Quinoa, Sweet Potato, and Eggplant Salad
I’d rather go hungry than eat one of those scary pasta and chicken reheats that the airlines pass out on transatlantic flights.
Fortunately, I never have to, because I make my own lunch to carry along.
Of course, I could make a sandwich, or grab one at a nearby boulangerie (as I’ve done when I simply have no time at all), but I’m much happier if I have something that’s healthier.
Quinoa’s my go-to base for my travel salads, because it’s loaded with protein, and has a nice, nutty crunch. Along with that I usually add some kind of tofu (here in Paris, we have tofu with basil, olives, and various other yummy things, which give the old boring bean curd a nice kick in the pants) for even more protein, which I know will keep the hunger away for hours. What I add after that depends on what I have on hand, or what I can easily throw together while I’m doing other things, like packing, which I always do at the last minute.
In this version, I added what I was in the mood for — eggplant, sweet potatoes, and spinach — but feel free to play and experiment with this. Add chicken instead of tofu if you have some leftover from the dinner the night before. Zucchini would also be lovely, as would roasted red bell peppers. I’ve added artichokes, sundried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil or any other herbs that I’ve had on hand. And although this travels well on a plane, it could work just as nicely in the car, for a roadside picnic, or on the table, as a light dinner.
These long-haul flights are dreadful enough, so I try to do what I can to make them as yummy as possible. Then I settle in with a pile of magazines, and after that, a great book, and enjoy the 10+ hours of uninterrupted reading time.
Quinoa, Sweet Potato, and Eggplant Salad
1 cup quinoa
1 medium sweet potato, peeled
1 small eggplant, peeled
½ cup fresh spinach
8 oz tofu
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon oregano
½ lime
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
sea salt
olive oil
Preheat oven to 450F/230 C
1. Cook the quinoa. Remember that it’s always a 2:1 ratio to water. So put one cup of quinoa and two cups water in a saucepan, add about a teaspoon of sea salt, cover it, and turn up the heat so it’ll boil. Once it does, turn the heat to low, and set the timer for 10 minutes. When it’s done, remove lid, and fluff as you would do for rice.
2. Slice eggplant into thick 3/4-inch slabs, sprinkle with large grain salt, and place on paper towels on a plate to draw out the moisture. After 10-15 minutes, wipe off the salt with a paper towel and chop into one-inch pieces.Put garlic and drizzle of olive oil in skillet and turn on medium low, let cook for a minute or two, and add eggplant and oregano. Cook until eggplant becomes slightly translucent, or about 10 minutes. Place on paper towels to absorb any extra oil.
3. Chop sweet potatoes into 1 1/2-inch dice, and put in bowl. Toss with drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and chipotle pepper powder. Place on baking sheet and put in the oven to bake. This will take 20-30 minutes.
4. Slice the tofu into one-inch cubes, and place in skillet on medium-low heat. Cook until both sides are slightly browned and crispy.
5. Rinse and remove any skins from the spinach, and chop into slivers.
6. Put quinoa, eggplant, sweet potatoes, tofu and spinach into a bowl and gently toss. Taste, and add squeeze of lime.
7. Scoop into a container for the plane, and get those bags packed!
