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
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. 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.
  2. Place the chickpeas in a bowl with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/4-teaspoon kosher salt.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
 
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By Zina Stone January 1, 2026
Ingredients Salad 1 cup farro, dry ½ cup quinoa, dry 2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth (for cooking grains) 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded 1 cucumber, diced 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 green bell pepper, diced ¾ cup canned corn, drained and rinsed ½ cup black olives, sliced ¼ cup red onion, finely diced 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled Dressing ¼ cup olive oil 3 tbsp red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp dried oregano 1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup (to taste) ½ tsp salt (adjust as needed) ¼ tsp black pepper Instructions Step 1 - Cook the grains Rinse farro and quinoa. Combine with vegetable broth in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 20–25 minutes until tender. Drain any excess liquid and let cool slightly. Step 2- Prepare the salad base In a large bowl, add cooked grains, chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, corn, olives, red onion, chickpeas, and parsley. Step 3 - Make the dressing Whisk olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, honey/maple syrup, salt, and pepper until smooth. Step 4 - Assemble Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle feta on top and mix lightly. Step 5 - Chill or serve Serve immediately or refrigerate 30–60 minutes to let flavors develop. Nutrition and Cooking Times Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes Nutrient Value: Calories: 520 -560kcal | Protein: 38-42g | Fat: 20-23g | Carbohydrates: 48-52g | Fibre: 11 - 14g
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