Name: Slow-Cooker Greek Quinoa and Vegetable Lettuce Cups
Total time: 3 h
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth; 1 cup prewashed white quinoa , rinsed; 2/3 cup plain yogurt; 2 ounces feta cheese , crumbled (1/2 cup); 1/4 cup minced fresh mint; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; Salt and pepper; 2 tomatoes , cored, seeded, and chopped; 1 cucumber , peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch pieces; 1 small shallot , halved and sliced thin; 2 heads Bibb lettuce (8 ounces each), leaves separated

Why This Recipe Works

Lettuce cups—like tortillas—are great vessels for all sorts of fillings. For a vegetarian filling that could be made in the slow cooker, we turned to quinoa and paired it with fresh vegetables and an herbaceous yogurt dressing. Since we wanted a quinoa mixture that was easy to scoop into lettuce cups, we skipped the step of toasting the quinoa in the microwave. Putting the raw quinoa into the slow cooker gave it a softer, more cohesive texture. Our creamy dressing, flavored with tangy feta cheese and fresh mint, also helped to bind the quinoa mixture. Tomatoes and cucumber added bulk to the mix, and shallot added a welcome bite. We tossed the quinoa and vegetables with part of the bold dressing and reserved the rest to drizzle on once we scooped our salad into the lettuce cups.

Before You Begin

You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. Be sure to rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer before using; rinsing removes the quinoa's bitter protective coating (called saponins).

Instructions

1. Lightly coat slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Microwave 1 tablespoon oil, oregano, and garlic in bowl until fragrant, about 1 minute; transfer to prepared slow cooker. Stir in broth and quinoa, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender and all broth is absorbed, 3 to 4 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high.

Fluff quinoa with fork, transfer to large serving bowl, and let cool slightly. Combine yogurt, feta, 2 tablespoons mint, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in separate bowl. Add half of dressing, tomatoes, cucumber, shallot, and remaining 2 tablespoons mint to quinoa and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve quinoa salad with lettuce leaves, passing remaining dressing separately.