A Recipe from JFS's Own Chef Hugo Perez!

Five days a week, the JFS { Senior Nutrition Program provides nutritious meals and a chance for socialization for older adults (and their caregivers), giving them the opportunity to eat healthy, well-balanced food while socializing with peers and friends. 

Food is prepared by our culinary team at the JFS { Hirsh Kosher Kitchen, led by Chef Hugo Perez, the Food Service Manager for JFS. Today, Chef Hugo is sharing a delicious AND nutritious recipe on the blog! 

Easy Quinoa Salad 

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

Quinoa = 2 cups

Boiling water = 4 cups

Finely diced celery = ¼ cup

Diced red bell peppers = ¼ cup

Peeled diced cucumber = ½ cup

Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley = 2 bunches

Roma tomatoes (seeded and diced) = 1 cup

Minced garlic cloves = 4 cloves

Diced onion = ¼ cup

Olive oil = ½ cup

Lemon juice = ½ cup

Black ground pepper = 1 tsp

Kosher salt = 3 tbs

Almonds, slivered/roasted = ½ cup

Strawberries or mint springs for garnishing

 

Directions:

1. In a large pot, pour water and half of the salt. Bring it to boil.
2. Rinse quinoa in a strainer with cold running water and add it to the boiling water.
3. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes on low.
4.  Wash and dice all vegetables and keep them in a bowl big enough to combine them all.     
5. Remove quinoa from fire and empty it in a shallow pan. Let cool.
6.  In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and salt to taste.
7. In the large bowl, combine quinoa and chopped vegetables. Toss well with the olive oil dressing, adding almonds last.
8. Garnish with fresh mint springs and strawberries. Serve cold and enjoy!

Chef Hugo calls this recipe "delicious, easy, healthy, gluten-free, and perfect for summer!" Looks tasty to us!