soup, salad, & sunflowers

Healthy is the new delicious.

No I’m serious.  You’ve got the try this.

Last weekend I whipped up this salad that I’ve been wanting to try for a few weeks now (found on the Martha Stewart website.)  I made one batch and it makes about two servings.  Delicious and filling!

Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds

• 1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped
• 1/2 cup (or 3 ounces) quinoa
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2 pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (I just used prepared minced garlic)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (this would have made the salad even better but I didn’t have any)
• 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for a garnish (I used dried thyme and is was still fine, but fresh herbs are always a plus!)
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick (didn’t have this either, and the recipe still worked)
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 1 lime, halved (I used lime juice, worked just fine!  But, again, fresh is always best!)

If your almonds weren’t already toasted, toast them and chop them up.  But, this is kind of a lot of work, especially when you can buy toasted almonds.  Trader Joe’s anyone?  Huge bag for like $4.  So, I just chopped my already toasted almonds up, and set them aside.  Meanwhile, place the quinoa in a sieve a rinse (I bought pre-washed/rinsed quinoa, again, saving a step.)  Now here’s where the recipe started for me:

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil on your stovetop.  Add the yellow pepper, the garlic, red pepper flakes, and the scallions if you have them.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Add 1 cup of water, the quinoa, the thyme, and the salt.  Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer.  Cook for about 7 minutes and then add the zucchini (if you have it!)  Cook for another 5 minutes or so until the quinoa is cooked and tender, but not mushy.  Add the celery and almonds, the 2 remaining teaspoons of oil and season with some salt.  Cool to room temperature (I didn’t though, I was hungry.)  Squeeze your fresh lime, or, lime juice, over the salad and enjoy!

I saved my leftovers in a container for lunch on Monday.  Delicious!