Red Quinoa Salad with Spinach and Chickpeas

We celebrated summer tonight with Chicken Mojito, Jiddo's Hummus Bi Tahini, and a fabulous Red Quinoa Salad. By combining different recipes, I came up with this nutritious, delicious, Spanish inspired dish, which I've made several times to rave reviews. If you prefer to go vegetarian, serve this quinoa salad with mixed greens. Whether served as a main course or a side dish, this dish provides a perfect summer lunch or supper.

RED QUINOA SALAD WITH SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS

For the salad:
1¼ cups red quinoa
2½ cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
1 10-oz. bag spinach, washed and roughly chopped
2 baby seedless cucumbers,
            or ½ long English seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
1 bunch of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and/or pistachio nuts for garnish
Salad greens, if serving as a main course salad

For the dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice
3 tsps. honey
1 large garlic clove, minced or put through a press
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

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1. Bring broth to a boil in a large sauce pan. Add quinoa and simmer about 20 minutes (red quinoa takes a few minutes longer than white to cook), until "halo" appears around the grains. Fluff quinoa. Let sit partially covered for five minutes, then turn into a large bowl to cool. (Quinoa can be rinsed in cold water to cool faster. Drain well.)

2. Fold spinach, chickpeas, mint, and cucumber into cooled quinoa.

3. Whisk dressing ingredients together, fold into salad, and chill.

4. Serve over salad greens or as a side dish. Pass seeds and nuts at the table. Enjoy with crusty bread and a summery dry rosé or crisp white wine. Easily serves 6.

Lentil Salad with Red Beans and Chickpeas

Petite and tasty, French Puy lentils are a great ingredient for summer salads. They stay firm, they absorb dressings well, and they're good for you. If you've never tried them, do look for them. Don't be tempted to use common brown lentils. They'll mush up the salad.

This colorful concoction not only makes a great summer side dish, it's a perfect main vegan/vegetarian meal for a warm summer day. Feel free to tailor it to your own taste, and enjoy!

LENTIL SALAD with RED BEANS and CHICKPEAS
Cooking the Lentils:
1 cup dried French Puy lentils
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
½ tsp. salt
1 bay leaf

Assembling the Salad:
1 15-oz. can chick peas
1 15-oz. can small red beans
1 small bunch of scallions, white parts chopped, green tops thinly sliced
2-3 small seedless cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 3/4 oz. package fresh dill

Making the Dressing:
1/8 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. dry white wine
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

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1. Place lentils, garlic, salt, and bay leaf in a 2-quart saucepan with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lentils are just tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool, remove garlic and bay leaf, and drain again.

2. Drain and rinse red beans and chickpeas. Place in a large bowl with lentils. Stir in remaining ingredients, then fold in the dressing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Jiddo's Hummus Bi Tahini

My late father-in-law excelled at making soups and baked beans, but his Hummus Bi Tahini is my favorite. I've never tasted better hummus than his version of this classic Arabic dip, a blend of chickpeas and sesame paste. Delicious, nutritious, and easy, this appetizer/side dish is great for the holidays, a nice break from all those cream-laden dips packed with calories. Be sure to use good quality tahini, and try not to eat it all before you serve it!

JIDDO’S HOOMIS BI TAHINI

Mix in Blender:
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup plain low fat yogurt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
2-3 Tbs. lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, put through press

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Transfer mixture from blender to bowl. Add about ¾ cup Sesame Tahini, a little at a time, stirring well to desired thickness. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with parsley, toasted pine nuts, and/or a scattering of chickpeas. Serve with crackers, pita bread, and/or crudités.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad

Serve this colorful and nutritious vegetarian salad as a delicious main course or a fabulous side dish.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO and LENTIL SALAD

For the Lentils:
1 cup French green lentils (du Puy)
1 large bay leaf
3 large garlic cloves cut in half

For the Sweet Potatoes:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 Tbs. vegetable or light olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

For the Dressing:
1/8 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, minced　
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

To Finish the Salad:　
2 small seedless cucumbers, peeled and diced
4 scallions, white parts chopped, green tops sliced
1 15-oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained well
¾ oz. pkg. fresh dill, chopped
½ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

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1. Place lentils, garlic cloves, and bay leaf in a pot with cold water to cover by two inches. Bring to a boil. Simmer lentils until tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse in cool water and drain well, discarding bay leaves and garlic. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. To roast sweet potatotes, heat oven to 400 F. In a 9x13-inch pan, toss potato cubes with oil and rosemary. Cover with foil and roast for 12 minutes. Remove foil, shake pan, and continue roasting until potatoes are tender, about 12 -15 minutes more. Drain/cool on paper towels. (Sweet potatoes may be boiled - about 8-10 minutes, or steamed - about 6-7 minutes, until tender. Drain well.)

3. Blend ingredients for dressing together. Fold into lentils. Add potatoes and all remaining ingredients, folding gently to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4-6.