A couple weeks ago I decided to make BLATs (bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato) for the family for dinner, only to be disappointed that I couldn't actually eat them because I am intolerant to both the yeast and the gluten in bread. That left me with two alternatives--either wrap up the bacon, tomato and avocado in a romaine lettuce leaf or come up with some kind of cold salad mixture using the sandwich ingredients as a springboard. Utilizing some leftover quinoa I had in the fridge, this was the delicious end result. Enjoy!
BLT Quinoa Salad
Serves 2-4
2 c. Cooked and cooled quinoa*
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 Avocado, diced (optional)
6-8 slices Nitrate-free bacon (I use Applegate Farms brand.)
1/4 c. Real mayonnaise (Spectrum or Trader Joe's Organic are my favorites.)
2 t. Vinegar
2 t. Sugar
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped
*Rince 1 c. quinoa under water until it runs clear. Add quinoa to a medium saucepan with 2 c. water or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed and germ ring appears around quinoa seeds. This can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
1. Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels until cool and then crumble.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine mayo, vinegar and sugar. Mix well. Add quinoa, bacon, avocado and tomato. Toss to evenly coat the dry ingredients with the dressing. Add salt and pepper if desired.
3. Serve cold over chopped lettuce. Refrigerate any leftovers right away.
It was in the high 80s yesterday--in the middle of May. My original intent was to make this salad as a side dish, along with some BLAT sandwiches (bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato). However, in my stinking hot kitchen, just using the stove heats up the house a minimum of 3 degrees. Not cool with a single window AC unit for the entire first floor. No pun intended!
Needless to say, after roasting the corn and cooking the quinoa...I was way too hot to stand by the gas stove and cook the bacon. Sooo, our side dish became a main dish. I added some previously grilled chicken from the freezer (that I tossed in the microwave to reheat) and called it dinner.
My husband went back for seconds of this, and that says a lot! I ate the leftover today for lunch and it may have been even better on day #2. This would be such a yummy summer salad for cookouts and office potlucks. Or make up a batch on the weekend and eat it for lunches all week.
Mine could have used an extra squeeze of lime juice today, after soaking up the dressing all night--but I was out of limes. It was still delicious! However, it is something to keep in mind if you make this ahead for a picnic or lunches. You may want to add a little extra dressing right before serving.
Cilantro Lime Quinoa Salad with Black Beans & Roasted Corn
Makes 6 servings (about 1 c. each)
1 c. Quinoa (I used red quinoa)
2 c. Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1 can (15 oz.) Black Beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 c.)
1 c. Roasted Corn*
1/2 c. Red Onion, diced
1 small green or red pepper, diced
1 pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. Cilantro, chopped
1 Avocado, diced (optional)
1/4 c. Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice (about 2 med. limes)
1 t. Lime Zest
1/4 c. Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1 t. Honey or Sugar (optional--I did not use, but you may prefer)
1 t. Cumin
Salt & Pepper
1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly and combine with 2 c. broth in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 min. Stir occasionally. Quinoa is done when liquid has cooked off, grain is soft and germ ring has appeared on the outer edge of the grain. Allow to cool.
2. In a small bowl combine lime juice, olive oil, lime zest, garlic, honey (if using), cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk well to emulsify.
3. Add cooled quinoa, roasted corn, black beans, green pepper, tomatoes, onions, avocado (if using) and cilantro to a large serving bowl. Pour lime dressing over quinoa mixture and toss to blend. Refrigerate 2 hours for best results.
*Heat 1 T. olive oil in a small saucepan at med/high heat and add 1 c. frozen corn. Sauté until corn just begins to blacken.
This is my very favorite salad of all-time. Last spring, before the ridiculous heat and drought, when my spinach was growing a crazy rate--I ate this salad everyday. It is light, fruity and just a tiny bit sweet. The chewy cranberries pair well with the crunchy spinach and almonds. I love the easy citrus vinaigrette and the slightly salty feta cheese. YUM! The vitamin C in the citrus helps your body absorb the iron in the spinach better. In my opinion there is a perfect balance of protein, healthy fat, fiber and carbs.
This recipe makes one large, lunch-sized serving. Feel free to double or triple it for smaller pot luck servings or as a side dish for a family meal. The dressing recipe is a 1:1:1 ratio, meaning you can use 1 Tbs. of each ingredient or 1 cup of each. It stores for about 2-3 days in the refrigerator if you want to keep it on hand, although it is simple enough to whip up one serving at a time.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Salad:
2 c. organic baby spinach
3-4 strawberries, sliced
1 mandarin or clementine orange, peeled and segmented
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2 T. slivered almonds
2 T. Feta cheese
Dressing:
1 T. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 T. warm water
1 T. olive oil
dash of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice (optional)
1. Layer the spinach leaves with the fruit, nuts and cheese on a large plate.
2. Add frozen orange juice concentrate to a small bowl and stir in warm water. Squeeze in a dash of lemon or lime juice (optional). Whisk in olive oil until emulsified.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad and grab a fork!
Note: If you are making this salad to take to a picnic or even just to work for lunch, take the dressing separately and pour over the salad just before serving. If you add the dressing ahead of time, the spinach leaves will wilt.
