Welcome to the blog and thanks for taking the time to stop by on another Meatless Monday. We support this great movement because it promotes green living through choosing eco-friendly meat-free food choices one day per week in support of personal and planetary health. A small sacrifice for a great reward.

In keeping with our collective vow to be healthier in 2011, our recipe today is a five-grain salad. This salad is light and flavorful and full of protein and fiber. Don’t be put off if you haven’t cooked or eaten any of these grains before. They are all easy to cook, tasty and the nutritional content of this dish makes it a complete meal. This delicious recipe comes courtesy of whole living by Martha Stewart. Now, let’s get cooking.

INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup red quinoa
• 1/2 cup white quinoa
• 1/2 cup semi-pearl farro
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 1/2 cup purple (black) barley
• 10 ounces red pearl onions
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (2 ounces)
• 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 small Fuji apple, cored and thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook grains; mix them in a large serving bowl.
Cover onions with hot water, and soak for 2 minutes. Peel and halve onions. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and toss with 1 teaspoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Roast until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Pour cider over onions, and roast until liquid reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Gently toss grains with onions, vinegar, feta, parsley, lemon zest, and the remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Stir in apple, and serve immediately.

This salad will serve four as a main course and six as a side dish.  This may seem like a very light meal for this time of year but the grains do make it hearty and it is a great way to end your day on a healthy note. This dish contains the super grain quinoa, which  “cooks up light and fluffy in minutes (it’s done when the telltale curlicue wisp unfurls). Its subtle flavor comes through whether served hot, cold, or at room temperature. It can stand in for couscous in most recipes.” Thus this dish would work well on a buffet or bring leftovers with you for a healthy lunch on the go. Complete the offering with a light vinaigrette salad

If you want to learn more about the eco-friendly Meatless Monday movement, please visit meatlessmonday.com and take the pledge today.  

Enjoy!