Wanted: Your recipes for summer grain salads

[Trudie]

Hi all,
I have just dug deep into my cupboards to discover a large supply of wild rice, quinoa, and couscous.  In the interest of "use what you have" cooking I am looking for recipes for cold summer grain salads that can be combined with veggies (and protein, where appropriate) and dried fruits to start using this stuff up.

I tend to be a creative cook and am good at swapping ingredients and modifying to suit what I have on hand.

To get the ball rolling, here are a couple of recent favorites:
Couscous -- The Barefoot Contessa:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/curried-couscous-recipe.html

And, I made something similar and threw together the following (to taste):

Couscous
Olive Oil
Orange Vinegar (which I've had on hand for awhile from TJ's wondering what to do with)
Parsley
Pistachios
Green Onion (or red, or white, or a mixture)
Chives
Dried apricots (dried cherries or craisins would be good also)
Bit o' lemon juice

Keep the ideas coming!  Thanks.

[Chranstronaut]

So I'll half answer your question and half not.  It's not a cold summer salad, but I love quinoa and enjoy using it in stuffed tomatoes:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix 2 cups cooked quinoa and a half a package of crumbled goat cheese.  Add a healthy amount of basil to personal preference and about 1/4 tsp of black pepper and a few dashes of garlic powder.  Cut the tops off 2-3 tomatoes and scoop out pulp and rind.  Mix about half the pulp into the quinoa-cheese mixture.  Stuff mixture into tomato husks and cover with the tomato tops like little hats (okay, the hats are optional).  Bake for 15 minutes.

I usually have a cup of quinoa mixture left after this, so I like to add chopped carrots and broccoli to it and eat it as a cold or warm "salad" the next day for lunch.

[mm1970]

My favorite recipes come from this chef:

http://www.suzannelandry.com/category/recipes/whole-grains/

Her grain salads are delish!

[Roots&Wings]

Zesty Quinoa Salad is one of my favorites, and easily adapted to taste preferences (e.g. leave out cilantro/oil/salt, etc if not for you) http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zesty-quinoa-salad/

"Quinoa and black beans are tossed in a refreshing lime-cilantro vinaigrette for a quick and protein-packed lunch or side dish."

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
5 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1.   Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2.   Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.
3.   Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

[MBot]

I had this (made with raisins) at some cardiac doctors rounds thing I got to attend. Later on I figure I could make it with dried cranberries and it would be tasty. It is also good with quinoa instead of couscous

The couscous
In a Pyrex cup, mix 1 cup couscous, 1 tsp bouillon crystals (chicken usually), 2 cups of boiling water.

The dressing
Mix in a bowl, mug or jar:
Juice (and zest if you want) of one lemon (or lime if you want. I like lemon better).
1/4 cup oil
Pinch of salt
One grated or chopped clove of garlic

The veggies:
One bunch of cilantro (my preference) or parsley, stems removed, cleaned and chopped.
One cup of dried cranberries
One can of chickpeas, drained


Mix the couscous, dressing and veggies. If you have time, let it sit overnight in the fridge first. Enjoy!

[Rural]

Simple and delicious recipe I made up the other day: chop fresh tomatoes and cucumber. mix into cooked couscous. Generously sprinkle powdered ginger over the top. Pour in enough soy sauce to incorporate all the ginger, mix well.


I ate this with Parmesan cheese and a little shredded cheddar because that's what I had, and it was wonderful. If you happen ago have feta on hand, that would probably be even better, but it was so good with what I had I wouldn't recommend buying the feta specially.

[BlueHouse]

Zesty Quinoa Salad is one of my favorites, and easily adapted to taste preferences (e.g. leave out cilantro/oil/salt, etc if not for you) http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zesty-quinoa-salad/

"Quinoa and black beans are tossed in a refreshing lime-cilantro vinaigrette for a quick and protein-packed lunch or side dish."

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
5 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1.   Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2.   Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.
3.   Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

I make his and add red, yellow, and orange bell pepper, red onion, green onion, celery, apple, all diced really tiny (using the alligator) and also add a bit of corn. It's a huge hit. The apple gives it a bit of sweet and I'm always asked for the recipe.

[Hannah]

Zesty Quinoa Salad is one of my favorites, and easily adapted to taste preferences (e.g. leave out cilantro/oil/salt, etc if not for you) http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zesty-quinoa-salad/

"Quinoa and black beans are tossed in a refreshing lime-cilantro vinaigrette for a quick and protein-packed lunch or side dish."

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
5 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1.   Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2.   Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl.
3.   Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans, and green onions together in a bowl. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

I do this minus most of the olive oil and add an avocado and red onion (no green onion I guess). Yum!

[Hannah]

Wait for fall to use that wild rice. It's great with fall produce like apples, sweet potatoes and raisins (add a sweet and creamy dressing like poppy seed or something homemade mayo based), or with cranberries, or as part of a hearty chicken and wild rice soup!

If you want to use that wild rice up directly, I like it with kale, almonds, berries and of course a sweet dressing (I have a sweet tooth come summer time)

I love zucchini marinated in miso (new found love) then grilled on top of a bed of couscous.

I love everyone's suggestions so far!

[dude]

Quinoa Tabouleh Salad -- been making it all summer.  LOVE IT!  Whole Foods has a recipe online, or just substitute quinoa for bulgur wheat, it's that simple. 

Ingredients:

Parsley (lots of it - 2 large bunches)
Tomatoes (2-3 medium tomatoes diced)
Cucumber (1 regular, or 2-3 Kirby, small dice -- I remove seeds)
Quinoa (1/2 - 1 cup; how much depends on your personal preference -- I prefer my tabouleh more parsley-heavy than quinoa)
Olive oil
lemon juice (I start with the juice of 1 lemon and adjust to taste -- I like it a little lemony)
salt & pepper
optional - garlic (I like to add a clove of minced garlic to mine)

Refigerate, but I like to serve at room temp.