Description
A vibrant salad featuring roasted summer vegetables and nutty quinoa, perfect for a healthy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium eggplant, diced
- 1 medium-to-large zucchini, diced
- 1 medium-to-large yellow squash, diced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 2/3 ounce fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 2/3 ounce fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds or pine nuts, toasted
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the diced eggplant, zucchini, and yellow squash evenly between the sheets. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil each, season with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized.
- While the vegetables roast, prepare your quinoa. In a saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is fluffy and the water is absorbed.
- In a dry skillet, toast your almonds or pine nuts over medium heat for about 4-8 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown and fragrant.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and minced garlic. Gradually add the remaining olive oil while whisking until well combined.
- Once the roasted vegetables have cooled slightly, add them to the bowl, along with the halved grape tomatoes, cooked quinoa, fresh herbs, toasted nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese, if desired.
- Serve the salad at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Notes
Rinse the quinoa before cooking to remove its natural coating. Consider adding proteins like grilled chicken or chickpeas to enhance the meal’s nutritional profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 5mg