Quinoa, Chickpea, Spinach, Feta & Apple Salad = Yum for Short
Life is hard; food doesn't have to be #134 [vol4, 5.4]
My sister-in-love recently sent a link to a salad from America’s Test Kitchen. Of course it looked delicious. It’s hard to make anything, really, according to a recipe so don’t feel constrained to follow — here’s what I did:
Ingredients
1.5 cups cooked quinoa or other grain like bulgur wheat or couscous
15 oz chickpeas rinsed/drained
lemon - juice and zest
2 apples, chopped - I kept skin on for color
1 T honey
5 T olive oil or more
chopped shallot or green onions
1/2 c walnuts (or pecans), toasted
~5-8oz crumbled feta
5oz fresh spinach, preferably organic
vinegar, to taste, see notes
optional: handful of dried cranberries or cherries
optional: fresh mint leaves, chopped
Instructions
Cook and cool grain of choice*. In a large bowl, combine quinoa and chickpeas.
Chop apple and add to a smaller, separate bowl. Zest then squeeze lemon juice over it. If using shallots, chop and add to bowl with apple.
Add honey to apple and shallots.
Combine quinoa, chickpeas, apples, shallots (or green onions), feta and toasted nuts and dried fruit if using.
Serve with spinach separately.
*Notes
I soaked/sprouted quinoa then cooked in salted chicken broth. Quinoa doesn’t have to be soaked first but I happened the think of it earlier in the day and so I just soaked it in water for a few hours to start the germination process which made it easier to digest and more nutrient dense.
If there isn’t enough lemon juice to coat shallots, add a splash of your fav vinegar. This acid will help tone down the sharpness of raw shallot as well as keep the apple from turning brown. I wouldn’t add more vinegar for green onions.
If you have fresh mint, chop and throw some in for a burst of flavor!
When I served this for dinner, I tossed the spinach with olive oil first then splashed with extra vinegar (I’m weird and have a collection of vinegars. We used Meyer Lemon and Honey vinegar from Acid League — which can be found at Whole Foods, Thrive Market, Amazon). We prefer a juicier salad.
My sister in law served with grilled chicken. Salmon would be delish too! I served with roasted sweet potatoes and ground pork.
If you like beets, they would compliment this nicely, too. Basically, anything in your fridge. Juuuust kidding.
Would maybe look pretty if served like a giant chopped/chef salad where the toppings are mounded separately on the spinach - instead of everything mixed together beforehand.
More Salads to Try This Weekend
Simple Summer Salad - made with canned black eyed peas, cauliflower rice, chopped olives and feta.
Grain-free twist on tabbouleh.
My favorite potato salad recipe of all time. Horseradish is the key surprise.
Tons of my fav homemade salad dressing recipes here - super easy and so much better for you than store bought.
Not a salad - but don’t forget about the easiest mac and cheese for a crowd. I’ve heard feedback from some of you who’ve tried it and loved it!
Life is hard; food doesn't have to be.
Julie
PS - If we did away with all the spreads & margarine, the world would be a BUTTER place. HT: Plantains & Challah