Greek Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1 small shallot (finely diced)
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic
• ¾ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ½-1 1/2 tsp maple syrup (or honey optional, to taste)
• 1 can chickpeas ((15oz) drained and rinsed)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup cooked quinoa* (room temperature or cold)
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 cup cucumber (I used two mini cucumbers, or English cucumber)
• ¾ cup grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes, halved)
• ½ cup Kalamata olives (pitted and halved)
• ¾ cup herbs (basil, mint, parsley)
• 2/3 cup crumbled feta (plain, omit if vegan)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking pan with parchment paper. In a jar, combine the red wine vinegar and shallot. Let sit for 5 minutes to mellow out the onion flavor.

2. 2

   Whisk in the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, Dijon, salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake well to combine. The dressing should be bright and tangy with a little kick of shallot and garlic flavor. Taste the dressing and add maple syrup to taste; only add ½ tsp at a time, tasting after each.

3. 3

   Cook your quinoa using a 1:2 quinoa-to-water ratio. Rinse the quinoa before cooking and let it rest covered for 5 minutes after cooking to absorb excess moisture. Fluff with a fork.

4. 4

   Dry the chickpeas on paper towels, making sure they’re completely dry. Drying them completely ensures that they roast and don’t steam in the oven.

5. 5

   Toss the dried chickpeas with the olive oil and salt. Spread them out in an even layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, rotating the pan and stirring the chickpeas after 15 minutes. Leave to cool while assembling the salad.

6. 6

   In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, arugula, cucumber, tomatoes, and olives. Drizzle 2/3 of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine.

7. 7

   Add feta and herbs and gently toss to combine. Toss with crispy chickpeas. Serve at room temperature or cold.