Quinoa Salad (or Side)

This is one of my favourite dishes and is always a huge hit at potlucks and family dinners.  This dish has so much flavour and is great cold, as a salad, or hot, as a side dish (or main).  Really, this could be a meal in itself.

There's a bit of prep chopping veggies, but after that, this is an easy, one-pot dish that can be prepared ahead of time.  Enjoy!

• 1 small onion
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic
• 3-4 tblsp olive oil
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 small carrot
• 1 small yam (or sweet potato)
• 1/2 tsp curry powder (you can use a bit of tumeric, coriander & garam masala instead, if you like)
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ginger (powder)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (I always add a bit more cinnamon because I really like it -- up to you)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Pepper (to taste)

Dice the onion and garlic and sautee in olive oil (low-med heat) until soft with the salt, pepper and spices.

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa (uncooked)
• 3 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable stock (you can substitute some of the stock with water)

Add the chopped celery, carrot and yam and cook for another 5 -7 mins with lid on pot.   (Add bit of liquid at this point to prevent from sticking and get the flavours to permeate the veggies - 1/2 cup water or stock.)

• handful cilantro (chopped)
• 1/2 cup cashews (roughly chopped)
• 2 green onions or chives (finely chopped)
• 1/3 cup dark raisins (optional)

Add dry, uncooked quinoa to the veggies and spices in the pot and cover with liquid (stock preferably, but can be water or a mix of both).  Follow your cooking directions on the quinoa packaging.  Basically, similar to cooking rice, but needs to sit after cooking for about 10 mins.  *Be sure to turn your stove down to low to cook the quinoa.

After the quinoa is cooked, toss cashews, cilantro, green onions and raisins (optional, but very good) in and mix.  Put lid on and let sit for about 10 mins.  You can sprinkle fresh cilantro over dish when served.

This dish can be made with couscous or rice, but I love quinoa (gluten-free and full of protein and a nice nutty flavour).  Enjoy!

Schedule Versus Healthy Food?

Let's face it, there's not always enough time in the day to do everything well.  I have to admit I've succumbed to the fast food machine on more than a few occasions after long days of work, rushing my daughter to jujitsu or piano lessons, or any of the many other after-school activities that made our days seemingly never-ending, but I never felt good about it.

Over the years, I've gathered a few good, nutritious recipes or created my own concoctions that meet our need for "fast food" without supporting the fast food industry (and all that comes with it). 

Join me for some food fun...and feel free to post your great time-saving and yummy solutions to our modern "schedule versus healthy food" dilemma.  Let the eating begin!