Recipe Time: “The Jennifer Aniston Salad”

This salad, in various iterations, rose to viral fame a few years back. Come to find out, Jennifer Aniston did not create this salad, but she reportedly has said it sounds delicious. Indeed, it is! (Word is that she and Lisa Kudrow often threw together a cobb-type salad they’d eat on the set of Friends.)

This salad is loaded with fresh herbs and has a scrumptious texture. Plus it’s a complete meal — packed with protein, veggies and healthy fats. And you can easily substitute different proteins, go with cheese or no cheese, grains or beans or skip the starchier carbs altogether.

Photo credit: Simplyscratch.com

My spin on this salad is adapted from simplyscratch.com.

• 1 C quinoa*, dry

• 1⁄2 medium red onion, diced

• 1 1⁄2 C persian cucumber, finely diced

• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained*

• 2⁄3 C crumbled feta cheese

• 1⁄2 C chopped salted and roasted pistachios

• 1⁄4 C fresh mint, chopped

• 1⁄2 C parsley, chopped

• juice of 1 medium lemon (about 2 T)

• 1⁄4 C extra virgin olive oil

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

• kosher salt, to taste

• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 4 strips bacon, cooked (optional)
  

Instructions

Prepare the quinoa according to package directions. Cook the bacon (if using), then set it aside to cool before chopping it into small pieces.

Once the quinoa is cooked, let it sit 10 min., then fluff it with a fork and transfer it to a large plate to cool.

While the quinoa and bacon cook and cool, prepare your other ingredients. Then toss the quinoa, bacon, veggies, pistachios and chopped herbs in a large bowl.

In a cup, mix the juice of 1 medium lemon (or about 2 T), the olive oil and the garlic. Mix well and pour onto the salad. Toss well. Season with salt & black pepper to taste. Serve.

*For a paleo version of the salad, substitute riced cauliflower for the quinoa and use chicken in place of the chickpeas.

*For a vegan version, omit the bacon and feta and bump up quantities of chickpeas & pistachios.