I am so excited to be sharing this tasty recipe today over on ToriAvey.com as part of her Passover Potluck. If you don’t know Tori, you also may know her as The Shiksa In the Kitchen, the loveliest of converts with a husband who grew up in Israel.  Tori has has used her love and passion of cooking and history to explore not just Jewish traditions and cuisines but many others beyond that. She may not know it, but for this particular project I have a new nickname for her, I’ve been calling her my Kosher Guru. She has schooled me on the ways of eating Kosher specifically for Passover. I am beyond fascinated and I have absolutely enjoyed and relished in the challenge.

Not only is this my first-ever Passover Potluck, but I have to be honest and tell you this is my first time ever cooking for Passover or any other Jewish holiday. Though, I am no stranger to traditions and holiday-centered feasts, growing up Greek. We may not have had any rules on what could be served, we certainly had our favorite traditional dishes that made our holiday what it was. However, after discovering I had a gluten intolerance and as I began to avoid dairy and limit other foods, it sure made these traditional meals much more of a challenge for me. Rather than feeling sad over what I couldn’t eat, I instead found it an inspiration to get creative and come up with all new recipes and traditions, for me and anyone else that had restrictions.

I am certain that there are plenty of you out there reading, who are vegan or dairy-free and are always in need of a Passover-friendly potluck dish or maybe a delicious dish to share at your Easter Feast, that you can eat but yet still appeals to everyone else at the table. This Moroccan Quinoa and Carrot Salad is it. While it is Moroccan-inspired, the flavors are all quite classic and so complimentary of each other and it’s appealing to all types of eaters. This makes an incredible, comforting side dish that would be perfect at any meal, but especially at your Passover feast. The cinnamon bring a sweet and warming flavor to the salad complimented by the golden raisins, while the lemon juice offsets it with a bright and tart pop of flavor. The carrots provide a crunch and a beautiful vibrant color and the fennel which is optional, also brings a unique and fresh flavor and crunch. This salad is best served room temperature or chilled, wait to dress it until just before serving.

Head over to Tori’s site to get the recipe for this Moroccan Quinoa and Carrot Salad – perfect for passover, easter, a backyard BBQ or any other feast!