Quinoa Garbanzo Bean Taco Salad

Maybe I'm stretching it by calling this a taco salad, but hey, my blog, my choice.

I made this much salad to see us through the week. This is a lot for two people. I shared with coworkers, and we ate this for lunch and dinner.

Next time, I'll probably halve the recipe. Still, it's been nice to have something on hand that's healthy, satisfying and totally tasty. And if you don't like cilantro, substitute parsley or another fresh herb of your preference.

A recipe like this is a reminder (for me) and a suggestion (for you). The key is combining legume / quinoa with fresh herbs and veggies. Take this one step further and put a scoop on a bed of spinach, topped with oven-roasted chicken and sour cream. Which is what we have planned tonight.

Quinoa Garbanzo Bean Taco Salad

Ingredients

1 15.5 oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained (or 1 1/2 c. cooked garbanzos)

1 1/2 c. cooked quinoa

2 cloves minced garlic

1 c. chopped red onion

1 juicy tomato, diced

2 sticks celery, chopped

1 med. zucchini, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1-2 minced jalapenos

1/2 t. cumin

1/2-1 t. chili powder (to taste)

juice from 2 limes plus lime zest

dash salt

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

olive oil and rice vinegar...enough to create luscious coating.  Remember: less is more.

Directions:  Easy easy easy!

1. Cook the quinoa and let cool.
2. Chop the veggies and herbs.
3. Drain the garbanzos.
4. Mix it all up and season to taste  (I prefer rice vinegar with dash of balsamic).

Eat now. Just as Good chilled. Just as good the next day. Killer.

South of the Border Tabbouli

I've been craving tabbouli, but didn't have the ingredients on hand, aside from bulghur, that I ordinarily use in the recipe. So I made today's salad with a south of the border flair. Must say, this is divine. Feel free to adjust the seasonings and add more veggies, even different ones, like cucumber or grated carrot.

Sorry about the blurry pics. Using my old Blackberry...need new camera!

South of the Border Tabbouli
Ingredients
3/4 c. bulghur
juice of 2 limes
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
6 scallions, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 c. chopped tomato, fresh not canned!
1/4 t. ground cumin

1/4 c. olive oil

salt to taste

Directions

1. Soak bulghur in 1 1/2 c. water for an hour, or until tender. Drain any excess before adding the rest of the ingredients.
2. While that soaks, chop the veggies and combine in bowl with herbs, lime juice and olive oil.
3. Mix in bulghur. Feel free to eat immediately...although I think letting the flavors soak into the grain is worth waiting for another half hour.
4. Store leftovers in a covered container in fridge. Best eaten within the next day.

This is the height of tomato season, so spring for the ripest heirlooms. Your dish only tastes as good as the quality of your ingredients.

Buffet Menu

This is the menu of dishes I made for my daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner. It's certainly appropriate for any special occasion. In planning the menu, I kept in mind various food restrictions: my daughter prefers vegetarian fare, her father is allergic to seafood, the soon-to-be husband's dad is on dialysis. For instance, Joe wanted a ham, but individuals on dialysis need to restrict their salt intake, so I also baked chicken breasts.

Everything here was prepared, to some degree, ahead of time, which is the key to a successful buffet. The biscuit and madeleine doughs were ready. Salads made, veggies chopped. Salmon terrines prepped the day before. And as you'll see, I didn't skimp on flavor -- we love fresh herbs and fragrant spices to take a dish over the top.

The entire menu can be prepared by a first time cook. The trick to having everything ready when guests arrive is making a timeline and to do list.

The Menu

Artichoke Heart Dip [note: I used parm and mozzarella]
Baked Chicken Breasts - no recipe
Baked Ham - no recipe
Cheddar Sage Buttermilk Biscuits w/ 3 mustards - recipe below
Crudite and Hummus
Marinated Olives
Monet Salad w/ Mustard Vinaigrette - recipe below
Pasta Salad - recipe below
Smoked Salmon Terrines - recipe below
Wild Mushroom Crostini
Zucchini Madeleines

Recipes

Cheddar Sage Buttermilk Biscuits w/ 3 mustards
Ingredients
2 c. flour
4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1 T. sugar
8 T unsalted butter
3 1/2 oz. shredded cheddar
10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2/3 c. buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut butter into flour.
3. Add dry ingredients.
4. Blend in milk. Mix just until ingredients are combined, then roll dough on floured cutting board and cut into biscuits.
5. Butter/flour cookie sheet and place biscuits.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes.
7. In three small bowls, dollop your favorite mustards so guests can pick their poison. I chose Dijon, stoneground, and honey mustards.

Monet Salad w/ Mustard Vinaigrette

I saw this idea in a cookbook once but haven't been able to find it since, so I can't credit the source. But the idea is simple enough. A Monet Salad is composed of mixed baby greens and edible flowers. I used rosemary, geranium, lavender and nasturtiums. The vinaigrette is equally simple. The proportions: 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar (I combine rice/balsamic), and 3 tablespoons of Dijon. Stoneground mustard is just as nice if you have that on hand. Put it in a pretty bottle and shake it up to emulsify the ingredients.

Pasta Salad

This is not really a recipe as much as a list of ingredients. As you see, this is a meal in itself. In addition to the pasta (I used farfalle this time, although any curly pasta, like rotini or campanelle, is suitable), I added: red onions (diced small), green onions, celery, carrots, salami (cubed), mozzarella (cubed), capers, peperoncini, red bell pepper, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh basil and parsley. To keep the noodles from getting soft, I tossed it with olive oil and vinegar right before serving, then seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Voila.

Smoked Salmon Terrines
The filling: I prepared the horseradish cream cheese filling from this Sunset recipe plus lemon zest.
The terrines: Next, I lined 3 mini-bread pans with plastic wrap, letting it drap over the sides so the terrine could be completely wrapped while it set. Then I lined the pan with thin slices of smoked salmon, draping it over the sides so I could fold it back to cover the filling.
     Since the terrines were so small, I simply spooned in the cream cheese filling to the top (rather than alternate layers of cream cheese and salmon), folded the salmon neatly over the top to encase the filling, wrapped the plastic wrap tightly around the package and popped the lot in the fridge.
     This needs to chill at least 4 hours. Such a pretty dish. Served with sliced baguettes. Note: use a VERY sharp knife to slice the terrine. This holds up nicely on a buffet table.

And for dessert? We picked up a fruit tart and a chocolate cake from a local bakery, and grapes and strawberries from the farmer's market. Keep it simple and enjoy the party.