Red Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked red quinoa
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced seeded tomato
1/2 cup (1/2-inch) diced seeded cucumber
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
4 lemon wedges

 

Preparation

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and place in a large bowl. Let cool 1 hour.

2. While quinoa cools, combine oil and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Let stand 20 minutes.

3. Add dressing, tomato, and next 4 ingredients (through chickpeas) to quinoa; toss well. Add cheese, and toss gently. Serve with lemon wedges.

Kids Can Help: With a child-safe knife, kids can chop the tomatoes and cucumber, and then crumble the feta.

Note: MyRecipes is working with Let’s Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA’s MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov.
Amanda Haas, Cooking Light Real Family Food
SEPTEMBER 2012

Another Tzatziki

My other recipe is delicious, but I’m slightly allergic to dairy, so the sour cream is a problem for me. I found this recipe and am trying it out. It’s well worth reading the full discussion of this recipe at Kalyn’s Kitchen.

Ingredients

3 cups Greek Yogurt
juice of one lemon (about 3 T)
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 medium cucumbers, seeded and diced
about 1 T kosher salt for salting cucumbers
1 T finely chopped fresh dill (can substitute mint leaves for a slightly different version)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Peel cucumbers, then cut in half lengthwise and take a small spoon and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds. (If you use the small seedless or European cucumbers with few seeds, you can skip this step.) Slice cucumbers, then put in a colander, sprinkle on 1 T salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out water. Drain well and wipe dry with paper towel.

Chop up cucumbers and garlic then add lemon juice, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend well, then stir this mixture into the yogurt. Taste before adding any extra salt, then salt if needed. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend. (This resting time is very important.)

This will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.

For an interesting twist, I’m going to try adding avocado as recommended by Anne’s Food blog.

Tzatziki – Cucumber Yogurt Dip

This is great! Cool and creamy, this tangy cucumber dip flavored with garlic is the perfect compliment to grilled meats and vegetables. It’s served on the side with warm pita bread triangles for dipping, and is also used as a condiment for souvlaki.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1 cup greek yogurt, strained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Preparation:

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least two hours before serving.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill just before serving.