Grain salads are totally all the rage right now. And not just in my head. They're everywhere else too. They're a fabulous and healthy alternative to pasta or potato or macaroni salad. Or even a more filling alternative to a green salad. When you use a grain like quinoa, brown rice or barley as a base to your salad dish, you easily add vitamins, fiber and protein. Then, you can pack in veggies and fruit and skip the mayo.
And, the beautiful thing about summer is that produce is so fresh.... and so good. I can get excited about tomatoes. And green beans. And squash. Because it's sooo good! And it's even better when you don't cook it. Which is nice... because who wants to cook too much in the summer? Don't you love it when nature has your back? The only thing better would be if mint chocolate chip ice cream grew on trees.
Peach, Fennel & Mint Quinoa Salad Serves 6 as a side, 4 as a main course
1 c quinoa 1/2 c scallions, chopped 1 large peach, pitted and chopped (don't peel) 1 c green beans, trimmed, cleaned and cut into >1/2 in pieces 2 tbsp chopped mint 1 fennel bulb, chopped 1 tbsp EVOO (I used jalapeno infused, but this totally isn't necessary) 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Salt & pepper
Cook quinoa according to package directions.
While the quinoa cooks, combine scallions, peaches, green beans, mint, and fennel in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar. Season with pepper and about 1/8 tsp salt. Pour over the fresh ingredients in the large bowl. Toss to combine.
Add quinoa while still slightly warm and toss to combine. Serve while warm or cooled.
Hey. I'm different today than I was last time I posted!
No, I'm not pregnant. I'm old!
Well, no.. I was old on Tuesday, too. But today I have proof. I've leaped over the great dividing line between the beginning of your 20's and the end. I'm heading towards 30 at an alarming rate, but honestly... I'm loving it.
Why is it that all of our lives we are taught to fear aging? Like it's not going to happen to everyone. As though if we hate it enough our own personal Peter Pan (<3 alliteration) will come knocking at our window and whisk us away with pixie dust.
At 25, the 10 most important things I live my life by are:
1) Love yourself and surround yourself by people whom you love and who love you back
2) Put your Thin Mints in the freezer
3) Truly care about other people's feelings. Really care.
4) Do things that make you feel healthy
5) Then do things that are less healthy, more fun
6) Appreciate the shit out of everything you have
7) Learn how to chop vegetables properly; you'll have a lot more free time
8) Find something you love to do that makes you happy and forget about what anyone else might think
9) A good Yankee candle, a glass of wine, and some chocolate can fix a multitude of problems. They can potentially cause them as well.
10) Dance your cares away. Worries for another day. (Yea, I did just quote Fraggle Rock. That happened.)
See? Who gives a shit about your wrinkles. At 18 I couldn't have even dreamed of putting together that list. And as much as I liked to think I was, I wasn't nearly as happy. (Ok, that doesn't mean I'm not going to go out and buy a wrinkle cream soon...). Of course I don't know everything. And I'm sure I'll find myself changing my mind some day. But I think the most important thing about getting older is that we are all still growing. And we can all do something every day to continue to grow.
Just don't lose sight of the goal. And that's to enjoy the hell outta your time here.
And of course, eat wonderful things. And share them with others.
Ginger & Spinach Stuffed Chicken with Quinoa and Parsnips
1 tbsp ginger, minced 1 clove garlic, chopped 1-15 oz package of baby spinach 1/2 c. of chicken stock, plus a splash 3 chicken breasts (boneless skinless) 3 parsnips, peeled and chopped 1 leek, diced 1 tbsp soy sauce 1/4 c pecans, chopped 1 c. quinoa EVOO salt & pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add spinach and a splash of chicken stock and saute for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to wilt.
Clean and trim the chicken breasts, then cut a slit into each of the breasts on the longer side to open up a pocket. Be careful not to cut through! Stuff the chicken with spinach, then sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.
In the same pan as above, heat a bit more EVOO over medium heat. Sear each side of the chicken for 1-2 minutes.
