September 15, 2011
hi, i'm hungry. 
says the nursing girl. grant can tell you, i am always looking for something to eat! i could easily be eating hobbit style these days... breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies... do they have a meal for the 3 am slot?

the other day i wanted to make a snacky salad. something i could graze on throughout the day- that wouldn't be soggy and gross as leftovers. something with quinoa. and because i've learned that you have to plan ahead when you have a tiny tine on your hands, i started the salad right before i went to bed, rinsing and soaking the quinoa. the next day, while grant was holding hadley, i cooked the quinoa and whisked a dressing. the hardest part was waiting for the quinoa to cool so i could taste it all together.

quinoa salad

quinoa and cilantro salad

1 cup quinoa
water for soaking
1 cup water
½ cup cilantro
2 large carrots

dressing
3 T. olive oil
a few squeezes of lemon
2 large cloves garlic
1 to 2 T. minced red onion
½ tsp. salt, or more to taste

**rinse quinoa with warm water, place in a bowl and cover with water. let soak 12-24 hours.
next day: bring 1 cup of salted water to a boil and add drained quinoa. reduce heat, cover, and let simmer 15-20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. while quinoa is cooling, chop cilantro and carrot, combine dressing ingredients in a small jar and whisk or shake to combine. i would recommend adding the veggies and all of the dressing to half of the batch of quinoa to start, taste and see if it's too strong, and add more quinoa to balance it out if needed. reserve leftover quinoa to make more salad later! enjoy at room temp or chilled.


so i wasn't sure if i'd be crazy about the taste of this salad. i was more interested in sustenance. but wow. um, it is actually so good! i want it in my mouth right now. that corn-cilantro salsa at chipotle? you know the one? it tastes like that! so yummy. in fact, if you have corn in your kitchen you should absolutely put some in. i used a chopped carrot because i thought it would be pretty and add some sweetness and crunch. 

making this again. tomorrow.
consider it proof of my post from yesterday. 

10 comments:

Moments and Impressions said...

Oh man I remember those nursing hungry pains. Seems like when ever I was eating I was already planning what I would eat next. Recipe hunting online and the cooking channel became my favorite middle of the night activities while nursing.

Chiara said...

I love to add to my quinoa sauteed zucchini, crumbled feta cheese and basil. Dress with a drizzle of olive oil. I think red onion be nice in here too.

Anonymous said...

I love quinoa and so does my almost 2 year old daughter, Anna! Here is a link to one of our favorite meals in my house, a quinoa salad that I just happened to throw together one night for dinner earlier this spring and we have been loving it ever since.

http://theartfulgardener.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/tri-colored-quinoa-salad-and-a-garden-review/

Your version looks delightful too and I think I will give it a try this weekend! Thanks.
Laura V.
BG, Germany

GraceYves said...

My husband and I love quinoa, especially in salads, but I never know you were supposed to soak it first! I will have to start that.

Mom Judy said...

I think there is a name for food at 3:00 in the afternoon. The English have High Tea Time.

Jordan said...

You've got to try this Mango Quinoa salad: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/05/mango-quinoa-salad/
Seriously one of my top ten meal choices of all times. And coming from a bread/cheese lover its kind of amazing that I would adore something so healthy.

Laura said...

It's a great meal. I like it.

Hannah Poulson said...

Hi Summer,
I made this today for lunch to have with my friends whilst the babies played....and it was de-licious!! Thanks so much for the recipe, I loved the pink created by the red onion in the dressing - pretty aswell as moreish!
Love Hannah xx

Sasha said...

Quinoa is so good!! Great recipe; if you go to eatliverun.com, she has a great recipe with quinoa and grapefruit. Its different, but really good!

Tammie said...

Summer! I'm in love with this salad! Cilantro is one of my favs and when you said this tasted like the corn salsa at Chipotle I knew I had to try it. I had it for dinner tonight and am dreaming of lunch tomorrow when a nice bowl of it will be nestled in my lunch bag just waiting for me to enjoy.

Thanks for sharing.

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about this blog

Hello, I'm Summer. A people-loving introvert whose hope and life is in Jesus. His promises are my passion and my ministry is homelife. This blog is a place for me to write about everyday things. Especially food. My favorite thing to do is sit around a table, lingering over a long meal with good conversation. I live with my husband and our 2 littles. We like blizzards, thrifting, grammar, guacamole, cheerful hearts, nice manners, good movies, and making simple, real, nutrient-dense food.

"If Christ be anything, He must be everything."
-C.H. Spurgeon

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