by Krista | Feb 22, 2010 | Winter
To my absolute delight I was able to make it to the Olympics this Saturday! HOORAY! HOORAY! 🙂 A good sleep, pain pills and someone else doing the driving helped tremendously. 🙂
The weather was an absolute dream with clear blue skies, brilliantly warm sunshine and only the lightest of breezes. Our caravan of eight friends made it across the border with no trouble, drove to New Westminster and joined a happy, jostling crowd on the sky train to Vancouver. We were crammed in like proverbial sardines, a gaggle of languages and nationalities: Norwegians with their flag-trimmed hats, Swiss with cowbells, and Canadians sporting dyed red hair and huge flags as capes.
We emerged from the station into blinding sunlight and a bustle of Olympic visitors getting a head start on the crowds. We headed straight for the Olympic torch. Frustratingly it is surrounded by towering chain-link fences that thwart all but the smallest cameras from getting a good shot. At that moment I was especially grateful for my tiny little camera as I slipped it through the chain links and got an unimpeded shot. 🙂
None of us could afford tickets to actual events, but we were thrilled to pieces just to be there, soaking up the atmosphere and the sights. Vancouver alone is one of my favorite cities in the world, but with all the Olympic festivities it was a smorgasbord of sights, sounds and experiences.
Most of the time we just walked, taking it all in.
Reflections
People bargaining and trading Olympic pins.
Some VERY patriotic Canadians 🙂
Sidewalks were painted with the flags of different countries.
Random street corners were marked with brightly painted birds like these:
Entertainment was found around every corner as magicians, painted mimes, and musicians strutted their stuff. A zip line was strung over a downtown street and visitors waited 6 hours for the privilege of whizzing over the heads of the rest of us. Young men demonstrated their skills with a soccer ball and caused a massive pedestrian traffic jam as onlookers halted mid-stride to ogle. Other boys started a USA vs Canada street hockey game and a crowd quickly gathered to cheer on their favorites.
We were passed by a whole troupe of Russian sailors, smart as can be in their crisply pressed uniforms. A couple of Turkish men strode by, distinctive in their white felt coats and hats.
We made our way to the Irish House, one of many cultural stations set up around the city. We had no idea what to expect, thinking perhaps it would be a museum-ish cultural display of some sort. Boy, were we off! 🙂 $10 was the entrance fee and in we went, our senses instantly assaulted with the jaunty and deafening tunes of the Irish band on stage, smell of bangers sizzling on the grill, and the shouts of patrons trying to make themselves heard above the din. Although we arrived during “family friendly” hours, the party was in full swing and it was grand fun to be in the midst of it. 🙂 Our tickets gave us a free drink from an oh-so-cheery chap at the bar, so we hollered our choices then found spots to observe the frivolity around us. College guys sipped their beers and watched Olympic events on flat screen TVs, middle-aged couples nursed their gin and tapped their feet to the music, and others happily scarfed down traditional Irish food such as bangers and mash, pasties and sausage rolls. When our ears could take no more, we stepped back outside, basking in the quiet, the sunshine, and the ability to carry on a conversation without hollering. 🙂
Although we stopped for delicious sandwiches at Moonpennies around noon, by mid-afternoon we were positively ravenous and got a table at a Canadian legend: The Keg for more substantial fare. The dark interior, warming fires and excellent food did much to ease our aches, warm our bodies and rejuvenate us for a bit more walking.
We (Trish, Deb and me) loved this bus stop, made to look like a chair lift. 🙂 Yeah, we’re crazy girls. 🙂
After a quick shopping trip for Olympic gear at the Hudson’s Bay Company…
…we headed back to the waterfront to see the Olympic flame at night, and that is where the magic happened.
