Mediterranean Style Quinoa Salad

As we move closer to the end of Spring, beginning of Summer, our appetite and palate begin to beckon for more fresh food, salads, lighter meals, and fresh herbs. This is a light, but hearty, late Spring salad, loaded with protein and fresh vegetable goodness! This is a beautiful dish for a potluck and also works well for lunches or a lighter dinner. As always, feel free to modify this recipe to suit your taste buds and/or your macronutrient needs. This salad would pair beautifully with some baked chicken, salmon, white fish, or pan fried tofu and/or chickpeas/lentils/other beans.

Just a quick note here on why we love quinoa!

Health Benefits of Quinoa:

• A Complete Protein: Quinoa is one of the very few grains that contain all 9 essential amino acids, making this superfood an incredible source of protein. A 1 cup serving of cooked quinoa contains a whopping 8g of protein.

• High Fibre: A high fibre diet is strongly associated with lowered levels of LDL cholesterol, maintaining balanced blood sugar levels, and reduced risk associated with cardiovascular disease development and most cancers. Fibre helps the body to feel satiated for longer periods of time, which makes it an incredibly supportive food for healthy weight management. The high soluble fibre content found in quinoa is particularly beneficial for regulating hunger, providing bulk to stool for a healthier colon and overall gut.

• High Nutrient Profile: Aside from its protein and fibre content, quinoa has substantial quantities of beneficial nutrients. It contains iron, zinc, & potassium, with notable levels of copper, manganese, magnesium, & phosphorus.

• Antioxidant & Anti Inflammatory Properties: There are 2 main flavonoid compounds found in quinoa: quercetin and kaempferol. Both of these flavonoids contain powerful antioxidant components and anti inflammatory properties that aid in prevention of disease formation, immune function, and cancer protection.

Mediterranean Style Quinoa Salad

Serving Size 6-8
3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dry)
4 cups arugula, packed
1 large cucumber, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup kalamata olives, halved
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can white butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
I cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Mediterranean Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
Fresh pepper

• Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and combine with a fork.

• For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake until well-combined.

• Pour enough dressing over salad just to coat and adjust seasonings as needed.

• Optional Add Ins: Chicken, Salmon, Tofu, Chickpeas, Feta.

As always, if you make this recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know if you’ve enjoyed it or made any modifications! Feel free to share some pics on social media as well 😉

Happy Salad Eating!

Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie

This is a powerfully delicious main meal that is sure to satisfy a crowd or your family several times over! This is a dish you can look forward to, feel good about, and is absolutely worth the steps it takes to pull it off!

One thing I’ve realized over the years is that meals that take a bit of effort are like a piece of art. They tend to be consumed in the same way: savoured, appreciated, and with an element of nurturing that just isn’t present with store bought meals or restaurant food.

Do not be deterred by the steps in this recipe! The entire thing will take you about an hour, there’s no way around that, so put on some music or your favourite binge-worthy show and sink in to the process of creating something beautiful AND nourishing!

We love to serve this Shepherd’s Pie with Homemade Ketchup! Once you make this ketchup once, you’ll realize how silly it is to buy ketchup that’s laced with chemicals and processed sugar. The ketchup will take you just a few minutes to put together, but will need to simmer for about 20 minutes, so plan to have that going at the same time as you make the Shepherd’s Pie 😊

Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Makes 8 - 10 Servings
Filling:
2 Tbsp coconut oil
3 large yellow onions, diced
2 tsp salt
8 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine (or use vegetable stock)
1 cup dry French lentils, pre-cooked (yield aprox. 2.5 cups)
2 bay leaves + 1 “ kombu seaweed (add to cooking water with lentils then discard)
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup smooth tahini
1 Tbsp tamari 
1 Tbsp  balsamic vinegar
2 tsp  Worcestershire sauce
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Potato-Cauliflower Mash:
3 medium potatoes, cut into 2” chunks
½ medium head of cauliflower, cut into 2” florets
2 heads of garlic, roasted
¼ cup vegan butter/cashew butter/regular butter
1/2 cup plant based milk (more if needed)
2 tsp salt
Lots of fresh pepper

• In a large, heavy bottom skillet (I use a wok), heat oil and diced onions and sauté several minutes until beginning to soften. Add garlic, fresh herbs, and diced carrots & celery. Cook several minutes.

• Hollow out a space among the vegetables in your pan and add tomato paste. Slowly stir into the onion mix. Pour in red wine, if using, and stir until dissolved.

• Add cooked lentils and all other ingredients and cook several minutes until mixture looks well-combined and tahini is evenly distributed.

• Pour lentil mix into the bottom of a 9 x 12 glass dish, spreading out evenly.

• In a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add potatoes & cauliflower and boil until fork tender. Transfer cooked vegetables to your food processor and add in all other Mash ingredients. Blend until smooth.

• Top lentil base evenly with your potato-cauliflower mash.

• Bake @ 375 for 25 – 30 minutes, or until top is lightly browned.