quinoa salad
With the holidays approaching and the weather getting cooler I find myself in the kitchen a lot more. I find myself actually wanting to cook versus having to cook.
Anyone else with me here?
Last weekend I made a dish that knocked mine and Keith’s socks off and I had to share.
This would make a great side dish (just omit the chicken) or a great main dish. Pick your pleasure.
Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups water
6 green onions, chopped
1 small bag craisins (probably 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
8 oz. cooked chicken , cubed (optional)
Bring the quinoa, water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, 20-25 minutes. Transfer quinoa into a large serving bowl and let cool for 20 minutes.
Once cool stir in green onions, craisins, grapeseed oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, walnuts, cilantro and chicken (if using). Be sure to mix everything together really well.
Put in a pretty bowl and eat.
Serves 6
hawaii by the numbers
I don’t ever tell you when I am leaving town because I am not about to publically on the internet announce that I am away from my home.
I feel like I am just asking people to come rob me.
With that said I just got home from a much needed vacation to MAUI, HAWAII! We were celebrating our 5 1/2 year wedding anniversary. Keith and I had a blast and I feel like it renewed my spirit.
With that said, let’s do a recap!
Hawaii by the numbers…
- 14 days in Hawaii
- 15 times I went snorkling
- 1 bee sting
- 3 whales I saw
- 5 books I read
- 15 beaches I visited
- 6 sea turtles I saw
- 1 dinner cruise
- 3 movies rented
- 4 bathing suits
- 1 sea kayak trip
- 1 henna tattoo
- 1 amazing cheesebuger
- 1 hike up a volcano
- 2 cars rented
- 1 visit to our honeymoon hotel
- 13 nights in the hot tub
- 10 times (at least) I thought Keith looked liked a Baywatch lifeguard
- 1 amazing tan
- 3 rainbows I saw
The number of times I fell even more in love with my husband??
Countless.
beer me some chicken
Keith and I don’t drink a lot of alcohol.
I probably have 5 beers a year.
Maybe it is because I had an over exposure in college.
But!
I do like to cook with beer! (Am I redeeming myself here??)
Cooking with beer brings an amazing flavor to your dish. One of my favorite combinations is beer and chicken.
Crockpot Beer Chicken
- 24 oz beer (2 bottles) of your choice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, julienned
- small bag of baby carrots
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Place onion, carrot, garlic, spices and olive oil in a large ziploc bag. Shake well and marinade overnight.
In the morning, dump the marinated veggies into bottom of the crockpot. Place chicken on top of veggies. Pour beer over the chicken until covered.
Cook on low for 6 hours. Serves: 6
Now that is my way of enjoying a beer!
Do you ever cook with beer or is drinking it more your style?
trust
I am not a very trusting person. I always feel like something bad is going to happen.
But sometimes trusting is the only thing you can do.
In October I had a miscarriage. I was open about the pain and the devastation that caused. After having the D&C I was told I had to wait.
Wait to see how my body would respond. I needed to have 2 normal period cycles before Keith and I could start trying again. Although no one could tell me exactly when that first period would come.
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
There is so much fear in the waiting. I had no control over what was going on inside me. There have been tears, anger, jealousy and impatience.
Doctors said if I hadn’t started by mid-December I should come back in for some tests. I was scared.
What if I didn’t start?
Will I have fertility problems again?
Am I ever going to be a mom?
Days ticked by and the more desperate I became.
Until yesterday.
I started.
Never in my life have I been so happy to start my period. (My 18-year-old self is laughing at the irony)
I guess I need to learn to trust my body. Trust that it knows what it is doing. Trust that the miscarriage was for a reason and trust that my body is going to be there for me as long as I honor it and trust it and believe in it.
This is the first step in the right direction and today I am just going to be happy about that.
Because, one day, this man and I are going to be parents!
What Kelly Said 