Photo by Trish’s hubby, Todd The crowds around the Olympic flame grew by the moment, deeper, denser, until we were packed so close we could only shuffle as we tried to get to the train station, and sometimes not move at all. We held on to each other for dear life, not wanting to get separated and lost in that teeming mass of humanity. It was dark, save for the light of the Olympic flame and suddenly, a young guy a few feet away from me started singing “O Canada” at the top of his lungs. At first it was just him, but then voices popped up from all over the crowd, and soon we were singing. Oh how we sang, grinning, laughing, cheering, and our fearless leader swung his arms and didn’t even care that he had to switch octaves half way through. We laughed and surged on, singing in multiple keys, a beautiful mishmash of song while the Olympic flame burned brightly behind us. As we finished the crowd erupted in cheers, whistles and clapping. It was a beautiful moment, pure magic, and the best imaginable way to end our day at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Photo by Trish’s hubby, Todd 
by Krista | Jan 28, 2010 | Winter
I am related to some seriously good cooks. On my Dad’s side of the family, every birthday, anniversary or holiday is spent around tables laden with Danish specialties, family favorites or dishes featuring the fruits of my uncles hunting and fishes trips.
But there’s one dish that has no Danish roots whatsoever, and it most certainly does not feature salmon, trout or moose steak.
We grew up calling it Nigerian Stew, though I have no idea if it really is Nigerian. Oz, perhaps you know? 🙂
Whatever it is, I love it! 🙂 It’s the strangest concoction of meat, fruits, vegetables, rice and peanut butter. Yep, you read that correctly. 🙂
It’s the perfect dish for large groups since everyone can pile on what they like and skip the bits that make them squeamish.
When my cousin Nina invited me over for her birthday dinner this month (Happy Birthday, Nin!!), I was thrilled to hear she was making Nigerian Stew. She did a fantastic job, spending ages chopping everything beautifully. 🙂
The meal starts with a rich stew of hamburger, tomatoes, onion, peanut butter and cayenne pepper.
This is ladled over fluffy Basmati rice.
Then the fun begins!! You start to pile on whatever topping suits your fancy. Me? I like them all – except mushrooms. Blech. 🙂
You can choose from cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, strawberries, honeydew and cantaloupe…
…and don’t forget my absolute favorite ingredient: bananas. It’s just not the same without them.
Finish it off with a sprinkling of Golden raisins…
…ground peanuts and coconut, and you’re all set.
Now there’s nothing left to do but sit back and dig into the mound of strange deliciousness on your plate.
Nigerian Stew
Ingredients for the Sauce:
1 pound hamburger
15 ounce tomato sauce
15 ounce canned diced tomatoes
1/2 – 3/4 cup peanut butter
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt
Directions:
- Fry hamburger, mix in rest of ingredients and simmer until ready to serve.
Remaining Ingredients:
basmati rice, cooked according to instructions
fresh tomatoes
cucumber
onion
green pepper
shredded coconut
mushrooms
ground peanuts
bananas
pineapple
honeydew
cantaloupe
grapes
raisins
Directions:
- Chop all fresh ingredients and assemble in small bowls with spoons.
- Spoon rice onto plates.
- Top with sauce.
- Add whatever ingredients you like.
by Krista | Jan 21, 2010 | Winter
It seemed like a good idea at the time. My boss, Raphael, asked if I’d be open to cooking a special dinner for the staff. He’d pay for whatever I wanted to do and I could rope in willing helpers. Would I be open? Of course!! 🙂
I settled on Indian food and plotted my menu, tracked down recipes, and filled my shopping cart with cilantro, limes, and all manner of amazing spices. The morning of the dinner I decided to get up bright and early so I could get a head start.
What a gong show. 🙂
I wasn’t able to find paneer (Indian cheese) so I had to resort to making it. From scratch. I followed the directions carefully, heating the whole milk, adding lemon juice, stirring faithfully, but the recipe neglected to give timing and that’s where I got befuddled. Nearly a gallon of milk made only 1/2 cup of cheese! Ack!
I glanced at the clock, took a deep breath and thought, “No worries, I can just pick up more milk and do it again this afternoon.” Onward!
I didn’t want to waste all that milk, so I decided to use it for the Vermicelli Pudding I had planned for dessert. I toasted the vermicelli until it browned beautifully.
I stirred the vermicelli into the milk and started to cook it and then, oh THEN it turned into cheese!!! Tons and tons of it! Only now it was sweet and filled with toasted vermicelli and looked like a science experiment gone horribly wrong. So, I was late to work and had nothing to show for my efforts except a measly 1/2 cup of paneer cheese, a whole pot of cheese/pudding glop, and a mountain of dirty dishes. Sigh. 🙂
I confess I got a bit teary in frustration, but then bucked up, had a chuckle and made a new plan. There was still hope. 🙂 My ghastly efforts at paneer-making ended up teaching me exactly how to make it properly, and after Mums stopped laughing at my adventure, she volunteered to make it for me. (Thanks, Mums!!!) She also helped with a new dessert and even made the table “fancy” for me. 🙂 You can bet I hugged her soundly!
