Friday, July 18, 2014

Chickpea, Farro and Feta Salad with a Toasted Spice Vinaigrette


Today we woke to sunny skies. The morning started out with a brisk walk into town. Along the way on we spotted an American bald eagle. The eagle looked so majestic perched at the top of the pine. We could not tell if this was a male or female as they look very much alike. After a little research it was noted that the females are supposed to be 25% larger with similar plumage and color. A park ranger told me once that eagles are very opportunistic creatures and are known for stealing food from other birds.


We walked over this bridge to cross the Yachats river which flows out to the ocean. In the afternoons depending on the tides there will be people fishing off the point perched on rocks along the shore. Sometimes early in the day we will see an egret or two, but today there is none.


Now for this fresh summer salad. The main ingredients are chickpeas, barley and feta cheese with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds. The vinaigrette is made first by toasting spices in a dry skillet until fragrant. The base of this dressing is comprised of coriander, cumin and fennel seeds. After the spices cool, whisk with a touch of Dijon mustard and olive oil. The end result is a delicious vinaigrette that is not only great on salads but wonderful on grilled meats and produce too.

This recipe has been slightly adapted from the July edition of Bon Appetit magazine.

Ingredients:

For toasted spice vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic white wine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

For the salad:

8-ounces green beans (cleaned, trim and then cut in half)
1/2 cup farro (cooked according to package directions, I used quick cooking)(recipe used barley)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (toasted)
1 15-5-ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
4-ounces feta (crumbled)
2 tablespoons fresh dill (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

To prepare:

Start with the vinaigrette; add coriander, cumin and fennel seeds to a small dry skillet (no oil or butter), over medium heat, tossing until fragrant, about 3 minutes, (I used a wooden spatula). Let cool. In a small bowl; whisk spices together with the oil, vinegar and mustard. Taste, season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add green beans to a large pot of salted, boiling water. Cook about 3 minutes, check beans, they should be done. You want them crisp-tender, so they have a slight light crunch. Remove from heat and plunge beans into a bowl of ice and water.

Toss green beans, barley, sunflower seeds, chickpeas, feta, dill, lemon juice and vinaigrette into a large bowl. Stir gently to combine. Enjoy!






Cheri Savory Spoon
Cheri Savory Spoon

Mysavoryspoon was first started in 2010 as a way to journal recipes that I had collected from cookbooks, magazines, family and friends. Most everything was savory, using legumes and whole grains. Along the way I discovered a love for baking. Now a couple times a month you might see some type of sweet pie or treat.

68 comments:

  1. Did you miss barley in the list of ingredients? Just saw farro...
    The salad looks very delicious, Cheri.

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    1. Hi Angie, just used farro, updated recipe, thanks!

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    2. Hi. You are so lucky to have seen an eagle. They are huge and I suppose you would need to see a male and female together to work out which is which. Love the spices in the dressing. So perfect for chickpeas Cheri :)

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    3. Hi Tandy, we don't see many eagles here so I feel very fortunate to see this one. Thanks!

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  2. Wow a bald eagle, that must have been so cool! This salad looks wonderful, Cheri! So healthy and wholesome - love all the green beans and chickpeas!

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  3. This looks delicious, Cheri. I don't usually go for chick peas, unless I'm making hummus, but it sounds like a great vegetarian lunch or light dinner plan. Will try it this w/end!

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    1. Thanks Coco, the spices in the dressing were great with the chickpeas.

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  4. Seeing a Bald Eagle is always a special treat. And the salad looks so healthy and yummy.

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  5. I adore your sunny outdoor photos - it is cold and grey here. What a beautiful fresh salad - perfect for summer.

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  6. The eagle is beautiful as are the photo's and I love the salad, the vinaigrette sounds incredible.

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    1. Hi Suzanne, the vinaigrette was delicious, will be making this one again.

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  7. oh! coriander, cumin, fennel! What a delightful mix of seeds for your dressing, Cheri. Such a healthy salad. I'm trying to incorporate more chickpeas into my diet and this will do it!
    Don't you love all the wildlife of the PNW? It's a wonderland! Have a great weekend.

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    1. Hi Robyn, I do love all the wildlife, it is so amazing, I bet it's even better up where you live.

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  8. Hi Cheri,
    WOW! What a special treat to see a Bald Eagle. I've only seen one once and I was in awe of its sheer majestic beauty. Since I am new to your blog, I'm just wondering what part of the country this was taken in.

    Your salad sounds wonderful especially with that Toasted Spice Vinaigrette. I simply adore chick peas and am always looking for new uses for them. I will definitely be pinning this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing and thank you for dropping by my blog, Louise

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    1. Hi Louise, we spend our summers on the Oregon coast in the small town of Yachats. It is so pretty here and the people are wonderful. Thanks for stopping by.

