If you want to increase the amount of grains and vegetables you eat, try this great new find from the June 2011 issue of Canadian Living. Vegetables are grilled, tossed with cooked quinoa, feta cheese and cilantro, and dressed with a delicious smoky-sweet chipotle vinaigrette. I didn’t have red or yellow peppers on hand, so I substituted red onion and green pepper. I used chipotle Tabasco sauce instead of the canned chipotle and I omitted the pumpkin seeds.

Use whatever raw vegetables you like to grill

Grill vegetables until tender

I’ll be making this many times this summer. It is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meats, and would also satisfy vegetarians and those looking for a gluten-free dish.

Grilled Vegetable Quinoa Salad

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe, use feta cheese with no artificial ingredients added and red wine vinegar with no sulfites added, such as Eden Organic.

Ingredients:

Salad

1 cup quinoa
1 sweet red pepper, quartered
1 sweet yellow pepper, quartered
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise in 1/2-inch thick strips
12 asparagus spears, trimmed
½ cup light feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup toasted pumpkin seedpumpkin seeds
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Chipotle Vinaigrette

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
2 tsp liquid honey
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Preparation:

Soak quinoa in cold water for 3 minutes; drain in sieve. In saucepan, bring 1-½  cups salted water to boil; stir in quinoa and return to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until no liquid remains, 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and fluff with fork; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Spread on small tray and let cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together oil, vinegar, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, honey, cumin, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In large bowl, toss together red and yellow peppers, zucchini, asparagus and 3 tbsp of the vinaigrette until coated. Place on greased grill over medium heat; close lid and grill until charred and tender, 4 to 6 minutes for asparagus, 10 to 12 minutes for peppers and zucchini. Cut into large chunks and return to bowl.

Add remaining dressing, quinoa, half of the feta cheese, the pumpkin seeds and cilantro; stir until incorporated. Sprinkle with remaining feta. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

From the June 2011 issue of Canadian Living