Potluck in your plans? Head to the Pantry!

Tis the season for potlucks, picnics, and friendly spring get-togethers. Now that New England has thawed from winter, people are leaving the house again! If you find yourself invited to a potluck and have no idea what to make, here's an easy solution.

I had a Sunday afternoon lunch potluck on my calendar and knew exactly what dish I wanted to bring along. When I went the pantry to get the ingredients to make the pasta salad, turns out I had no pasta! No elbows, linguine, penne, nothing! Instead of running to the store I decided to get creative and work with what I had on hand.

With a few minutes and a few pantry staples I was able to pull together a tasty dish to bring along to a discerning group of diners - my sorority alumnae group (yay Gamma Phi Beta!). The dish had to be tasty, somewhat healthy, and good for sitting out for a little while. The dish got great feedback and I promised I would post the recipe on the blog. Without further delay, here is the recipe:

Quick and Easy Harvest Grain Salad

1 bag of Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's (it has Israeli couscous, red and green orzo, split dried garbanzo beans, and red quinoa - it's in the rice aisle)
1 can of no salt added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
About 1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Dried or fresh herb blend (I used a premade mix with parsley, oregano, and basil)
Cook harvest grains according to the directions on the box
When done, immediately take out of the pot and put into a large serving bowl (or storage bowl) and fluff with a fork to separate the grains
Add the garbanzo beans, herbs (maybe 1-2 teaspoons) to the cous cous and mix with a spoon or spatula
Add about half the oil and vinegar
Mix well
Taste and add more herbs, oil/vinegar, and salt and pepper as needed
Chill and serve!

Summary:
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Soup pot, fork, spoon, colander, measuring cups, serving bowl, serving spoon