your freezer for healthy weekday lunches or quick dinners.
Why does everyone under the sun seem to be crazy for quinoa? I will be posting about what makes quinoa a nutritional powerhouse soon, so stay tuned!
Now for the mouth-watering recipe…
Warm Mediterranean Quinoa Salad – Fully Loaded!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Red quinoa
- 1 cup Black quinoa
- 1 cup White quinoa
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Oregano dried
- 1 tsp Sage dried
- 1 tsp Basil dried
- 1 Eggplant cut lengthwise into 1/2" thick slices
- 1 Green bell pepper diced
- 1 tbsp Red chili flakes (optional)
- 4 Artichoke hearts chopped (you can use jarred or canned, but be sure to rinse off any brine or oil)
- 1/2 cup Black olives pitted, chopped
- 1/2 cup Sundried tomatoes rehydrated by sitting in boiling water for 10 minutes
- 1/4 cup Pine nuts
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese crumpled, (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water, rubbing together gently. In a large saucepan add quinoa and 4 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- Brush sliced eggplant with olive oil and grill on a barbecue, grill pan or on a panini press like I did! If you don’t have these tools, no worries. Set oven to broil and in about 6 min per side, your eggplant will be soft and flavourful.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and stir until translucent. Add garlic, green pepper and spices. Once the green pepper has softened, add remaining ingredients to warm.
- Fluff quinoa with a fork and add add to a large bowl with the eggplant and skillet contents. Serve with lemon wedges – a squeeze of lemon juice brings the flavours to the next level!
Notes
Enjoy!
XO Christy
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