July 2, 2020
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
This herby orzo salad is a crowd favourite and full of green flavours, bursting with fresh dill and mint, feta cheese and tangy lemon. It may look like rice, orzo is actually a small pasta and often used in Mediterranean recipes. INGREDIENTS
- 1 ¼ cup dry orzo pasta
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ lemon, juice and zest (about 2 tablespoons juice)
- ¼ cup minced shallot or red onion
- ½ English cucumber (2 cups diced, or substitute a peeled standard cucumber)
- 2 roasted red peppers from a jar or ½ fresh red bell pepper (½ cup diced)
- 1/3 cup chopped dill, plus more for garnish
- 1/3 cup chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, halved
- Black pepper
- Prepare the orzo according to the package instructions. Taste the orzo a few minutes before completion to ensure it’s ‘al dente’ (chewy, but with a little firmness in the centre). When it’s done, drain it and then rinse it under cold water until it comes to room temperature.
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/4-teaspoon kosher salt.
- Mince the red onion, and then place it in a bowl with water (this helps to remove the sharp onion taste). Dice the cucumber. Dice the roasted red pepper. Chop the herbs.
- Stir together the orzo, chickpeas and bowl of lemon juice, red onion, cucumber, red pepper, dill, mint, white wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, oregano, feta crumbles, black olives, and several grinds of black pepper. Taste and if necessary, season with more kosher salt.
In this bulletin...
Ingredients 2 tbsp honey Juice and zest of 1 lime 1 tbsp olive oil 1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cubed 1 garlic clove, minced Salt & pepper, to taste 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown) 1 tbsp lime juice 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional) 1–2 ripe avocados, mashed Juice of ½ lime Salt & pepper, to taste Instructions Step 1 Marinate the chicken In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice and zest, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add in the cubed chicken. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15–30 minutes. Step 2 Cook it golden Heat your best skillet for cooking chicken over medium-high. Sear the chicken without stirring for 2–3 minutes, then cook through, about 6–8 minutes total. Temp should hit 165°F. Step 3 Brighten the rice Fluff the warm rice with a fork. Stir in lime juice, salt, and cilantro if you like. Keep it fresh, not heavy. Step 4 Smash the avocados In a bowl, mash the avocados with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Don’t overdo it you want texture. Think creamy with little bites left in. Step 5 Stack it tall Place a ramekin or ring mold on the plate. Spoon in a layer of rice, then avocado, then the honey lime chicken. Press gently, lift the mold. A little tower of joy. Nutrition and Cooking Times Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Nutrient Value per serve: Calories: 420kcal | Protein: 32g | Fat: 18g | Carbohydrates: 32g
In this bulletin...