Gluten Free Turkish Kisir Salad

Turkey has been in the news a lot lately and not for good reasons. Turkey is my husband's birth place and first love. It is a beautiful country filled with the most hospitable and generous people. The latest events in Turkey have left our family's heart heavy. Regardless what your political views are, these are sad times in Turkey. We've been craving a little bit of home lately...

Blue Mosque

Suleymaniye Mosque

Istanbul has quickly become one of my favorite places in the world. The culture, architecture, aromas, and people make it a wonderful city to visit. We had one of our weddings in Istanbul, atop the Adamar hotel, over looking Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) and the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Cami). It was a beautiful week with my family and my husband's family, navigating the old cobblestone streets and taking in all the history this amazing city has to offer. 

Wedding Night

We haven't had a chance to take our darling Sofie over there yet. We had planned to go over Thanksgiving but safety is a big concern at this point and the last thing we want to do is risk it. To fill the void for now, we have pictures all over the house from Turkey for Sofie to look at. My husband speaks only in Turkish to our daughter and I'm learning the language too. It isn't much but it's all we can do at this point. Sofie will always know the love we have for her heritage and people. 

Gathering my ingredients

One of the greatest parts of Turkey is the cuisine! I have tried to make many of the dishes gluten free so my husband can still have the taste of his childhood but keep me feeling healthy and strong. This is one of his favorite salads and it is so refreshing on these hot summer days. It is usually made with barley but I have substituted quinoa to make it gluten free. It gets better as it sits and the acid from the lemon develops its flavor. We have it as a main course topped with chicken but it's also a great side salad. It's super simple to make and very healthy. I hope you enjoy! Afiyet Olsun!

Gluten Free Kisir Salad

Servings: 4 Main Dishes, 6-8 Side Dishes 

Cooking Time: 1 hour

2 2/3 cups quinoa

4 cups chicken stock

6 oz can of tomato paste

5 lemons, juiced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons cumin

2-3 tablespoons Turkish red pepper 

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 bunch of green onions, sliced

1 english cucumber, quartered and diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 heads romaine lettuce, thinly sliced

1. Cook washed quinoa and chicken stock in rice cooker. I use my quick rice setting and it works perfectly every time. 

2. While the quinoa is cooking, prep the veggies and put aside.

3. Fluff the quinoa when finished and mix in the tomato paste, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, Turkish red pepper, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning. Set aside to cool.

4. Once the quinoa is at room temperature, fold in all the veggies. 

5. Serve cold or at room temperature. Top with a protein to make it a complete meal.