Does having a favorite breakfast salad sound weird? Maybe, but I’ve always preferred savory to sweet when it comes to breakfast, and you can only eat so many eggs.
As I sat at my desk this morning eating my salad I thought, I should write a post about it! Anytime I see someone online asking for new breakfast ideas, I post a link to this Jennifer Aniston Salad from one of my favorite food bloggers, Iowa Girl Eats.
This salad has everything I love in a grain-based dish – protein from the quinoa, chickpeas, and feta, veggies from the cucumber, crunch from the pistachios, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette.
I follow this recipe almost exactly, except I leave out the onion. That’s just a personal preference for me, as I don’t really like raw onions. The first time I made it, I didn’t have any fresh mint, so I left that out – big mistake! The mint really adds to the flavor, so now I always make sure to add it to my grocery list when I’m planning to make the salad.
I make the quinoa in my Instant Pot, usually the day before. I cook 1 cup of quinoa in 1.5 cups of water for 3 minutes on high pressure, then 10 minutes natural release. Stir immediately and transfer to a container. I let it cool off for about 15 minutes, then put it in the refrigerator overnight.
The salad does take a little bit more work than I usually want to put into cooking these days, but it’s worth it for the number of meals we get out of it. My husband can get two lunches and I can get about three or four breakfasts from this one salad!
My Ratings
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SUMMARY:
This recipe is in my regular rotation for a reason. It’s delicious and a great alternative to traditional breakfast food. It’s also very healthy and surprisingly filling. While I do have to do a bit of chopping, it’s worth it to get multiple meals out of one salad. Try it – you will not be disappointed!