Fall Fruit Salad (Vegan)

Fruit Salad:

16 ounces red seedless grapes 

12 ounces blackberries

1 orange, both juice and zest*

1 C. chopped pecans

2 large sweet apples

1 pomegranate (opt.)

1–2 cans mandarin oranges (opt.)

Dressing:

1 orange

2 Tbsp. real maple syrup

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions:

1) If they're really huge (or you are serving little ones), halve large grapes short-wise (so they're "rounder"). Leave the smaller ones whole.

2) In a large glass or metal bowl—orange zest will “melt” plastic and turn it cloudy and gummy!—add the zest (to taste) and juice of one orange. Add maple syrup and cinnamon, whisking to combine.

3) Cube the apples into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl. Immediately toss to coat. Add grapes and blackberries and stir until well combined. Add pecans if serving immediately.

4) Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. (Don't forget to add the pecans if you make it ahead!)

*Note: Orange zest  is not the same as the smallest fine grater setting on your grater! Use a zester, and move the zester across the orange, not the other way around. Just scrape until the colorful part of the skin has been zested away. And DO NOT put this directly into a plastic bowl. It will "melt" the bowl, causing pitting, warping, and discoloration.

Evie’s Raw Vegan Taco Salad

Any diced veggies desired:

tomatoes
cucumbers
green onion
jalapeño
bell pepper
etc.

sauerkraut
raw taco meat (see below)

Serve on a bed of romaine and greens. Top with desired veggies, raw taco meat, and dressing. 

Raw Taco Meat:
Equal parts walnut and carrots*
dash of Bragg’s liquid aminos or coconut aminos
cumin and chili powder to taste

Combine ingredients in food processor and pulse till crumbly.

*NOTE from Evie: I’ve only ever seen it with all walnuts BUT I saw a video on instagram where someone made it with equal parts carrots and it worked great! I’ve also made it with walnuts and mushrooms before but it’s much wetter and changes the flavor. The carrots are surprisingly neutral. 

Dressing:

I’m sure Evie did some sort of delicious veggie blend in the 

Vitamix—she's good at that. But I usually just combine cashew yogurt and salsa and vinegar for a nice Southwestern-flavored dressing. 

Carole's Lentil Salad (Can Be Vegan)

The original version of this salad—which has been modified as listed here—appears as "The Best Lentil Salad" on NoraCooks.com.

For the Salad:

1.5 C. dry green lentils (or 4.5 C. cooked)

5 C. water

1 medium English cucumber, diced

1 small red onion, diced (1 C.)

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced small

1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 C. crumbled feta (opt., I use Trader Joe's vegan feta)

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered, opt.

3–4 C. arugula or baby spinach, opt.

For the Dressing:

1/4 C. olive oil (or use tahini instead)

3 Tsbp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. agave (or blend a couple of dates in the Vitamix instead)

2 tsp. dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1) Add the lentils and water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes (until tender but not mushy). Drain and rinse under cold water so they stop cooking and cool fast. Add them to a large bowl.

2) Chop the cucumber, red onion, red pepper, and parsley and add them to the bowl with the lentils.

3) Whisk all dressing ingredients together (or blend in the vitamin if using tahini and dates) until well combined,

4) Pour the dressing over the lentils and vegetables and stir everything together. Sir in the feta and grape tomatoes, if using. Serve over a bed of arugula or baby spinach, if desired. You can also simply mix the greens into the salad.

NOTES:

* The salad will keep for 2–3 days covered in the refrigerator.

* May add in some cooked quinoa.

* May use green, brown, or black lentils, but don't use red as they will just cook down into mush.

* The leftovers from this recipe and Carole's Shawarma Bowls are delicious served together over a bed of mixed greens.

Barry's Wild Rice & Cranberry Salad (Vegan)

6–8 ounces wild, long-grain rice blend

1/2–1 C. dried cranberries

1 C. broccoli flowerets

4 green onions, chopped

3 celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 12-ounce jar pimientos, drained and finely diced

1/2 C. sweet & sour salad dressing*

1 C. roasted peanuts, pecans, or pine nuts

1) Prepare rice. Cool completely. 

2) Add all ingredients together except peanuts.

3) Chill at least 2 hours.

4) Add nuts just before serving.

NOTE: I add cooked black lentils for protein when I need this to serve as a complete meal.