Thankfully the rest of my Indian cooking venture went much better! 🙂 My office manager, boss’s wife and Mums pitched in throughout the evening as the best sous chefs ever! 🙂
We made Spicy Potato Pea Samosas
Lovely mild and cheesy Spinach Paneer
My favoritest curry in the whole wide world concocted by my brother Ryan and I: Chicken Curry with Cilantro and Lime, creamy with coconut milk and ricotta, oh so savory after marinading the chicken in soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic.
We washed it all down with Indian Lemonade, a refreshing blend of lemon, muddled mint, sugar and black salt. The traditional recipe also called for cumin, but I thought my guests were having enough unusual dishes for one night so I omitted it. The black salt was a marvelous addition, softening the water and heightening the other flavors.
Our dinner ended with one of my favorite desserts: Almond Jello with Fresh Mango. A delicate, cool and utterly delicious dish, the perfect light finale to a meal of richness and spice.
It turned out to be a good idea after all. 🙂
Samosa (Potato Stuffed Pastry)
(From Food-India)
Ingredients:
For Pastry:
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon oil
6 tablespoon water
For Potato Stuffing:
5 medium potatoes
4 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup green peas
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 hot green chili (finely chopped)
3 tablespoon green coriander (cilantro), chopped
1.5 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
Oil for deep frying
Directions:
Dough for Samosa Pastry:
- Mix flour and salt in a bowl.
- Add 4 tablespoons oil and rub until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Slowly add about 6 tablespoons water and knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it is smooth.
- Rub dough with oil. Cover it and set aside for 30 minutes or longer.
- Potato stuffing for Samosa
- Boil, cool and peel the potatoes. Dice it into 1/4 inch size.
- Heat 4 tablespoons oil in karahi or wok in medium flame.
- Lower the heat and carefully put the onion. Stir fry until golden brown in medium heat.
- Add peas, ginger, green chili, and fresh coriander (cilantro). Add diced potatoes, salt and all spices.
- Mix and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Do not forget to stir while cooking.
Making Samosa
- Knead the dough again. Divide it into about 10 balls.
- Roll it into flat round shape with about 5 inch diameter.
- Cut it into half. Make the half into a cone by sticking seam together with a little water.
- Fill the cone with about 2.5 tablespoons of the potato mixture.
- Stick the top of the cone together with a little water. The seam should be about 1/4 inch (5 mm) wide.
- Repeat this again.
Cooking Samosa
- Heat about 2 inches of oil for deep frying over a medium-low flame. (You may use a wok, Indian karhai or any other utensil you seem fit)
- When the oil is hot, carefully put in as many samosas as it fits. Fry slowly, turning the samosas until they are golden brown and crisp.
- Drain excess oil and serve hot.
Palak Paneer
(From Food-India)
Ingredients:
1 lb paneer pieces (½ inch cubed)
2 lb spinach
3 tablespoon onion (chopped)
2 tablespoon tomato (chopped)
½ cup half and half
2 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoon ghee or oil
Salt to taste
Directions:
- Heat ghee in low-medium flame. Add cubed Paneer and heat until light golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Heat ghee or oil. Sauté onion until light golden brown. Add spinach and cook until it turns into a paste.
- Add spices and tomatoes. Simmer for few minutes.
- Add half and half and Paneer to spinach curry. Cook for about 10 minutes in medium heat.
- Serve hot with rice or indian bread.
- Number of Servings: 6 to 8
Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Marinade:
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 sesame seed oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
Toss chicken in marinade to coat. Let sit for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
1 Tbsp dry, unsweetened, shredded coconut (desiccated)
1/4 cup almonds, ground
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 green cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
1 dried red chili, crushed
2/3 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp salt
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
3-4 limes, juiced
Directions:
- Stir ground almonds and coconut in wok over medium heat until they are lightly toasted. Transfer to large bowl.
- Add coconut milk, ricotta cheese, ground coriander, chili powder, garlic, ginger and salt. Mix together well.
