“This healthy Mediterranean cucumber salad is filled with fresh vegetables, protein-rich quinoa, cannellini beans, and pine nuts, all topped with a flavorful smooth lemony dressing."
Lemony Dressing
– olive oil
– lemon juice from two lemons
– cloves garlic minced finely
– agave
– salt
– pepper
– za'atar
– optional more salt and pepper to taste
Veggie-Filled Mediterranean Cucumber Salad With Lemony Dressing
Yield
6 Servings
course
Dinner,
Main Course
prep time
40 Minutes
cuisine
American
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1. Rinse the quinoa before cooking. This is a step you should not skip. (See blog post above.) In a small saucepan, add the rinsed quinoa and water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil on high. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Keep the lid on and let stand for 5 minutes till the water has all absorbed. Drain any excess water.
Instructions
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2. While the quinoa is cooking, you can toast the pine nuts. This is an optional step but really brings out the flavor. You must attend to the pine nuts while they are toasting or they will burn. If you can't do this then skip the toasting! – Add the pine nuts to a medium skillet. You won't add oil. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook them, stirring constantly until they’re lightly browned. As soon as they have turned light golden brown, immediately dump the pine nuts out of the hot skillet to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Instructions
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3. While the quinoa is cooking and cooling, drain the beans, wash and chop the baby spinach leaves, and dice the tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber. Save dicing the avocado till just before serving.
Instructions
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4. Place the cooked quinoa in a large salad bowl and allow to cool somewhat.
Instructions
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5. While the quinoa is cooling, make the lemon dressing. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, agave, salt and pepper, and za'atar. See notes.
Instructions
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6. Place all the ingredients except for the diced avocado into the salad bowl along with the cooked quinoa. Toss together with the vinaigrette.