Meanwhile in a dutch oven, heat a bit of EVOO over medium heat. Add parsnips, leeks, and pecans and saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 c chicken stock and soy sauce and remove from heat.
Place chicken over the parsnips and leeks, keeping the split end facing as upturned as possible. Spread some of the parsnips and leeks over the chicken. Cover dutch oven and place in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package directions.
Once the dutch oven is removed from the oven, remove chicken breasts to a plate and toss together cooked quinoa and the remaining contents of the dutch oven. To serve, place chicken breasts back into dutch oven.
That's right. I did that. I titled this blog post with a list of pretty much EVERY ingredient in my dinner. Try and say that 5 times fast! I just couldn't pick my favorite parts. I can't play favorites. I love you all equally. (I'm talking to ingredients there, but those of you sitting on the other side of the computer, I love you too.)
Before we get run down to the meat of this (or lack thereof), let's talk quinoa for a moment.
Ok, ok, not the most photogenic thing I've ever made... Haven't you ever heard the expression "You can't judge a quinoa by it's closeup?"
This is the first time I've ever made quinoa. It's the ultimate in trendy health superfoods. And yes, I claim to be a cook and a consumer that focuses my efforts on being healthy (what healthy means to me). I've eaten the stuff only twice. Ever. (I know you're all so very scandalized, but please, pick up those jaws.) So, what gives?
When quinoa stepped out on the scene a few years ago, I gotta say I wasn't so concerned about healthy cooking. Quinoa just seemed trendy and superfluous. To be honest, I didn't give a sheeeet! And so I just never used it. Couscous, yum! Bulgar wheat, why not?! Brown rice, sure! The more I didn't try quinoa, the less I cared about it to be honest. I get lots of protein from chicken and tofu and beans and red meat! I get my vitamins! I've lived this long without it!
And then there was this. And of course, the less dramatic source article here. And not to be all Debbie-downer, but DAMN MAN. To sum it up, the entrance of quinoa into the global market has made the plant inaccessible to some Bolivians who depend on it for their main source of food. Yet at the same time, sales of quinoa abroad have changed the lives of many Bolivians for the better and drastically improved the Bolivian economy. What a conundrum. Fortunately, the ill effects of quinoa's entrance to the global market are being combated by aid programs, but its just such a glaring example of how we can exploit things without a second thought or realization. I obviously don't think there is anything wrong with eating quinoa, but the butterfly effect here is wild. Sometimes it's just important to reflect on our impact on the world, I guess.
There is no denying the health benefits of quinoa and there's no denying the ease of preparation we get in the US from packaged quinoa. It can be used as a healthier alternative to pasta (as seen here) or rice. But I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here and I should just tell you about my dish! Creamy, tangy and lightly pumpkin-y , this sauce balances nicely with the sauteed asparagus, sweet apples and nutty walnuts. It's not the most attractive to look at, but it's so quick and easy and the flavors are all there!
Soundtrack: Saw these guys open for Little Dragon last night. Good things. Good things.
Quinoa with Sauteed Asparagus, Walnuts & Apples in a Pumpkin-Goat Cheese Sauce Serves 4
1 c quinoa, rinsed 1/2 tbsp butter 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 c pumpkin puree 1/4 c 2% milk 1 1/2 tbsp goat cheese 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped 1 Macintosh apple, cored and chopped 1/4 c walnuts Salt, pepper, EVOO
Prepare quinoa according to package instructions (or if you buy bulk, you can find the basic preparation online. I added a bit of EVOO and salt to mine.)
Meanwhile, melt butter and 1/2 tbsp EVOO together in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and sautee until toasted. Add pumpkin and milk, bring to a simmer and lower heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add goat cheese. Stir until melted. Season with salt & pepper. Set aside.
In a large saute pan, heat a drizzle of EVOO. Add asparagus, apple and walnuts. Salt & pepper. Sautee until vegetable is cooked through.
Toss quinoa with pumpkin sauce and sauteed asparagus, apple and walnuts. Serve!
