Greek-inspired salad is light and filling

I wanted to come up with a something lighter yet yummy meal, for right after the holidays.

Wanting to create an anytime meal with a Mediterranean twist, I decided to utilize the fresh Tomato & Basil Feta that we buy from our friends and create a spinach & grain salad.

With a flavorful Greek-inspired vinaigrette, this salad has rich smooth and vibrant spinach, deliciously light quinoa, slightly salt Kalamata olives, fresh ripe tomatoes, and a great Tomato & Basil Feta from our friends.

Wait until you try this easy and quick salad. You can prep all of your ingredients on the weekend for an easy Monday night meal.

How about even making a few servings of this salad ahead of time Thursday night, for a few weekend lunches or even lighter-side dinner, adding grilled or broiled fresh salmon fillet as a topper is a wonderful winter evening dinner.

Tomato and Basil Feta Salad

Serves 6-8

8 ounces of baby spinach (raw, washed, drained)

1 cup of uncooked quinoa (Use only 1¾ cups of water to cook, yet follow the cooking directions on the package just as a guide. You want the quinoa to absorb some of the dressing ultimately, not just too much cooking water.)

1 heirloom tomato or substitute one large tomato chopped

4 small cucumbers, medium chop

1 red onion to taste, sliced thin and soaked in cool water to remove bitterness, drained

½ cup Kalamata olives, sliced

8 ounces of Tomato and Basil Feta or feta, crumbled

Vinaigrette

½ cup of a blended oil such as canola and olive oil combined together or mix grapeseed and olive oil together

1 tablespoon of lemon juice, fresh

3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

Pinch of chili flake

2 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced

1 teaspoon of oregano, fresh, chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

½ teaspoon of sugar (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, add salad ingredients except the feta. Add everything for your vinaigrette into a Mason jar and shake to mix.

Top salad with dressing, amount to your liking, and crumbled feta. Mix salad gently. Top with chick peas, chicken or steak, if you like.

Note: If you want to add protein to this salad to make this dish vegetarian and a main plate, saute 1½ cups of chick peas, drained, in a pan with a little olive oil for a crispy lift to the salad.

Enjoy room temperature or cool for best tasting results.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former prep and line cook for Executive Chef David Crespo at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” in the new Downtown Allentown Market. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.