- Heat vegetable oil in wok and add drained chicken, cardamom pods and bay leaf. Stir fry 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked.
- Pour in coconut milk mixture and stir well. Lower heat. Add chili and half of cilantro and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep contents from sticking to pan.
- Just before serving, stir in fresh cilantro and fresh lime juice.
- Serve over basmati rice.
Jal Jeera (Indian Cumin Lemonade)
(From Food-India)
Ingredients:
3 cups of ice water
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon mint leave paste
2 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon Black salt (Kala Namak)
pinch of sugar
Mint leaves for garnish
Optional Spices:
½ teaspoon cilantro (coriander) paste
½ teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
Directions:
- Mix everything together and served chilled with ice and mint garnish.
- Number of Servings: 3
Almond Jello with Fresh Mangoes
(From Lynn Siy)
Ingredients:
2 pkgs. unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. almond extract
2-3 ripe mangoes, cubed
- Sprinkle gelatin on cold water in a pot. Put on medium heat.
- Stir constantly until dissolved.
- Add 1 cup sugar, stir to dissolve. Remove from heat.
- Add almond flavoring to the milk and pour into the gelatin mix. Stir to blend.
- Pour into 9″ square glass pan and put in fridge to set.
- When cut in 1/2 -1-inch squares.
- Place a cup full into each bowl. Top with cubed mango or fruit cocktail or any desired seasonal fruit and serve.
by Krista | Jan 20, 2010 | Winter
I arrived at CEC this week frazzled, exhausted and distracted by the many responsibilities sending my mind into a tizzy. Then my friends greeted me with grins, Darren poured me a glass of red wine, Selwyn served up appetizers, and all of a sudden life righted itself and I felt the stress of the day slip away.
It was Greek Night and we clustered around the counter chatting, nibbling salty Greek olives and dipping warm slices of cheese-topped pita bread into Darren‘s homemade hummus and cool, creamy tzaziki.
Deborah made a creamy orzo pasta salad studded with sweet bell peppers, parsley and tangy feta cheese.
Feta also made an appearance in Toby’s light and fluffy Mediterranean couscous.
Darren and Cameron meandered between kitchen and smoker as they fixed a succulent leg of lamb and a whole tray of veggies.
It was a delicious and healthy dinner, not too heavy but filling and nourishing.
Toby helped me wrap up the meal with Galaktoboureko Rolla – delicate Custard-Filled Phyllo Rollups doused in Lemon-Cinnamon Syrup.
Jack did mounds of dishes (thank you!!), Baboo the cat made us laugh as he ran full speed across the room and attacked our plates, and Michael entertained us with his most recent embarrassing moment. It was a grand evening. 🙂
Deborah’s Mediterranean Orzo Salad
Salad Ingredients:
1 cup orzo pasta
1 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 chopped fresh basil
Salad Dressing Ingredients:
1 packet (1 ounce) Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Seasoning Mix
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Directions:
- Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt.
- Rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Mix orzo, bell pepper, feta, and chopped basil in a large bowl.
- Whisk together seasoning mix, oil, vinegar and sugar.
- Stir dressing into orzo mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Garnish with leaves of basil before serving.
- Makes 4-6 servings.
Toby’s Mediterranean Couscous
(From Recipezaar)
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked couscous
2 roma tomatoes, diced
2-3 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oil-cured olives, pitted and sliced
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
salt (optional)
feta, crumbled (optional)
Directions:
- Prepare the couscous (Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil).
- Heat olive oil in a small pan to medium-high.
- Add tomato, scallions, garlic, and olives.
- Saute in the pan for around 3 minutes.
- Fluff couscous with a fork.
- Add salt to taste, mix tomato mixture with couscous and serve.
Krista’s Galaktoboureko Rolla – Custard-Filled Phyllo Rollups
(From Greek Food)
Ingredients:
For the syrup:
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of water
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1-2 slices of lemon peel
1 stick of cinnamon (optional)
For the custard:
3 eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of semolina (fine grind), or rice flour, or cream of wheat
1/2 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of grated lemon peel
3 cups of whole milk
1 cup of unsalted butter, melted
2 one-pound boxes of phyllo pastry sheets, defrosted, at room temperature
Preparation:
Note: Defrost the phyllo dough in the refrigerator the day before. Bring the phyllo to room temperature before beginning, and do not open the package until the filling has been prepared and you’re ready to start making the pastry. When you do open it, keep unused portion covered with a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap and a cool damp towel. Make sure hands are dry when handling.
