Some of the best salads I’ve had this summer have been a combination of vegetables, greens and grains with a protein. This is a very easy meal to prepare, especially if you recycle your leftovers. I composed my own bowl with leftover tri-colored quinoa and sautéed broccolini, fresh basil from my garden, sweet tomatoes, avocado and a hard boiled egg. Grains like brown rice, farro or freekeh work well. Add nuts or seeds for crunch or any type of greens or vegetables, and of course a tangy vinaigrette to finish your dish. Build your own big bowl with your favorite ingredients!
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups cooked quinoa or other grain
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 1 cup sautéed broccolini or other vegetable of choice
- 2 avocados pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup extra-vigin olive oil
- 3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Pinch Kosher or sea salt or to taste
- Pinch Freshly ground black pepper or to taste
Servings: people
Instructions
- To make the hard boiled eggs, place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover completely with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, turn the heat off under the pan and set a timer for 10 minutes. While the eggs are sitting, make a water bath by filling a bowl with ice and cold water. Once the 10 minutes have passed, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the hot water and transfer them to the cold water bath. This will help with peeling the shells off of the eggs. Let the eggs cool for few minutes and then peel and quarter them.
- To make the vinaigrette combine the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Arrange the vegetables over the cooked quinoa or combine the cooked quinoa, the vegetables, the fresh herbs and the hard boiled eggs and toss together. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.