Quinoa Salad is Berry-licious!

                                                                                 

I really have no excuse for not posting too regularly except for the fact that I have been enjoying some much needed alone time.  How is this you ask? For one, I am on holidays from work until September.  Two, Hubby has been working during the day, as per usual. Three, the Boy is on a fantastic Me to We adventure in Ecuador building a school, playing games with kids, and having a blast. (He's a keeper!)

Not to brag too much, but I have been sleeping in, watching Netflix, and hanging out in the garden.  Nothing too exciting but seems to be just what I needed.  That being said, many apologies if I haven't kept in touch. I must also admit to spending a good amount of time browsing Pinterest.  I love seeing the ideas and thing people come up with and sometimes it inspires my own thought processes.

I found some salads featuring quinoa and berries.  The dressings didn't seem to appeal to me so I figured honey and lime always go well with berries and boom....there you have it. 

Berry Quinoa Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

4 cups mixed berries 

    - I used a mixture of blueberries, cherries, raspberries, and strawberries

1/2 cup un cooked quinoa

1 cup water

Slivered almonds, toast almonds in a dry pan until slightly golden and allow to cool.

Honey lime dressing

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp oil (use a neutral tasting oil such as canola)

Pinch of salt

Combine the quinoa and water in a pot.  Bring to a boil, slap a lid on it, reduce the temperature to low and set the timer for 15 minutes.  When the timer dings, take it off the heat, fluff it with a fork and set it aside to cool.

Wash and dry the berries, cut up the strawberries, pit and halve the cherries, and put it all to the side.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake it until everything is combined. Give the dressing a taste to see if it needs more honey, or lime, or salt.

Once the quinoa is cooled, combine it with the berries, almonds, and the dressing. Chill until serving time.

This salad was divine....Hubby gave it rave reviews!

Until next time, stay warm and eat well.

Summer Dreaming of Quinoa Salad

Well, my posting has slowed down a little lately. Life just gets busy sometimes!  I have had some photos tucked away on the hard drive for a while, but just haven't had a chance to write or post anything.  Lately I have been day dreaming of summer...warmer weather, sandals, sunshine, BBQs, fresh summer fruit & veggies...the list goes on.  This has been quite a cold winter, even in prairie terms. The other evening I found some Quinoa in the cupboard and I just knew it was time to make a quinoa salad, the perfect summer salad!!

Quinoa Salad
Print recipe

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 green pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/3 to 1/2 long English cucumber
1/2 medium white onion (or whichever colour you have on hand)
handful grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
big handful cilantro
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and drain the quinoa.  Place the quinoa in a a pot with 1 1/2 cups cold water.  Bring to a boil, put a lid on the pot, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20  minutes, until water is absorbed (just like cooking rice).

Once the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it with a fork and let it cool.

While the quinoa is cooking, cut up the veggies into smallish bite size pieces, place in a bowl and set aside.

Rinse, dry and chop the cilantro.

Mix together the veggies, the cooled quinoa, the feta, and the cilantro.

Squeeze on the lemon juice, salt, and pepper....mix it again!

Enjoy!!

The real beauty of this salad is that you can used what ever veggies you have on hand...My favourite version of this salad includes the above veggies, but fresh from the garden or farmers' market!

Until next time, stay warm and eat well!!