Do you like potluck dinners as much as I do? It’s great fun to have a low-budget gathering with friends, where you only have to bring one dish! Potlucks also can give you ideas for new and exciting recipes. Today, I’m going to tell you about three potluck recipes that are easy, healthy, and vegan-friendly.
While potlucks have so many benefits, they can pose some challenges. For example:
• You want to make a dish that can be served cold. If you are coming from work and don’t have time to stop home and warm something in the oven, a cold dish is your best bet. You can keep it in the fridge at work to serve on a weeknight.
• You want your dish to be easy to make. Isn’t that the point of a potluck? Keep thinks simple so that everyone can enjoy the time together without the fuss.
• You want your dish to be healthy and fit most dietary restrictions. If it’s a big group, you want to make sure that most folks feel welcomed to eat it. In the recipes below, you’ll see that I recommend serving the nuts on the side so folks with food allergies can still enjoy the dish. And, these dishes are vegan-friendly and full of healthful veggies, whole grains, nuts, healthy fats, and legumes!
• You want your dish to be pretty, delicious, filling, and unique to entice people to try it.
Here are the three easy, vegan-friendly recipes that meet those challenges. I hope you can try these at your next potluck!
For all three recipes, I recommend using a salad bowl with a lid, a dressing jar, and a ramekin with a lid.
Potluck “Fancy Green” Salad
Serves 10-15
Ingredients:
• 16 oz salad greens, pre-washed
• 1 avocado, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• ¾ cup dried cherries
• 3 scallions, chopped
• ¾ cup shelled pistachios
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions:
1. Toast the shelled pistachios in a oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes (until you can begin to smell them toasting!)
2. Rinse all of your veggies
3. Slice the avocado
4. Chop the scallions. Tip: I use kitchen shears to “chop” the scallions… the scallions slice so easily.
5. In a large salad bowl (that preferably comes with a top), combine salad greens, avocado, dried cherries, and scallions.
6. Store toasted pistachios in a small ramekin (preferably with a top as well)
7. In a small mason jar or dressing holder, combine the garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. shake it up and keep it in the fridge.
8. When it’s time to serve, pour the dressing on to taste. Offer the pistachios on the side (so that those folks with nut allergies can still enjoy the salad!)
What’s wonderful about this salad is the simple assembly. There is no stove required. And, if you want to switch things up, try different dried fruits and toasted nuts: dried apricots with toasted almonds, raisins with sunflower seeds, cranberries with walnuts. So many flavor combinations are possible.
Potluck Mediterranean Salad with Barley and Garbanzo Beans
Serves 10
Ingredients:
• ¾ cup dried barley
• 1½ cups water
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 large green or yellow bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
• 2 scallions
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
• ¼ cup basalmic or red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions:
1. Boil the barley in 1 and 1/2 cups of water until soft and chewy, about 15 minutes (or according to package directions)
2. While the barley is boiling, toast the sliced almonds at 200 degrees Fahrenheit until lightly golden
3. Rinse all of your veggies
4. Slice and chop the cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, basil, and scallions. Mix together in a large salad bowl
5. Rinse the garbanzo beans and add to the salad bowl
6. Once barley is cooked, let cool, then add to the salad bowl
7. Store toasted pistachios in a small ramekin
8. In a small mason jar or dressing holder, combine the red wine vinegar and olive oil. Pour over the salad. This dressing soaks into the barley and is just yummy when you serve it!
9. When it’s time to serve, offer the almonds on the side (so that those folks with nut allergies can still enjoy the salad!)
Potluck Southwestern Salad with Farro and Red Quinoa
Serves 15-20
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup uncooked farro
• 3 cups water
• 2 bell peppers: red and orange work best
• 5 green onions
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup baby kale, chopped
• 16 oz canned black beans, well rinsed
• ¼ cup cilantro
• ½ cup pepitas
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ¼ cup lime juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Boil the faro in 1 cup of water until soft and chewy, about 15 minutes (or according to package directions).
2. At the same time, boil the quinoa in a separate pot with 2 cups of water until it expands, about 20 minutes (or according to package directions)
3. While the grains are boiling, toast the pepitas at 200 degrees Fahrenheit until lightly golden
4. Rinse all of your veggies
5. Slice and chop the bell peppers, baby kale, cilantro, and scallions. Mix together in a large salad bowl
6. Rinse the black beans and corn and add to the salad bowl
7. Once the farro and quinoa are cooked, let cool, then add to the salad bowl
8. Store toasted pepitas in a small ramekin
9. In a small mason jar or dressing holder, combine the lime juice, minced garlic, and olive oil. Pour over the salad. This dressing soaks into the grains and is just yummy when you serve it!
10. When it’s time to serve, offer the pepitas on the side (so that those folks with allergies can still enjoy the salad!)
Which recipe will you make to take to your next potluck?
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