Green Bean & Avocado Quinoa Salad

Green bean & avocado quinoa salad

It’s been so inspired by the bounties of spring veggies that have been available lately. I think I’m the only person on the internet that has not gotten my hands on any ramps this season (do they even grow in texas?), but I really can’t complain because I still have tons of amazing options.

They key to any great salad is a variety of tastes, textures and colors. Although I find that sometimes it’s easier to come up with new ideas if I set some kind of limitation. This particular day I had leeks, green beans, and dandelion greens I wanted to use. Which gave me the idea to go with an all-green theme… which helped draw my attention to the half-avocado leftover from breakfast, the pistachios in the back of the pantry, and the fresh mint growing in my yard.

I served this for dinner alongside some grilled salmon… if there were leftovers it would have been a great lunch the next day.

green bean & avocado quinoa salad

 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds, lightly toasted
  • splashes of olive oil
  • handful of green beans (thin ones)
  • ½ cup leeks
  • juice of 1 lemon & lemon zest
  • big handful of dandelion greens (or spinach or arugula)
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • a few sprigs of fresh mint
  • a few tablespoons toasted chopped pistachios
  • ½ avocado sliced
Instructions
  1. Heat a small pan and toast the mustard seeds until just fragrant. Add oil, green beans and leeks, salt. Cook until tender but still crunchy. Add a big squeeze of lemon to the pan.
  2. Add greens and let them wilt slightly.
  3. Remove from heat and toss with quinoa, feta cheese, more lemon and lemon zest.
  4. For best flavor let this chill together for 30 or so minutes.
  5. Before serving, add toasted pistachios, avocado and a few more mint sprigs. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: serves 2 as a meal, 3-4 as a side

18 comments

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  1. Ashley from edibleperspective.com
    06.05.2013

    This is so simple and gorgeous. I think you found the most perfect avocado ever. I can never get them sliced that cleanly! Also…I only found out about ramps this year and never ended up buying any. You’re not alone! 🙂

    • jeanine
      06.05.2013

      avocados for photos are so hard… I’ve really been practicing at it 🙂

  2. Thess from greenattraction.net
    06.05.2013

    YUM! This looks delish! Great recipe:)

  3. Beautiful salad! I made an all-green salad recently too (mine was arugula, cucumber, green grapes, pistachios and mint). Your avocado sure looks nice.

  4. Christine from pinkchillies.wordpress.com
    06.04.2013

    what a lovely salad. I never thought about the combination of mint and pistachios. Will try it soon.

  5. Tieghan from halfbakedharvest.com
    06.03.2013

    This look so lite and delicious! Wishing I was eating it now!

  6. Janie from hedgecombers.com
    06.03.2013

    Why, oh why have I never added mint leaves to a salad…?
    Janie x

    • jeanine
      06.05.2013

      I forget about them too… but I have so many now I’ve been adding them to everything 🙂

  7. Kathryn
    06.03.2013

    I never even heard of ramps until I started reading food blogs.
    Sorta weird as I am a lover of anything in the onion family.

  8. Eileen from hampiesandwiches.blogspot.com
    06.03.2013

    All the veg and grains in one delicious salad? Yes please! 🙂

  9. I already saw this recipe on Camille Styles, and I immediately pinned it! I love the monochromatic palette (I’m that freak who admires and takes pictures of visually beautiful plates 🙂 and it sounds both healthy and delicious (always a winner in my book).

    Wishing you a lovely and successful new week!

    xx Ivana
    Macarons and Pearls

    • jeanine
      06.05.2013

      thanks! we eat with our eyes first, right?

  10. Kathryn from londonbakes.com
    06.03.2013

    This salad sounds really wonderful Jeanine, full of flavour and colour and vibrancy!

  11. We are having an overabundance of ramps in WI…. I’ll trade you for some dandelion greens?!

    • jeanine
      06.05.2013

      ha, yes we have tons of danedlion greens, so good!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.