* This recipe originally calls for sweet & sour salad dressing, a delicious store-bought salad dressing marketed by Maple Grove Farms of Vermont. The ingredient list reveals a base of refined white sugar and ketchup, however, so I will make my own next time. Once I've perfected an alternate version, I'll update here. In the meantime, if you're not avoiding refined sugars and processed oils, you can use theirs!

Here is their ingredient list: Sugar, Ketchup (Water, Tomato Paste, Vinegar, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Spices), Canola Oil, Distilled Vinegar, Water, Maple Syrup, Salt, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Xanthan Gum, Granulated Onion, Paprika, Granulated Garlic.

Copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad (Vegan)

For the SALAD:

1 bunch baby broccoli

8 cups (1 bag) chopped kale, massaged

juice from 1 lemon

roasted nuts of choice (almonds, walnuts, pecans)

For the DRESSING:

2-3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 scant Tbsp. dijon mustard

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt & pepper, to taste

1/4 C. high-quality olive oil or tahini

1) Roast nuts in oven on 350 degrees until just fragrant and toasting. (Keep an eye on them so they don't burn! Stir frequently.)

2) Get a large bowl of ice water ready, but set aside.

3) Remove any large, hard stalks of kale from the bag of chopped kale. Massage well (for 2-3 minutes) with lemon juice to soften. Set aside.

4) Boil baby broccoli in small saucepan filled with salted water for 2 minutes.

5) Pour off salted water, then plunge broccolini into ice water bath for 1 minute. Drain and chop coarsely.

5) Combine all vinaigrette ingredients except oil or tahini, then whisk the oil or tahini into the dressing until it thickens up.

6) Toss together the massaged kale, chopped broccolini, roasted nuts, and vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Evie's Chick-un Salad (Vegan)

1 8-oz. can chickpeas, drained (and, optionally, rinsed)

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 C. finely chopped dill pickle (Bubbie's brand has good probiotics!)

1/4 C. finely chopped red bell pepper (or other colored pepper)

2-3 Tbsp. vegan mayonnaise

1 clove garlic

1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard

2 tsp. minced fresh dill (opt)

1 1/2 - 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice, to taste

1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

toasted bread, cracker, tortillas, or lettuce, for serving

1) In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher until flaky-chunky in texture.

2) Stir in the celery, onion, pickle, pepper, mayo, and garlic until combined.

3) Stir in the mustard and dills (if using) and season with lemon juice, salt, pepper to taste.

4) Serve.

NOTE: For a different flavor, Evie makes this sometimes with just mayo, sweet bell pepper, curry powder, and raisins.

* This recipe is from Angela Liddon's Oh She Glows cookbook, which I highly recommend!

Cheri's Kale Salad with Roasted Chickpeas (Vegan)

2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, drained (and, optionally, rinsed)

5 Tbsp. EVOO (or substitute with natural vinegars and citrus juices)

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. paprika

salt and pepper (generous)

16-oz bag kale, de-stemmed and trimmed

1/2 C. pine nuts (or sliced almonds)

1/2 C. sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

4 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

2 medium cloves garlic, grated (about 1 tsp.)

2 Tbsp. juice and 1 tsp. zest from 1 lemon, plus more juice as desired

1/2 tsp. hot sauce such as Frank's

2 tsp. sherry or red wine vinegar

1 C. fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1 C. fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

1 C. cooked quinoa

1 C. shredded/shaved carrots

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Drain chickpeas well, then spread chickpeas on top of paper towels and roll around under your hands to thoroughly dry. 

2) Transfer dryish chickpeas to a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and the cumin and paprika. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spread chickpeas over it, then transfer to the oven. Roast on upper rack, shaking pan occasionally, until chickpeas are about 3/4 their original size with a dense, nutty texture. Begin checking every ten minutes after 30 minutes of roasting. (Do not go longer than 1 hour.) Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

3) Meanwhile, add kale to now-empty chickpea bowl. Remove stray stalks and stems. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil (or use natural vinegars and citrus juices) and salt and pepper, and massage the kale until well-coated and softened. Set aside at room temperature.

3) Place pine nuts (or almonds) in a skillet and transfer to a lower rack of oven. Toast, stirring occasionally, until pine nuts are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.

