I promise, this will be your new favourite salad. Green salads are great, but there's something about a chunky vegetable salad that I've always loved. This salad is filled with chunks of cucumber and tomato, and speckled with cubes of dairy-free mozzarella, kalamatas, and parsley. I topped it with a generous handful of toasted pine nuts; their toasty flavour really enhances the nutty notes of the Greenwheat Freekeh - which, did I mention, is totally the star of the show!? Freekeh is an ancient grain, that's harvested young, so it provides more fibre, protein, and vitamins and minerals than mature wheat. The texture of freekeh is perfect for this salad, it reminds me of a cross between orzo pasta and rice. It has a lovely bite that really makes this salad so satisfying. Thank you to Ecoideas, Vista Mag Canada, and Peopletail for hooking me up with this awesome Greenwheat Freekeh!
This recipe is vegan, and refined sugar free. To make it gluten free, substitute quinoa for freekeh.
If you make this recipe and want to show off on IG, you can tag me, @gardentotableblog.ca!
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side
Ready in 10 mins + chill for 30. (Cook freekeh the night before)
Ingredients
Salad
1 cup cooked Ecoideas Greenwheat Freekeh
1 roma tomato, cubed
1/2 a cucumber, cubed
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup dairy-free mozzarella, cubed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon whole grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (marjoram, oregano, basil)
Pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
Instructions
Cook freekeh according to package instructions the night before you plan to make this salad. That way, the following day, it's cooked, chilled, and ready for assembly. Combine the cooked freekeh with the tomato, cucumber, olives, mozzarella, parsley, and pine nuts. Save half the pine nuts for the topping before serving.
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad. Toss everything together, so it all gets nicely coated. I like to refrigerate this salad for at least 30 minutes before serving, so it's nice and cold.
Before serving, top with the remaining pine nuts.
Disclaimer
This recipe was made in collaboration with Ecoideas, Vista Mag Canada, and Peopletail. All opinions are my own!