Quinoa Antipasto Salad

I had a large quantity of quinoa left over from Tuesday night’s delicious dinner so I decided to play around with alternative uses. I recently purchased thinly sliced prosciutto (‘fancy bacon’ as Hubby likes to call it), salami and sharp provolone cheese to make Italian subs, which seemed like a wonderful combination for a twist on antipasto.

Fresh vine ripened tomatoes and tangy roasted red peppers balanced the salty cured meats, all dressed in an herbed red wine vinaigrette. I didn’t have artichokes, olives or pepperoncinis on hand, but they would be welcome in this dish if you’d like to add those ingredients to yours. This whole recipe is kind of free play so customize the measurements according to which components you enjoy most. Crazy for provolone? Add a little more. Not wild about tomatoes? Don’t chop up as many.

By the way, you may have noticed recently that I’ve totally embraced the old school mentality of using a pinch as a form of measurement. Sometimes it’s really the best way to describe something that doesn’t quite add up to 1/8 or 1/2 of a teaspoon. Don’t worry, I’m not sending anyone to the moon with these calculations. It’s just salad. If I could send people to the moon I may or may not be occupying my time with alternative uses for quinoa.

Serve this up as a light lunch, filling side dish or creative appetizer next time you entertain guests or attend a pot luck!

Ingredients:

For salad:

2 cups quinoa, cooked

3 slices salami

3 slices prosciutto

4 slices provolone cheese

8 Campari tomatoes

1 roasted pepper (from jar)

For dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 pinches Italian seasoning

1 pinch salt

1 pinch pepper

Instructions:

Cut tomatoes into quarters.

Roll up prosciutto, salami and cheese.

Dice into confetti.

Slice roasted pepper into strips.

Transfer quinoa into a bowl.

Add tomatoes, meat, cheese and peppers.

Toss together.

In a small bowl, whisk in olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Pour dressing over salad.

Gently mix and serve.

Eat and enjoy while contemplating your next space mission.