Mediterranean Salad
Description
Enjoy My High Protein Mediterranean Salad with Baked Falafels and Balsamic Vinaigrette.
The falafels can be made ahead of time to break this salad into steps.
This salad meal is full of amazing plant powered protein and antioxidants that will make your taste buds sing and keep you going throughout the day and offers an amazing healthy dinner choice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ c cooked quinoa
- 1 ½ c chopped english cucumber
- 1/2c pitted kalamata olives
- 2 c chopped romaine lettuce/ 1 c chopped kale
- 1/2c chopped red onion
- 1 c halved grape tomatoes
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- 1/2c balsamic vinegar
- Juice of one lemon plus zest
- ½ c olive oil
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp oregano
- Salt and pepper
Falafels:
1. 2/3c mint chopped
2. 2/3c fresh parsley, chopped
3. 2 c pistachios
4. ½ c roughly chopped sweet onion
5. 3 tbsp olive oil
6. 1 can drained/rinsed chickpeas
7. 1 tsp ground cumin
8. 1 tsp salt/ ½ tsp ground pepper
9. 1 tbsp oat flour ( or other gluten free flour)
10. 1 tsp baking soda
11. 2 garlic cloves
Instructions
Make falafels:
- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In food processor: add the pistachios and process until roughly chopped.
- Add mint, parsley, chickpeas, cumin, onion, baking soda, flour and salt and pepper.
- Process until crumbly mixture appears, careful not to over-process to preserve some texture.
- Roll into balls and bake for 20 minutes.
- Rotate and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden.
- Do not overbake. Let cool.
Make the dressing:
- in a jar with lid~ add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tahini, pure maple syrup, juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1 tsp oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Shake the dressing well to emulsify.
- Adjust seasoning to taste.
Assemble the salad:
- In 5 large jars or tupperware containers add the dressing first, followed by quinoa, romaine kale lettuces, chickpeas, cucumber, red pepper, olives and tomatoes.
- Top with the baked falafels for easy and delicious meal prep salads for the week.
