Warm Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Roasted Veggies & Feta

• 1 cup Red quinoa
• 1 cup Black quinoa
• 1 cup White quinoa
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Red onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp Oregano dried
• 1 tsp Sage dried
• 1 tsp Basil dried
• 1 Eggplant cut lengthwise into 1/2″ thick slices
• 1 Green bell pepper diced
• 1 tbsp Red chili flakes (optional)
• 4 Artichoke hearts chopped (jarred or canned; rinse off any brine or oil)
• 1/2 cup Black olives pitted, chopped
• 1/2 cup Sundried tomatoes rehydrated by soaking in boiling water for 10 minutes
• 1/4 cup Pine nuts
• 1/2 cup Feta cheese crumbled (optional)

• Rinse the quinoa under cold water, rubbing the grains gently. In a large saucepan, combine the quinoa with 4 cups of water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.
• Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and grill them on a barbecue, grill pan, or panini press. If you don’t have those tools, broil the slices in the oven—about 6 minutes per side—until tender and lightly browned.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced red onion until translucent, then add minced garlic, diced green pepper, and the dried oregano, sage, and basil. When the pepper softens, stir in the chopped artichoke hearts, black olives, rehydrated sundried tomatoes, and pine nuts to warm through. Add red chili flakes if using.
• Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the grilled eggplant slices and the skillet mixture, tossing gently to combine. Serve warm with lemon wedges—fresh lemon juice brightens and lifts the flavors. If desired, sprinkle crumbled feta on top.

Per serving: approximately 156 calories, 5.5 g total fat (0.6 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 75.8 mg sodium, 22.7 g carbohydrate (4.1 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar), 5.2 g protein, 1.9 mg iron, 320 mg potassium, 67.4 DFE folate.

Nutritional analysis provided by the recipe author.