There used to be a bargain/surplus book company that made the rounds at my school. For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of it or why they stopped coming. (Although, in retrospect it might be that they had to set up their display in my office which was a pain in the arse.)
Regardless, I purchased many cookbooks from them. Simply Salads was one and I have been revisiting it lately during our 2017 Challenge.
Grilled Portobello and Red Quinoa Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
- 2 T. red wine vinegar
- 5 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 c. red quinoa, cooked according to package directions
- 1/2 c. grated carrots
- 1/4 red onion, finely diced
- 1 small zucchini, grated
- 2 large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned
- extra olive oil for brushing on grill and mushrooms
Instructions
- Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and re-season vinaigrette if necessary. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the dressing together with the cooked and warm quinoa. Let set until room temperature. Then toss in carrots, onion, and zucchini. Gently toss to coat. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper if needed. Place in refrigerator to chill while portobellos are grilled.
- Preheat the grill to medium high (or 350 degrees). Brush grill with olive oil. Clean mushroom caps and brush with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill until fork tender, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Cut into 1/2″ slices.
- Divide the salad on two plates. (This makes a hearty meal for two or a side dish for four.). Arrange the portobello slices across the top.
This is a hearty salad and we easily had four meals. Remember to season the dressing well. I always toss my quinoa with the dressing while it’s still warm. I think it absorbs a bit more flavor that way. Be sure to taste and re-season with salt and pepper as needed.
If you want an update on the 2017 Challenge, The Hubs didn’t win the $800 pool prize. He did lose almost 40 pounds which made this challenge so worth it. We have a new way of eating, a lot of new recipes, and simply a healthier life.
I’m also linking up with April’s Foodie Reads…
…and Kahakai Kitchen’s Souper Sunday.
Finally, this post is also a part of a new tradition for me: Cookbook of the Month. I have so many cookbooks that I have vowed to post something from at least one of them each month. 🙂
Those grilled mushrooms look almost like pan seared chicken :-)) A wholesome salad, Debra.
I love the meatiness of these. Thanks, Angie.
That meal looks gorgeous! Who needs steak with lovely grilled portobellos? Definitely on my to do list.
The Hubs told me later that he was quite skeptical about this meal because he is not a mushroom fan. He said he could get used to grilled portobellos. 🙂
Congratulations to your hubby and to you for changing your menus to help him achieve a healthier weight.
Thanks, Wendy. It’s a whole new lifestyle.
I have that book but I don’t know if I have made anything from it. I may have to try this salad though–it looks delicious and I love grilled portobellos. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week. 😉 And congrats to you and your hubby on the healthy lifestyle changes!
Thanks, Deb. We are really finding our new eating habits really aren’t that big of a deal now. We’re used to it.
Well a big congrast to your husband for his weight loss, that is amazing! And great salad, portobello mushroom caps really feel like oyu have you meat factor going lol.
I was really surprised when he said that he liked them.
So many good things to comment on here! Congrats to you and your husband for a healthy life style change. That’s really wonderful and I know it feels good to have stuck to that challenge. Sounds like you two are super fit now. What a grand salad, that is certainly one I would keep in the notebooks for rotation meals.
Thanks, Tina. Hopefully, we’ve inspired a few others—like my dad! 🙂
Your husband won even though he didn’t bring home the cash. With delicious meals like this, I can see why he did so well.
Absolutely! Now that the contest is over, his co-workers are amazed that he is keeping with it b/c they all fell off the wagon.
Hello Eliot,
If you enjoy foodie fiction then I invite you to check out a novel called “Spoonful Chronicles”. It tells the story of a woman on a mission to unlock the secret to her destiny by remembering everything she has ever eaten.
Info: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7VI35H
Regards,
Elen
http://www.ihath.com
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