Mudpies and Recipes

I promised a few peeps that I would post this recipe for our current fast, easy, healthy dinner solution. This falls under the "It's 5pm and we're sitting outside making mudpies and I haven't even thought about dinner today" category.

Quinoa Salad - 30 min.
If you haven't had quinoa, you gotta try it. Trader Joe's sells it in a little vacuum packed box, but you can also buy it more economically in grocery store's bulk bin sections. We eat it alot, so i've stocked up. So here's what ya do:

Add one cup quinoa and two cups liquid (i use chicken or veggie stock and if i'm out of those, i use water and add 1 tsp of Better than Buillion - love that stuff) to a pot and heat until boiling, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes or until the grains absorb all the water.

Transfer to a bowl and let it cool (or you can eat it hot, too). I usually make it ahead of time and we have it warm.

Add some olive oil and rice vinegar and let it sit for a while to absorb those flavors.

Add stuff! I usually add whatever veggie is available, raw or cooked, nuts and cheese. Leftovers work really well in this, too. My favorites are beet, fresh spinach or arugula, goat cheese and walnuts (although you have to add the greens while still hot so they wilt). Then add a little bit more rice vinegar right before serving. It doesn't make a TON, so if it's the main course i usually make a salad, too, but we typically have it as a side dish. It's yummy, and if you bring it to a potluck people will gobble it up. Just don't let on that it's good for them!

And a mud-pie maker's self portrait above. Just cuz.

Enjoy!