Post Holiday Detox
December 27, 2007
I often ask Kevin: “What do you want for dinner?” He often replies: “Hmm. Can I have a few minutes to think about it?” Well, by the time he might be ready to answer, I’ve usually dreamed up a menu of my own. So, I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when, on our way home from Minnesota, I asked Kevin this very question. And he barely blinked before saying, “Load me up with veggies.”
After a weekend of indulgence, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised by his response. My body was calling for wholesomeness too. As if to support this conclusion, when I asked my sister, who’d just awoken from a backseat snooze on the drive back to Chicago, what she wanted for our next Family Dinner, she suggested something along the lines of one of our healthiest Family Dinners yet: a soy-glazed salmon.
To appease our need for nutrients, I landed on a Salad Monday (technically, Salad Wednesday this week, but same idea) favorite: Greek salad. I like to think our Greek salad is a little bit special, thanks to the freshly toasted pita chips on the side or the addition of crunchy, smoky roasted chickpeas. And, brimming with vegetables and only a mere slick of dressing, this was just the detoxification we needed. With another holiday next Monday/Tuesday, I have a feeling that Salad Wednesday might have a repeat performance next week …
Greek Salad with Roasted Chickpeas
For the Salad:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 to 3 ounces feta, crumbled
1/2 red onion, sliced in thin half-rings
1/2 English cucumber, diced
For the Dressing:
2 tablespoons of freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
January 15, 2008 at 8:12 pm
This salad was a huge hit! I would have never thought of putting all of these things together, so thank you for the inspiration. Jon described it as having all of the best things about a gyro and yet still fitting the “detox” requirement (that we desperately needed!). I have a feeling that this will become a staple…
January 16, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Emily: That’s great! I’m happy to hear that my favorite South Loop residents enjoyed this. Thanks for the feedback. See you soon!
February 17, 2008 at 4:01 pm
This sounds delicious and I am pretty convinced chickpeas are my favorite food ever. And, as I cannot cook at all (well, that’s what I tell myself to excuse my ridiculous tendency to eat out), this looks very manageable! Matt has made an entire roasted chicken tonight so I think I need to step it up a bit in the cooking department. Hopefully a salad will suffice! Love the blog!
February 18, 2008 at 8:39 am
Maggie: Hello! This salad seems to be a real hit with my friends. I seem to remember you hoarding the chickpeas from the salad bar in college … If you give this a try, let me know. And hurry back home to Chicago!