Lemon Orzo Salad

At my last job we used to have awesome potlucks - they weren't just your standard 'everybody-stop-at-the-store-and-pick-something-up'-type potlucks either. We had themes, occasions, and competitive employees. All in good fun.

One of the best recipes that came out of over 6 years' worth of potlucks was this one, shared by my friend Helen. Thanks Helen!

Ingredients:

2 cups orzo pasta, boiled for 7 to 8 minutes, drained then tossed with
1 tbsp olive oil (just to keep it from sticking)

2 to 3 large, yellow, sweet onions (I always use 3), sliced thin and caramelized over low to medium heat in
3 tbsps vegetable or grapeseed oil - caramelizing takes 20 to 30 minutes - be patient. Near the end of the caramelization process add
3 cloves garlic, minced

Toss orzo and caramelized onions together, then add 2 to 3 cups baby spinach

Give it a toss, then add the rest of the ingredients:


1 cup creamy feta cheese, crumbled
1 bunch green onions, chopped
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Toast 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (pine nuts weren't in Helen's original recipe, but I added them for some additional texture and it is very delicious)

Taste the salad. 

If it is too dry you can add a bit of olive oil (depends on how much oil you used to cook the onions).

This salad will keep very well in the fridge for 3 days which makes it a great choice for packed lunches.