Bold, beautiful, and borderline addictive—don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups quinoa (rinsed with a fine mesh sieve)

• 10-20 olives (Castelvetrano or your favorite olives), smashed, pitted, and chopped/torn into smaller pieces

• 5 cloves garlic, sliced

• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

• A handful of fresh dill, chopped (not needed but more herbs, more flavor)

• 1 tsp red chili flakes (optional)

• A few handfuls of greens (arugula, spinach, or kale, etc)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Water (for cooking and sautéing)

• A handful of cooked beans like garbanzo, white beans, or any other mild-flavored legume (optional for added protein, fiber, and lasting fullness)

Instructions:

1. Cook the quinoa: In a pot, add quinoa with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for ~15 minutes or until fluffy and cooked through.

2. Prep the good stuff: While the quinoa cooks, wash and chop the parsley, dill, and greens if needed (eg. kale). Slice the garlic. Smash and pit the olives, then give them a rough chop or tear them with your hands into smaller pieces.

3. Sauté: Heat a splash of water in a pan over medium heat or use 1-2 tbsp of oil. Add garlic, chili flakes (if using), parsley, and olives. Sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring often (so the garlic does not burn).

4. Combine: Add the cooked quinoa to the pan (or a separate container) and toss everything together.

5. Wilt and finish: Toss in your greens, and stir until they just wilt from the heat of the other ingredients.

6. Season to taste: Add salt, pepper, and maybe a squeeze of lemon if you’re feeling fancy.

Serving Notes:

• Serve warm, at room temp, or cold, straight out of the fridge.

• Great as a main or as a starter salad (in which case, I'd add another handful of greens per serving).

• Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

I've been making this for years. I needed a "go-to" meal I could throw together in 15 minutes or less, using ingredients I almost always had on hand - and it had to be satisfying enough to rival my favorite comfort foods. 

Over a decade later, it's still one of my all-time favorites. I hope it earns a spot in your recipe repertoire too!