Easy summer salad for sharing

Summers are meant for sharing good food with family and enjoying the days outside while living in Montana. This super easy salad can be shared at family barbeques or packed on a hiking trip for an easy picnic lunch while on the go.

Quinoa can sometimes be an intimidating food to cook but is much easier to deal with than people may realize. It holds up well and can be eaten cold or hot.

This cold salad will quickly become a family favorite and will have you coming back for a second portion.

MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA SALAD

YIELD: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 c quinoa

1 c arugula, rough chop

2 mini cucumbers, sliced

2 oz basil, sliced thin

½ bunch mint, sliced thin

3 oz crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

¼ red onion, diced

¼ c pine nuts, toasted

1-15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 t olive oil

Dressing

½ c olive oil

¼ c white wine vinegar

¼ c lemon juice

2 T parsley, minced

2 t honey

2 t dried oregano

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 t Dijon mustard

1 t dried thyme

¼ t salt

¼ t pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Preheat oven to 425 F.

2 Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa and turn down to a simmer. Let quinoa cook until water is gone, and quinoa is cooked all the way through. 15-25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

3 Toast pine nuts until golden brown, 5 minutes. Let cool completely.

4 Lightly toss chickpeas with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes until slightly golden brown. Let cool completely.

5 While chickpeas and quinoa are cooking prepare the dressing. Can be made by hand, but it’s much easier and quicker to make with a blender or immersion blender.

6 Add all ingredients except the olive oil to blender or mixing bowl and combine. Slowly drizzle in the oil while blending or whisking. Season with salt and pepper.

7 Combine all the salad ingredients.

8 Mix the quinoa salad with the dressing to taste. I personally like all of the dressing in this salad, but add however much makes your heart happy. Add more salt and pepper if needed. 9. Can be held for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

10 This salad has room for many modifications: you can add different beans or protein such as diced chicken, other vegetables such as tomatoes or artichokes, and you can add olives to create a little more variety.

Michaella Evert is an instructional assistant at Flathead Valley Community College’s Culinary Institute of Montana.