Grains & Salad Cups Recipe

Prepare cooked grains

If you haven’t already cooked the quinoa and farro/barley, cook them now: rinse 1 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup farro/barley. Combine each with 2 cups water (or follow package ratios) in separate small saucepans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender (quinoa ~15 min, farro/barley 20–30 min depending on type). Drain any excess water and fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups cooked quinoa (and 1 cup cooked farro/barley if using) with 2 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat evenly and set aside to allow flavors to marry (10 minutes).

Wash and thoroughly dry the mixed baby greens. Halve the cherry tomatoes, seed and dice the cucumber, finely dice the red bell pepper, thinly slice the red onion, shred the carrots and chop the parsley.

In a large bowl, gently toss the baby greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, shredded carrots and parsley so the ingredients are evenly distributed. Keep chilled until assembly.

If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse. For extra flavor, pat chickpeas dry and toss with 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 tsp salt; roast on a sheet pan at 400°F (200°C) for 15–20 minutes until slightly crisp. Allow to cool.

Toast the sunflower or pumpkin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3–4 minutes. Cool.

Slice the avocado just before assembly to prevent browning; if you prefer, toss slices with a squeeze of lemon.

Whisk together 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tbs red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey or maple syrup, 1 tsp lemon zest (optional), 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a small bowl or shake in a jar until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Lay out 12 large lettuce leaves or butter lettuce cups on a serving platter. Using a slotted spoon or small scoop, place about 2–3 tablespoons of the dressed grain mixture into each leaf as the base (the mixture should be moist but not soggy).

Top each grain-filled cup with a small amount of the mixed salad (about 1–2 tablespoons), a teaspoon of chickpeas, a few toasted seeds, and a sprinkle (about 1 teaspoon) of crumbled feta or goat cheese if using.

Add one or two thin avocado slices to each cup. Drizzle a little of the prepared dressing over the assembled cups (a light touch — about 1/2 to 1 tsp per cup) or serve extra dressing on the side for guests.

Garnish with microgreens or additional chopped herbs and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately so the lettuce stays crisp.