I am sticking with the Summer recipe theme. If you have read some of my blog its no secret that Summer heat zaps my appetite. This year I even stopped planning my meals in the latter part of Summer when its just me and I have no one to cook for I am tempted to just have a smoothie or cold cereal.
So instead of giving in to my desier to be a couch potato and eat cold cereal I decided to make a cool Summer salad.
You can add change it up but the basic was good enough for me to want to share. I also made the dressing for this but you could also buy it already done if you desire.
Summer Quinoa Salad:
1 16 ounce can unsalted Chickpea drained and rinsed
1 cup of cooked Quinoa
2/3 cup of cut in half Kalamata Olive
1 medium Cucumber peeled and cut in bite size pieces
1 or 2 Tomatoes depending on size or hand full of cherry Tomatoes cut in half
Salt and Pepper per your taste
Feta Cheese crumbled on top if desired
Dressing:
(I did not measure so these are estimates)
4 cloves of Garlic diced
1/2 to 1 Teaspoon of dried Oregano
1 Tablespoon of Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of Honey
1/4 cup of Greek Olive Oil
1 to 2 Teaspoons of a mustard
2 Teaspoons of Red Wine Vinegar
Fresh ground Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook quinoa per package directions. As quinoa is cooking drain and rinse chickpeas add to bowl, peel cucumber then cut it up as well as the olives and tomatoes adding them to the bowl with the chickpeas. After quinoa is done cooking let cool down some while you make the dressing.
After quinoa is about room temperature add to the bowl with the rest of ingredients, add dressing then top with Feta.
Do this ahead if you would like it cool. Taste great straight from the refrigerator.
