Ingredients:
- 1 cup uncooked grains* (Karen’s favorite combination: ⅓ cup rinsed quinoa, ⅓ cup millet, ⅓ cup raw buckwheat grouts)
- 2 cups water
- 1-½ cups cooked chickpeas/navy/cannellini beans or 1 (15-oz) can of beans (rinsed and drained) or frozen peas/edamame (thawed)
- 1-½ cups chopped seasonal vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, snap peas, whatever you have on hand!)
- 1-½ cups lightly cooked/blanched greens (collards/kale/spinach/etc.)
- ½ – ¾ cups chopped green onions
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, and/or cilantro) or 1 – 2 tbsp dried herbs
- ¼ cup lemon juice (approximately 2 to 3 lemons)
- 2 – 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
- Splash of olive oil
- 2 to 3 cloves of garlic (pressed or minced)
- ½ tsp of salt
- Black pepper (to taste)
Directions:
- Cook grains: put the grains and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the grains have absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the grains rest for 5 minutes.
- In a large serving bowl, add the beans, chopped vegetables, greens, green onion, and herbs. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.
- Once the grains are mostly cool, add them to the serving bowl and drizzle the dressing on top.
- Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and adjust the other seasonings as needed. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 – 5 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Note: I enjoy using millet and buckwheat because they are both nutrient rich, tasty, and generally speaking are more sustainable (socially and environmentally) than quinoa.
Recipe adapted from: Cookie and Kate
