Quinoa with Squash, Peppers & Figs

This dish is great to make in advance because it can be eaten warm or at room temperature.

Quinoa with Squash, Peppers & Figs

serves 4-6 as a side

1 c dry quinoa (this will yield 2-3 c cooked quinoa)

1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced into bite-size pieces

2 c butternut squash, peeled and cubed (I often buy pre-cut)

3/4 c chopped dried figs, stems removed ( I often use Mission figs)

olive oil for roasting

vinaigrette of your choice or simply olive oil and balsamic

salt & pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425F. Spread the sliced peppers and cubed squash on a sheet pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender (this will depend on how big the cubes are, which can vary when buying pre-cut squash. Aim for approx 1-inch, bite size cubes.

Boil 2 c water and add the dry quinoa. Cook for about 20 minutes or until it’s tender and the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, chop the dried figs.

When the squash and peppers are done, toss in a bowl with the cooked quinoa and figs. Dress lightly with vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bonus ideas: Use this recipe as a starting place! Be creative and make your own additions, perhaps pecans, pine nuts, cilantro, red onion or a different dressing (I’ve also made it with a spicy sesame-soy). Enjoy!

Roasted Potato + Green Bean Salad

For warm weather gatherings, I love making a roasted potato salad served at room temperature. I buy the mini potatoes, roast them in advance with olive oil, salt and pepper, then toss them with any mix of herbs, arugula, green beans, sliced almonds, pine nuts, olives, feta, vinaigrette, marinated artichokes, pesto…etc! It comes together quickly and is a filling vegetarian option on the BBQ buffet.

Roasted Potato + Greenbean Salad

serves 4-6

40 mini potatoes

10 garlic cloves (optional)

2 c (or 2 handfuls) greenbeans or snap peas, ends trimmed and sliced

1 small bunch (or a big handful) of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (some stems are ok)

your favorite vinaigrette, or rice vinegar mixed with my FF x PRMRY finishing olive oil

Toss the potatoes (plus garlic cloves if you wish) in olive oil and salt and roast at 450F for 20-25 minutes, until a fork goes in easily. If the potatoes are bigger than bite size, slice them. The size of the potatoes will determine cooking time so keep an eye on them. When they’re done, allow them to cool in a big mixing/salad bowl.

Once cooled, add the other ingredients and toss. Enjoy at room temperature.

*If you’re making this several hours in advance, wait to add the cilantro and dressing until it’s time to serve.

Scallion Pesto

This pesto uses scallions (a.k.a. green onions) instead of basil. Cooking them just a bit before you process them takes the onion-y edge off and adds flavor. I spread the pesto on toasted bread to make little crostini, but you can also toss it in pasta with roasted vegetables. Bon Appetit!

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Mint Pesto Potato Salad with Cherry Tomatos

Last week my parents hosted a summer dinner party at their house in Sonoma County. It was such a warm night that we wanted to eat outside, however we had to stay under the netting canopy to avoid mosquitos! Dad BBQed chicken and we made lots of salads with goods from the garden. This Mint Pesto Potato Salad was a hit! Just make pesto as usual, but use mint instead of basil. Any kind of nuts would work, but we used walnuts. You can boil or roast the potatoes and you may need a touch more olive oil and a pinch of sea salt when mixing it all up in the bowl. It’s great warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Rosemary Mushroom Skewers

Rosemary Mushroom Kebabs are great on the BBQ or you can roast them in the oven. Using rosemary sprigs (instead of wooden or metal skewers) will herb-infuse your vegetables as they cook. I stacked mushrooms, marinated tofu and bell peppers on mine- but you can literally put anything on them, even meat. If you can find a rosemary bush, it’s preferable to pick the sprigs yourself, as the stems will be heartier than the store bought kind, and easier to poke through veggies. Cut veggies big, so they won’t fall apart as you “string” them.  Remember certain items cook faster than others, so separate them onto different kebabs if necessary. Serve your results on top of rice, or alone with a (yogurt? tahini?) dipping sauce.

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast