Mediterranean Salad
Mediterranean salads are a great way to get in some veggies. Often times I'll toss in whatever vegetables I have leftover in my fridge: mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini... you name it! Today I did a more traditional salad recipe. I love to eat this year round but especially in the summer. It is also great to bring to work.
I can eat this without the protein but Greek chicken is tasty and very easy. See the recipe here. I like to make several at a time and will use in other ways, such as ciabatta sandwiches. I like adding in arugula to my Mediterranean salad but that is optional. I mix it together with the warm quinoa so that it gets steamed and softens. Then just toss in the other ingredients! Did you know you can make quinoa in the rice cooker? I also make some quick pickled onions for this salad unless I have some prepped in the fridge ready to go. You can use raw onion but I prefer the pickled taste over the pungent taste of raw onions for this salad.
The salad dressing I made is simple, but you can also use the Greek dressing from Trader Joe's, it's one of my favorites. It's creamy and goes perfectly with this salad. I used balsamic vinegar in my dressing where as a more traditional Greek dressing would use red wine vinegar. I did this simply because I ran out of red wine vinegar. Either works!
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- 1 dollop brown mustard
- 1/2 tsp jarred garlic
- 1/2-1 tbsp honey
- 1 large pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- freshly cracked pepper
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1/2 tomato (or to taste)
- 1/2 red onion
- apple cider vinegar
- 1 cucumber (chopped)
- 2 cup arugula
- 1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed)
- feta or goat cheese crumbles
- kalamata olives (halved)
- cooked chicken
Cook 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of chicken broth, you can cook it in the rice cooker on the white rice setting.
While the quinoa is cooking, bake your chicken and make your salad dressing. If you don't have pickled onions ready then slice half a red onion and place in a small bowl. Sprinkle with kosher salt and barely cover with apple cider vinegar. Let sit.
See my Mediterranean Baked Chicken Recipe.Once the quinoa and chicken are done, add the quinoa (still hot) into a large mixing bowl.
Add 2 cups of arugula to the hot quinoa and mix. Let the warm quinoa steam and soften the arugula.
Rinse a can of garbanzo beans and toss them in.
Chop up 1 cucumber and toss it in.
Optional: add in chopped bell pepper.- Chop 1/2-1 tomato and toss it in.
- Add in a few large spoonfuls of kalamata olive halves to taste.
- Add the quick pickled onions in to taste.
Add about half a container or to taste of feta or goat cheese crumbles.
Add the cooked chicken.
Toss your salad and serve. Top servings with Mediterranean dressing and ENJOY!