Salad that Makes a Meal

I've professed my love for salads in an earlier post, but it is worth revisiting. I was at a restaurant for a lunch meeting at work a few weeks ago, combing through the menu for a veg-friendly meal that did not contain pasta. I was underwhelmed by the entree salad options, observing that restaurants think they can throw a piece of grilled chicken or ahi tuna on top of some greens and call it a day. While I'm sure many people enjoy that type of meal, how about a little more effort to create a balanced meal -- or perhaps, I don't know, some imagination?

My recipe post for today is a salad worthy of the entree category. It combines a hearty grain and garbanzo beans for fiber and protein, marinated vegetables for nutrients, flavor and color and extra virgin olive oil for heart healthy fat. I can assure you that even a steak and potatoes eater will feel satisfied by this dish.

Here's what's cooking...

MEDITERRANEAN SALAD 

WITH GARLIC-LEMON DRESSING

This one is adapted from Robin Robertson's Quick-Fix Vegetarian and is both beautiful and delicious. Unlike most salads, this one is great to make ahead and eat all week. In fact, it tastes better once it sits for a little while. I prepared this today to bring to work for lunch throughout next week. Simply store the greens separate from the rest of the salad and combine just before eating. Mediterranean Salad is best served at room temperature.

Ingredients:

1 c. dried garbanzo beans, pre-soaked overnight in 6 c. water

1 1/2 c. your favorite grain, cooked

1 stalk celery, chopped

2/3 c. marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped

1/2 c. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

1/2 c. Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped

1-2 tbsp. capers, roughly chopped

4 scallions, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

juice of 2 lemons

1 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard

1-2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt to taste

freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts (see how here)

salad greens for serving

How to prepare:

Put your pre-soaked garbanzo beans with their soaking water into a saucepan, cover and cook on medium for about 60 minutes until they've reached a desired texture. If you want to make a true quick-fix meal and skip this step, you can sub the dried beans for a 14 oz. can. However, if you have the time, I encourage the use of the dried. Prepared fresh, they taste much better and you'll skip all that added salt. 

While your beans are cooking, prepare your choice of grain. I like to use bulgur, but this would be delicious with barley, kamut, spelt or even orzo if you're in a mood for pasta. 

In a large bowl, combine the cooked grain, celery, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, and scallions. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, dijon mustard and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

When cooked, drain and add the warm garbanzo beans to the grain mixture. Pour the dressing over the beans while still warm. This will help the dressing soak in and flavor the beans. Mix well. Taste for seasoning and add salt/pepper if necessary. Add in the parsley and toasted pine nuts and toss to combine. 

Serve over your favorite greens. I normally have this over fresh spinach, but happened to have a field green mix on hand. Any type of green will do or you could eat it as is. Enjoy a hearty good-for-you salad!

Never tried bulgur? 

Bulgur is a super healthy whole grain often confused with cracked wheat. Among other nutrients, one cup of dry bulgur contains approximately 25g of fiber, 17g of protein, and 574mg of potassium. Its high nutritional value makes it a good substitute for rice or couscous. It can also be used in pilafs, soups, baked goods, or as stuffing. It is a main ingredient in tabbouleh, and in Indian cuisine, bulgur is used as a cereal with milk and sugar. Give it a try!