4) In a medium bowl, combine sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, garlic, lemon juice, zest, hot sauce, vinegar, and remaining oil (if using) or vinegar/citrus substitution. Season with salt and pepper and stir well with a fork.

5) Add the quinoa, combine all ingredients, and toss well.

NOTES: 

* This is delicious served with a large fruit salad and/or a nice minestrone-style vegetable soup.

* Chickpea brands vary wildly in how successfully they roast—we love Goya.

This recipe is heavily modified from this original at Serious Eats.

Christine's Warm Salad of Pork and Black-Eyed Peas

10 ounces of black-eyed peas, cooked

1/3 C. Italian salad dressing

1/2 C. snow peas, coarsely chopped or halved

1/4 C. green onions, diced

1/4 C. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/4 C. celery, sliced

1/4 C. red pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp. olives, sliced

drizzle of olive oil or non-stick cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips

fresh spinach, greens, and lettuces to line plate

1) Combine first 8 ingredients and set aside.

2) Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet and stir-fry garlic for 30 seconds.

3) Add pork. If uncooked, stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until no longer pink. If cooked, stir-fry just until warm.

4) Remove from heat.

5) Add vegetable mixture to pork in skillet and mix well.

6) Serve over greens.

Elanore's Favorite Chicken Salad

This is a knock-off of the very delicious rotisserie chicken salad from Fresh Market. It is so simple, and very delicious. 

The secret is to shred the chicken and make the chicken salad while the chicken is still warm.

1) Tear/shred the flesh of one rotisserie chicken by hand. Don't chop it!

2) While it is still warm (this is important), rub in the following ingredients:

Hellman's mayonnaise

sea salt

celery salt

cracked black pepper

celery, finely diced 

Everything is to taste, and quantities are according to your preferences.

Aunt Kim's Tuna Salad

This recipe was given to my sister by her personal trainer as a good lunch choice. In her words, "I'm addicted." Sorry for the lack of quantities. She just adds the ingredients according to her preferences.

canned tuna
mayonnaise
Clausen dill pickles, chopped
walnuts, chopped
Craisins
black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients. She says it gets better the next day—a rarity for tuna!

Arugula and Baby Kale Salad with Apricots (Vegan)

Fresh lime juice
Baby kale greens (a few handfuls)
Baby arugula greens (a few handfuls)
Napa cabbage (3-4 leaves, coarsely chopped)
Spinach (on the side, as not all of us can have it)
Cucumber, diced
Fresh apricots, diced
Sweet Vidalia onion, diced
Celery, diced
Edamame, cooked al dente and cooled
Pecans, roasted and coarsely hand broken
Goat cheese, crumbled (opt., omit if vegan)

For the dressing, whip in the Vitamix:

Blueberries or raspberries (2-3 handfuls)

Tahini (spoonful or so)

Hummus (spoonful or so)
APB
Celery Salt
Celery Seed

1) To soften the baby kale (and especially if you use any regular kale), toss and massage with the lime juice and allow to sit for several minutes.

2) In the meantime, chop and prepare the remaining ingredients and combine the dressing ingredients.

3) Just before serving, add the other greens to the kale and toss with the dressing mix to distribute. Add the other ingredients and toss lightly until just combined.

NOTE: The color of the apricots is important to make this salad not just "green and brown," like the rest of the meal, since we can't have peppers (or tomatoes or carrots or anything else colorful except radishes) right now.

Quinoa Salad with Red Beans and Beets (Vegan)

Full of ingredients allowed on the Elimination Diet for all of us, this salad was created to complement Pecan-Sesame-Encrusted Chicken Strips and Cilantro Lime Chicken during our two picnics (in one day!) at Busch Gardens. It transported and kept well in a cooler with cold packs. This quantity fed seven of us as a side dish, twice, so I guess I'd say it safely serves 12 as a side dish.

2 C. quinoa, rinsed, cooked (see below), and cooled thoroughly
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can beets, diced
Broccoli florets to taste, broken apart (and finally sliced) into tiny "trees"
Celery to taste, finely diced
Vidalia onion to taste, finely diced
1 apricot, finely sliced
Baby kale and arugula, finely chopped, to taste
Pine nuts, to taste
Sunflower seeds, to taste

1) Rinse quinoa to remove bitterness, then strain carefully.

2) For each cup of quinoa, use 2 C. of water or other broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

3) Cool quinoa completely, preferably overnight in a refrigerator.

