A Change of Seasons – Greek Salad Quinoa

As the angle of the sun dips on the horizon and the first golden hues shine from leaves that are nearing their end, the harvest from my garden changes from summer to fall crops. The shift is not sudden. Summer green beans, peppers, and tomatoes hanging from their branches and vines linger as cool weather lettuces, arugula, radishes, and broccoli rabe mature into harvestable quantities, and the butternut squash are ready to be picked.

Of course, the summer crops, while still available in diminishing yields, are not as flavorful as at their peak. Green beans, for example, are a little grassier; they are not particularly tasty raw or barely cooked on a crudité platter as they were earlier in the summer. Tomatoes are a bit more tart, a little less sweet, no longer perfect on their own with a simple sprinkling of salt. And peak BLT season has definitely come to a close.

I do not want to discard and waste this late-season harvest, but it requires cooking from a different angle. Sometimes it’s as simple as removing blemishes for use in recipes in which the produce does not need to look perfect on the plate. Other times late summer vegetables must be cooked longer to soften them up. Such is the case with green beans this time of year. Another strategy is to dilute the vegetables among other flavors, hiding their imperfections. They are still an integral component, but no longer the star of the dish.

While I will miss peak summer produce harvested from the plot outside my kitchen window, I will not mourn the change of season. I look forward to fall crops and recipes even as I use the last of the summer bounty.

Greek Salad Quinoa

This Greek Salad Quinoa is a perfect side dish and an ideal way to use late summer tomatoes. They add essential color, flavor, and texture even though they are not the focal point of the dish. This recipe would also be great to add a bit of life to a winter meal if you use the best quality grape tomatoes available in the cold weather.

The dish as presented here is more of a guide than a hard and fast recipe. Add minced celery or cucumber if it is to your liking and switch out the peppers and dill if they are not your favorites. I now use quinoa for an extra punch of protein and to reduce carbs, although my recipe is based on one given to me by a friend decades ago that used orzo as its base. That original recipe also included sun dried tomatoes, which I have since dropped. Switch it up as much as you want to cater to your tastes, or to use what’s available in your refrigerator or even what remains in your garden.

30 minutes, serves 4

1 cup quinoa

2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp. dill, chopped

¼ cup red onion, finely chopped

½ cup red, yellow, or orange pepper, finely chopped

½ cup cherry tomatoes halved or quartered

¼ cup Kalamata olives, sliced into rounds

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled or cubed

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. dried oregano

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Place in a pot with 2 cups water and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Let stand covered for five minutes, then fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.
2. When quinoa has cooled, combine with parsley, dill, red onion, chopped peppers, tomato, olives, and feta cheese.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together red wine vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and oregano. Add to quinoa, cheese, and vegetables, and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Please like and share this post: