Post-feast Quinoa Salad Makes Thrifty Use of Thanksgiving Leftovers

It's a delicious way to use a few extra cups of roasted vegetables from your Thanksgiving dinner. My recipe uses three key Cook for Good ideas that can help you sail through the holidays.
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I created this hearty winter dish as a twist on the Quinoa Salad with Chioggia Beets from
. It's a delicious way to use a few extra cups of roasted vegetables from your Thanksgiving dinner. My recipe uses three key Cook for Good ideas that can help you sail through the holidays:
  • Cook once, enjoy twice. I roasted a double batch of beets, carrots, celery, and onions. The first night, we enjoyed the roasted roots topped with hummus. The second day, they starred in this salad.
  • You bought it, so use it. Cooking dried chickpeas gives you a bonus that most people pour down the drain: a rich, golden broth that makes a healthy alternative to chicken broth.
  • Get the best value and flavor by choosing local, seasonal ingredients. The easiest way to be a better cook is to choose better ingredients. The carrots for this dish came from Wilma at Dog Day Farm and the beets from Ben at In Good Heart Farm. My friends were among the farmers who braved an icy drizzle on Tuesday to make sure their customers had the best possible Thanksgiving dinners.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dried chickpeas1 1/2 cups water1/2 teaspoon salt1 2-inch strip dried kombu (optional)1 cup quinoa2 cups roasted vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces

Method

  1. Cook chickpeas in water with salt and kombu if desired. (Kombu is a seaweed that helps make beans more digestible and adds micronutrients.)

  • When chickpeas are fully tender, drain broth into a large measuring cup. Add water if needed to get 1 1/3 cups of liquid. Cook quinoa in broth.
  • When quinoa is cooked, toss all ingredients, taste, and add salt or lemon zest as desired. Serve warm or cold. Freezes well.
  • Visit my site Cook for Good for the summer version of this recipe with photos and more detailed directions.

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