In my efforts to learn more about nutrition for runners I have been reading Matt Fitzgerald’s book entitled Racing Weight and experimenting with recipes from his corresponding cookbook which he co-created with Georgie Fear. This Mediterranean salad is from their cookbook and is not only crazy delicious but super easy to make and jammed packed with appetite satisfying nutrition! Parts or all of it can be made in advance and I find it tastes even better the next day! 

I prepared this for the potluck we hosted after the final meeting of our Maumelle Women Can Run Clinic and it was a huge hit! Bummer I barely had any leftovers! Ladies, I promised the recipe in my next newsletter, so here it is. Enjoy!

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
2 cups of water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
1/3 cup of read onion chopped
1 pint (10 oz) grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves chopped (cilantro works nicely too)

Combine quinoa and water in a small pot and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl stir together olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Add chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, and parsley to bowl and mix. Stir in cooled quinoa.

Serves 4

Since I like to cook once and eat twice, I cooked two cups of quinoa earlier in the week. Quinoa is a great addition to broiled veggies and it also makes a great hot breakfast cereal with almond milk and sweetened with maple syrup.