Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
Salad:
3/4 cup quinoa
1.5 cups water
2 Persian cucumbers, quartered and sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes
12 oz thin asparagus (1 bundle)
15 oz can chickpeas
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved and pitted
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tbsp
1 shallot
3 cloves garlic
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 lemon
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
5 leaves basil
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Chop your asparagus until small 1 inch or less pieces. Mix the asparagus and all 3 cups of grape tomatoes (including those for the salad and dressing) with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp of Italian Seasoning. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
3. While the veggies are baking, let’s cook our quinoa. Place the quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until quinoa is cooked through.
4. Slice your shallot and garlic cloves. Sauté in 2 tbsp olive oil over low medium heat until they start to brown slightly (5-8 minutes). This is your shallot and garlic mixture.
5. Once your baked veggies and shallot mixture is cooled, combine 1 cup of roasted tomatoes and 1/2 the shallot and garlic mixture into a blender with 5 leaves basil. Blend until smooth.
6. In a measuring cup, add 1/4 cup olive oil, the blended mixture, apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper for the dressing. Whisk well.
7. We’re going to use all of our lemon. Now zest the whole lemon into your dressing and then add juice from 1/2 lemon to the dressing as well.
8. Combine your quinoa, asparagus, remaining tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, olives, and dressing in a bowl. Top with more salt and pepper to your taste if needed. Enjoy!