4) Once cool, combine quinoa with remaining ingredients.

5) Combine dressing ingredients (see below) and stir into quinoa combination.

6) Serve cold.

For the dressing, whisk together:
Tahini
Lime juice
Paprika
Celery Salt
Ground marjoram
Coriander
Tidge of stevia
Fresh chives, finely chopped

Sizzling Napa Salad (Vegan)

This is a twist on the delicious Crunchy Salad, modified for our Elimination Diet.

Salad:
1-2 heads Napa cabbage, washed, drained, and sliced
2-4 radishes, sliced small but for maximizing color on each piece
1/2 C. Vidalia onion, diced tiny
1/2 C. celery, diced
1/3 C. sesame seeds
1 C. salted sunflower seeds
1 C. raw pumpkin seeds, roasted fresh

1) Wash (and drain/spin/dry well!) 1-2 heads Napa cabbage. Slice by bisecting the leaves lengthwise, then cutting across the width into strips.

2) Place fresh, raw pumpkin seeds in a single layer in the toaster oven to toast lightly at 300 degrees.

3) Combine other salad ingredients, then make the dressing. (See below.)

Dressing:
1/2 C. tahini
1/2 C. fresh lime juice (probably 2-3 limes)
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. APB

little pinch of stevia

4) Drizzle dressing over combined salad ingredients. Mix well.

5) Add the hot, roasted pumpkin seeds—this is where the sizzle comes in!— and stir until incorporated.

NOTE: This would be delicious and much prettier with diced carrot or colored peppers added, but we can't have them on the Elimination Diet. I would also definitely add a splash of soy sauce and use red wine vinegar instead of lime juice in the dressing if I could.

Cherry, Wild Rice, and Quinoa Salad

1 1/2  C. wild rice
1 C. quinoa, rinsed
1/2 C. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 C. fruity vinegar (raspberry, pomegranate, sweet balsamic in a pinch)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1-2 C. halved, pitted fresh sweet cherries
4 stalks celery, diced
1 C. diced aged goat cheese, smoked cheddar, or other smoky cheese
1 C. chopped pecans, toasted

1) Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add wild rice and cook for 30 minutes.

2) Add quinoa and cook until the rice and quinoa are tender, about 15 minutes more.

3) Drain and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch. Drain well.

4) Meanwhile, whisk oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.

5) Serve at room temperature or cold.

NOTE: This can be made ahead and covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

On our elimination diet, iivo and EL can't have vinegars or any sweeteners but stevia, so I will use stevia-sweetened lime juice instead of fruity vinegar. I will also omit the pepper (EL can't have) and add some APB instead. Our goat cheese will not be aged, and I will maybe do half as many cherries.
I'll let you know how these modifications were!

The original recipe was found on eatingwell.com.

Arugula and Baby Kale with Roasted Chickpeas (VEGAN)

Dressing:
Juice from one freshly squeezed lemon or lime, about 1 Tbsp.
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or tahini
1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/2 C. shaved Parmigiano-Regianno (omit for vegan)

Combine the above and toss with baby kale and baby arugula.

NOTE: I omitted the final three ingredients of the dressing since we couldn't have them on the Elimination Diet.

To compensate, I garnished the salad with:
Crumbled goat cheese (omit if vegan)
Pine nuts
Roasted Spicy Chickpeas

I also added a few fresh nectarine slices for color and sweet. Craisins would be good, too, but we can't have those right now.

The original recipe came from onceuponachef.com.

Cheri's Tomatillo Corn Salad

My friend Cheri brought this as a side dish for our piano recital last week. This weekend, my daughter OG wants to make it again for a bridal shower. Her husband asked for it again this weekend for Father's Day, as well. It really is yummy!

Ingredients
1-2 lbs cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered or more according to preference
6 ears fresh corn
1/2 pound tomatillos, diced (regular green tomatoes will work in a pinch)
1/2 C. red onion, diced or finely minced, according to preference
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and finely minced

Dressing
6 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. Emeril's Essence or similar spice mixture
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Procedure
1) Wash and de-stem cherry tomatoes. Remove papery husks from tomatillos––rinse and drain.

2) Blanch corn cobs in boiling water for about 3 minutes then immediately plunge it into ice water. When cool, remove corn from cob.

3) Place tomatoes, tomatillos, corn, onion, and jalapeno pepper into a salad bowl.

