Sesame-Soy Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes and Green Beans

Wowies...there's lots of summer catch-up posting to be done in friendly foodie land!  After my small-ish posting binge in July, I went to New York for a few weeks to do some research and visit with my fam.  And as soon as Emily got back from Peru, she started a new job here in the 'burgh, yay roomie!  Needless to say, we haven't been so great about keeping up with a posting rhythm.  That doesn't mean we haven't been making lots of tasty meals with fabulous summer produce, we just haven't translated them to digital space.

In these precious last few days of August, I will attempt to remedy the recent lag, focusing especially on delicious and simple ways to use some produce that's in tip-top shape these days: tomatoes, peaches, eggplant, zucchini, corn, green beans, etc.

Today's summery idea makes use of lovely green string beans and sweet grape tomatoes in a subtly seasoned quinoa salad.  Emily has previously hailed the nutritional benefits of quinoa (recap: quinoa is a complete protein in itself, and high in iron and maganese), and we both love it for these.  But we also love it for its adaptability--its mild, nutty flavor and delicate texture make it an ideal base for any variety of summer salads.  Bonus: Quinoa also cooks more quickly than other grains, such as kamut or barley.  You can chop up whatever veggies you have left over at the end of the week, toss them into a bowl of cooked quinoa, drizzle with a dressing of your choice and you have a meal that's potluck-friendly, complete and nutritious.  Look below my recipe for more suggested quinoa salad combinations.

--K, quite keen on quinoa (say that 10 times fast!) 

Chillin' on the porch, eatin' some tasty quinoa...perfect summer eve.

Prepare dressing first in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk together:
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Rooster (Sriracha) sauce, optional

When dressing is combined, adjust the seasoning to your taste.  Then add to bowl:
4 cups cooked quinoa
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 c. green beans, lightly steamed and chopped into bite-sized pieces

Toss salad well, sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or slivered scallions if desired.  Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

Here are some other fantastic combinations to add to cooked and cooled quinoa -- since they're salads, you generally want to chop everything into a small dice or bite-sized pieces; cook veggies to your preference or use them raw, add salt and pepper, nuts and/or cheese to your liking.

tomato + corn + bell pepper + cilantro + lime vinaigrette
cucumber + peach + parsley + scallion + lemon vinaigrette
black bean + sweet potato + chili-lime dressing
diced red bell pepper + mango + scallion + citrus vinaigrette
zucchini + red onion + lemon vinaigrette
tofu + fresh ginger + soy sauce + orange zest
kohlrabi + bell pepper + onion + vinaigrette
tofu + eggplant + hot chilis + curry dressing
apple + walnut + raspberry vinaigrette
cucumber + tomato + red onion + kalamata olives + fresh oregano + lemon vinaigrette
cherry tomato + chickpea + basil pesto + pine nuts
butternut squash + toasted almonds + cilantro vinaigrette

....and the list continues.  What's your favorite combination for salads like these