Meet Alex Caspero
Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
Are you loving the Olympics right now? BL and I have been glued to the TV every night, living and dying with each event. Gah, it’s so, so exciting. And we’re just on the couch. I can’t imagine the pressure and excitement the actual athletes much feel.
Except for the fact that the games are completely ruining my bedtime, I wish they would go on forever. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this excited about a TV show, and I’m loving the laziness of snuggling on the couch, eating dessert and wondering why my parents didn’t enroll me in gymnastics at age 3.
Also, Aly Raisman’s parents might be my second favorite thing to watch. It’s amazing.
I arrived home from Maine late on Wednesday night to an empty fridge and pantry. How does this happen? BL’s been by himself for the last four days and I’m pretty sure he’s survived on trailmix and cereal. He’s a nice reminder that not everyone is obsessed with their next meal. He’s the yin to my yang.
I planned on saving the major grocery shopping for the weekend, so decided to put together a quick salad option to get us (me) through until then. This roasted zucchini, tomato and quinoa salad is so light and effortless, it’s the perfect summer side dish.
We all know how I feel about roasted vegetables, so no surprises here. A generous portion of roasted zucchini, squash and tomatoes starts this salad off right. Our tomatoes are almost ripe in the garden and I’m counting the days until I’m swimming in ripe, red tomatoes. That is, if the squirrels don’t get them first.
Then we add in fluffly cooked quinoa, because I have a mountain of it in my cupboard. Of course, any grain will do. Farro, couscous, orzo, it all works!
Because it’s the dead of summer, it’s a sin not to garnish every meal with liberal amounts of fresh basil. I made a simple vinaigrette with lemon juice and olive oil along with fresh cut basil leaves. It’s fragrant, delicious and the perfect dressing for the quinoa and vegetables. Lastly, a sprinkle of toasted almond slivers for crunch and creaminess. I thought about using pine nuts instead, but wanted to keep this dish fairly inexpensive and accessible.
We ate this for dinner last night and I plan on it being lunch today. Packed with protein and fiber, enjoy this yummy, plant-based salad.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
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Roasted Summer Squash and Quinoa Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x
Description
Roasted Summer Squash and Quinoa Salad! This side dish is perfect for summer or dinners. Roasted zucchini, squash and tomatoes with quinoa and a lemon-basil dressing. Vegan and GlutenFree.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x
Scale
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- 2 medium yellow squash, sliced into half-moons
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped into 1” pieces
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- salt/pepper
- 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds (or pine nuts)
- Lemon-Basil Dressing:
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated garlic
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Toss the sliced zucchini, squash and tomatoes with oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Spread in a single layer on a baking pan (may need to use more than one pan) and place in the oven. Make sure the vegetables are in a single layer so they get crispy, not steamed. Cook until golden brown and almost caramelized, 15-18 minutes.
- While the squash is cooking, make the quinoa.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover, cooking for 12 minutes until water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 more minutes with lid on.
- Gently fluff quinoa and transfer to a large bowl. Add the cooked squash and tomatoes.
- Place the silvered almonds on the baking sheet in a single layer and place into the over. Let toast until just golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, taking care not to burn. Add the almonds to the bowl with quinoa and vegetables.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, dijon and grated garlic together until dijon and garlic are completely dissolved. Slowly whisk in the olive oil along with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the basil.
- Add dressing to quinoa mixture and toss until combined. Season to taste and serve.
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(8 comments) leave a comment
I am so lazy when it comes to cooking, but I had been sick of eating impossible burgers from Burger King and wanted something healthy, but easy and with few ingredients as I am on a budget. I love how each part is made separately so if you burn something, it doesn’t ruin the whole dish. A family member gave me a bunch of fresh basil and 5 yellow squash from their garden, so this recipe seemed perfect to use it all up!
I deviated from the recipe since I only have a small baking pan, so I roasted the tomatoes in the oven, and then cooked the zucchini and squash in batches on the stove top.
The dressing was delicious! Bright and flavorful, nice and light.
Unfortunately, the first time making this recipe, it turned out a disaster. I used fancy Canadian quinoa that had to be rinsed AFTER boiling. It had to be boiled in 4 cups of water to 1 cup quinoa, and then strained and drained. It was terrible. I still ate it all, but it was like a weird mushy stew.
The 2nd time I used normal quinoa that fluffed up, and added extra basil, garlic, and almonds. Turned out great! Definitely one of my go to dishes from now on, as it is idiot proof (the number of dishes I have ruined), simple with few ingredients, and even I can have it done in under an hour. It is even better the 2nd day after the flavors meld together. My picky boyfriend who is a “junk food vegan” absolutely loves it too!
Thank you for this marvelous recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it! Thanks Danielle!
The Olympics have definitely been ruining my bedtime – but I just can’t help it! So fun to watch 🙂 And yes, to Ali’s parents – hilarious! And since I’ve been eating ALL the summer squash and love quinoa, this is going to be my new favorite side dish – or lunch! Yum!
Aren’t they amazing? I love watching them almost as much as I like watching the actual Olympics. So funny. It’s super easy and simple- the way summer cooking should be! 🙂
This salad looks delicious! I’m always looking for ways to use up zucchini, so this is perfect.
Thanks Fiona!
100% agree it’s a sin not to garnish EVERYTHING with fresh herbs in the summer! This looks beautiful!!
Yes! I put herbs on my herbs in the summer 🙂