4) Combine dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and mix gently. Let stand a few hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.

NOTE: When buying tomatillos, open the end and make sure it's not rotten or soft inside. When you peel them, they'll be sticky. This is normal.

Alternative Dressing
1 medium avocado
1/4 C. water
2 medium limes, freshly squeezed
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. mince chipotles in Adobo sauce (from about 1 medium chipotle)
1 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, smashed

Blend in blender until smooth (about 15 seconds).
NOTE: The original recipe that used this alternative dressing called for diced jicama in the salad, too.

Aunt Kim's Pear Spinach Salad

I first ate this recipe at my sister Kim's house. Her version, modified from the original recipe on epicurious.com, appears below. (The picture that appears on the right is from epicurious as well.)

Dressing:
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. whole-grain mustard
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the above ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to blend. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside. This can made up to a day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, remove at least two hours before serving salad.

Salad:
1 C. red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 C. sweetened dried cranberries
8 C. lightly packed fresh baby spinach leaves, stemmed if needed
2 Bosc pears, firm but ripe (unpeeled, cored, and quartered)
2/3 C. hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (see NOTE below)

1. Place the onions in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand for 30 minutes. (This crisps the onions and takes away the raw onion taste.) Drain well and pat dry on paper towels. (This can be done up to four hours in advance. Set aside at room temperature.)

2. In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with 2 Tbsp. of the dressing to soften them. Set aside for at least 20 minutes or until ready to serve the salad. (This can be done up to four hours in advance. Set aside at room temperature.)

3. To assemble the salad, place the spinach, onions, and pears in a large bowl. Give the remaining dressing a last-minute shake and pour over the salad. Toss to coat evenly.

4. Arrange the salad in a large serving bowl or divide it evenly among 8 salad plates.

5. Scatter the cranberries and hazelnuts over the top. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Try to buy shelled hazelnuts (also called filberts) with the brown, papery skins removed as well. To toast, spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 375 degree oven. Toast for about 12 minutes until lightly browned.

If the nuts still have the skins on, transfer them while they're hot to a clean kitchen towel. (Use a clean towel that is old or that you don't mind washing with bleach, because the skins tend to discolor the fabric.) Rub the nuts to remove most of the skins--they never come completely off.

You can substitute unsalted cashews for the hazelnuts. Toast cashews, as directed above for the hazelnuts, for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

Nuts can be toasted up to 1 day in advance. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Aunt Kim's Caesar Salad

1 head romaine, torn
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 C. olive oil
1 C. croutons
4 shakes salt
1/8 tsp. dry mustard
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
4 anchovies, minced fine (optional)
1 Tbsp. wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. white or red wine
1 egg yolk
3 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
coarse black pepper

1. Clean and drain lettuce.

2. Combine oil and garlic and let stand 2-5 hours.

3. At serving time, add all ingredients to marinated oil.

4. Toss dressing into torn lettuce and top with croutons.

Aunt Kim's Apple Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce, broken into pieces
1 head red leaf lettuce, broken into pieces
2 Granny Smith apples, diced
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
1 bag sea salt bagel chips, broken apart

Dressing:
3/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 C. oil
1/3 C. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 poppy seeds

1. Refrigerate dressing overnight.

2. Combine all ingredients just before serving.

Herbed Quinoa Salad (or Cucumber Appetizer)

This wonderful salad was stuffed into thick cucumber slices and served on the passed appetizer trays at Evie's wedding. We ate the leftovers later as a regular side dish salad, and it was delicious that way, too.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon
• 2 tbsp chopped mint (opt – we didn’t use on wedding day)
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup diced cucumber (left from scooping cucumbers if desired)
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (didn’t use on wedding day)
• small bits of colored peppers – pulse in food processor
• ½ c feta cheese
• 3 cucumbers
  

1. Place the quinoa and the chicken stock in a pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Let it cook for 15 minutes until all the water has evaporated. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine the parsley, cilantro, tarragon, mint and olive oil. Pulse until the mixture turns into a pesto-looking consistency.
3. Combine the herbed mixture with the cooked quinoa and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. Stir and taste.
5. Wash, score, and cut cucumbers ½ inch thick.  Scoop out a cavity and use small cookie scoop to mound filling on top.
6. You can make the quinoa ahead and add the feta just before serving.