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  9. Hi Cheri, it's a pleasure to meet you. Robyn is a dear Bloggy friend. Your combinations of seeds is a delight. Such a wonderful healthy salad.
    How lovely to spot an American Eagle. Enjoy the weekend.

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    1. HI Linda, nice to meet you as well, appreciate you stopping by.

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  10. Isn't it strange, that even though my spice cupboard is brimming I'd never thought to use them in a dressing! Shall have to remedy that over the weekend. Thanks for the idea!

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    1. HI Johnny, it's a tasty vinaigrette and goes really well with the chickpeas, can't wait to see what you come up with.

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  11. Hi Cheri, That dressing is something and so is this lovely mix of fresh summery ingredients. Seeing an American Eagle - how great!

    ciao, Devaki @ weavethousand flavors

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    1. Hi Devaki, this dressing is very different from what I normally make, but it is now one of my favorites. Thanks for stopping by, happy week-end to you!

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  12. This sounds like a lovely salad - fitting for a lovely day!

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  13. What a fantastic dressing, very toasty and flavorful! I like salads that can go as a one course meal...

    ela h.
    Gray Apron

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  14. Wow - how wonderful to see that eagle! I would think of that as a great omen for my day. The salad looks amazing and fresh. I am actually cooking a lot of dried chickpeas right now for an Indian dish. Will have a ton leftover so that I can make the salad. Actually have the feta on hand, too! ~ David

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    1. Hi David, love chickpeas, hope you post the recipe, it's my favorite type of food.

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  15. What a wonderful salad! We spotted quite a few bald eagles on our trip to Wisconsin last year...but it was hard to get a good photo :)

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    1. HI Liz, the eagle was amazing, so fortunate to get the picture I did. Happy week-end to you!

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  16. Looks like a beautiful day and what a great salad to come home to and enjoy!

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  17. So amazing you caught that eagle with your lens. Very cool. D

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  18. Wow a bald eagle. That is an amazing shot! Great little salad and perfect fro the grilling season. I love when you roast the spices as all the flavours come alive. Have a super weekend.

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    1. Hi Bam, your so right, roasting spices is a great way to pick up more flavor. Thanks!

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  19. Nice capture of the eagle!! Love your salad, anyway! I've been wanting more healthy food on the menu lately ;)

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    1. HI Julie, we eat healthy most of the time, but every once in a while I go a little crazy.

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  20. Beautiful sunny skies and another delicious and healthy looking salad! Absolutely love the toasted spice vinaigrette!

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    1. Thanks Andrea, I did too, never thought of making a dressing like this before.

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  21. There are sooo many beautiful flavours in this dish, Cheri. I love all the spices and the feta and chick peas. Believe it or not I've been slacking a bit with my feta consumption since leaving Greece. Got to do something about that!

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    1. Hi Helen, your so funny, well this should help you with the slacking.

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  22. Your photos are wonderful. And so is your salad! Yum!

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  23. That toasted spice vinaigrette sounds amazing, I'm so gonna try it!

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  24. That vinaigrette sounds so good! Love everything about this salad and its perfect for summer!

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  25. I'm really loving this salad! I like the idea of using farro instead of barley- and can't go wrong with the feta and fresh green beans. Yum!

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  26. What a great looking salad! I'm thinking it will be a great addition to my next backyard bbq!

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  27. love using barley in salads.. this is definitely perfect for summer. thanks for sharing!

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  28. I just made a farro salad last week, and I love that you put green beans in yours. Hello summer!

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    1. Hi Erin, I am loving farro in salads right now, love the texture. Thanks!

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  29. A big fan of your salad, it looks so healthy but the vinaigrette really gives it a flavour punch! :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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    1. Thanks, loved the vinaigrette, never used spices like this before in a dressing!

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  30. This vinaigrette sounds so good!!!

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  31. Sounds like a beautiful day followed up with a delicious salad!! Love the flavors in this.

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  32. Big giant bowls of this - it's all we've been eating this summer. Yours looks delicious.

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  33. How fun! You'd have to bring an extra bowl of this salad for me ;)

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  34. This salad has my name all over it. And I'm so enjoying seeing your photos of the Oregon coast. You're so lucky to have a few months of this coast time. The first time I saw eagles was in Alaska. I was putting my kayak in the water near some men fishing on shore. A large sprawling tree reached over their heads, where an eagle was perched. When one of the fishermen pulled up a fish on the end of his line, the eagle swooped down to get it in a flash. Opportunistic indeed. Genius.

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