Well, I have...
- finished up the school year and all of the things that go with moving grades and classrooms
- been reading, reading, and more reading
- done fun summer stuff with Anna (swimming, playing, watching too much TV)
- started watching HBO series (Girls and Game of Thrones) because we changed to Direct TV and get all the movie channels for free for 3 months
- gone shopping
- kept up with my exercise
- picked paint colors and looked at countertops for our kitchen (our house needs an update)
- learned to sew (kind of)
- tried some new recipes!
Because this blog is about the food we are eating I'll fill you in on some of the things we've tried recently. I feel as though I've eaten my weight in salad this past month. The CSA box is filled with all things green. Anna changes her mind about salad weekly, Bryan isn't a fan of salad (he hates dressing), and I don't like wasting, so the lettuce all falls on my plate, literally. I've had some really good-for-you and tastes delicious salads this month that you may enjoy.
This Strawberry, Quinoa, and Chopped Spinach Salad from Cookie and Kate is my FAVORITE salad with a few changes (in red). I ate this almost everyday for lunch during the month of May. It's pretty to look at, is fresh and healthy, and filling to get you through the day.
Dressing ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 to 3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon real maple syrup (I know $16 for syrup feels extravagant, but it is really light and sweet and so much better for you.)
- 1 teaspoon shallot, finely chopped (I left this out)
Salad ingredients:
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, warmed (I never warmed the quinoa) I made the quinoa on Sunday, and used it all week.
- 2 to 3 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled (I am not a fan of goat cheese, so I used feta)
- black pepper and sea salt, to taste (I left these out)
- 2/3 cup strawberries, chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons pecan pieces (I used walnuts, and I did not toast them)
Instructions:
- Cook the quinoa: Note that 1 cup of dry quinoa yields over 3 cups cooked quinoa. Rinse the quinoa well in a mesh colander, then combine the rinsed quinoa with twice as much water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed, remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
- Make the dressing: In a small jar, combine the ingredients listed below. Either use a fork to whisk the ingredients well or screw a lid on the jar and give it a few good shakes. Taste the dressing and adjust the flavors if necessary (add vinegar for a more tart dressing, or maple syrup for a sweeter dressing). Set the dressing aside.
- Toast the pecans: In a small pan over medium heat, toast your pecan pieces until they are fragrant and golden (stir often). This should take around five minutes.
- In a bowl, mix together 3/4 cup or more of warm quinoa with the goat cheese, salt and pepper. Mix in the strawberries and spinach, drizzle with as much dressing as desired, and mix well. Top with pecan pieces. Enjoy!
Note: Quinoa is gluten free, so this is a gluten-free dish!
The second salad is just a mix of things I have in the refrigerator using the same dressing as above (it is really yummy). I just use what I need for one person. Since the asparagus and sweet potatoes taste best when warm, I usually save this for a night that we have to fend for ourselves.
Salad ingredients:
- mix of salad greens and spinach
- asparagus
- sweet potatoes
- quinoa
- feta cheese
- walnuts
Instructions:
- Roast asparagus and sweet potatoes. I chop the sweet potatoes into bite size pieces first. Then toss the asparagus and sweet potatoes with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet. Roast the asparagus for 10 minutes and the sweet potatoes for 20-25 minutes at 400 on the upper 1/3 rack of the oven.
- Cook the quinoa according to the package.
- Mix the salad greens and other ingredients, top with dressing, and enjoy.