Make the syrup: Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add lemon peel and cinnamon, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add lemon juice (do not stir) and set aside.
Make the custard:
- With an electric mixer on high speed, beat 1 egg with 1/3 of the sugar until light and fluffy; add another egg and another 1/3 of the sugar, and repeat until all 3 eggs and all the sugar have been beaten together. Continue to beat on high for 2 minutes.
- Beat in the semolina, lemon juice, and grated lemon peel. Continue beating and add the milk and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Beat for another 5-6 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Transfer the custard to a pot and heat over medium heat. Whisk vigorously until it thickens to the consistency of ketchup (or puréed baby food). Remove from heat immediately and set aside.
- Tip: If the custard has thickened a little too much, transfer to a bowl, whisk, and continue with the recipe. If left in a hot pot, it could continue to thicken further.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare the rollups: Brush the bottom and sides of two or more shallow baking pans with melted butter. Open the phyllo dough and work with 5 sheets at a time, keeping the rest covered.
- Place the phyllo lengthwise in front of you on a dry work surface.
- Fold the sheet in half from side to side and brush the top lightly with butter.
- Using a pastry bag or tablespoon, place custard (about 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoonfuls) across the bottom of the phyllo (shorter side), about 1 inch in from the bottom and sides.
- Fold the phyllo up over the custard from the bottom, and roll up two or three times, trying to make sure there’s no air space between the dough and the custard.
- Fold the sides in to create a straight channel and roll the pastry up the rest of the way.
- If needed to keep the rolls fairly tight, brush the phyllo with a little more butter to avoid stressing the phyllo, which could result in tearing; however, do not roll too tightly as the custard will expand a bit during cooking.
- Place the roll in the baking pan with the seam side down and continue until all custard is used. Do not place too closely together.
- Package any remaining phyllo in airtight wrapping and refrigerate for use another time. Do not freeze. It will keep for about 10 days.
- Brush the tops and sides of the rolls with melted butter and bake at 350°F (175°C) on the rack just below the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden.
- Remove the pan from the oven and pour cooled syrup (remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel first) evenly over the pastries to the edges of the pan. Let sit several hours until syrup is absorbed and the pastries come to room temperature.
Galaktoboureko should be eaten within a day or two. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Yield: 30-40 pastries
by Krista | Jan 11, 2010 | Winter
I’m the sort of girl who wakes up early, cheerful and absolutely ravenous! Oddly enough most of my friends can go for half the day without eating, and I’m practically perishing by the time they’re even thinking of food. I love them dearly but for sheer survival I’ve learned to carry nuts and dried fruit with me when visiting any of them. 🙂
Thankfully I have a few pals who like to eat before noon, and Betsy is one of them. Few things make her happier than waking up early and going out for breakfast with her hubby and friends. Whenever I visit I’m delighted to join in, and have feasted on many a Dutch Baby, Coconut Pancake, and sausage link with relish and abandon.
Most days though, I like to eat hearty and healthy at home. I usually start with a fresh squeezed juice of some kind. This morning it was ruby red grapefruit.
I like to serve it in a pretty glass, just because it makes it a little bit special.
This week I was craving muffins. Not sugary or chocolaty, but moist and grainy with lots of flavor and tender crumb. I found a marvelous recipe on the back of Bob’s Red Mill Wheat Bran.
Sweetened only with molasses and applesauce and using a scant 2 Tbsp of oil, they are low in bad fats and sugars. Thankfully they are not only healthy but delicious! Tender, moist and flavorful, they are easy to make, a snap to freeze, and reheat beautifully.
The only deviations I made from the recipe were to grind up the nuts (I don’t care for chunks) and use coconut milk instead of regular milk. I’ve been using coconut milk as a substitute in more and more of my baking recipes, and the results have been consistently wonderful.
I like them best sandwiched with peanut butter and creamed honey, served with simple scrambled eggs.
Moist Molasses Bran Muffins
(From Bob’s Red Mill)
Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat Bran
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Raisins (Unsulfured)
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Milk (I used coconut milk)
1/2 cup Molasses (or Honey)
3/4 cup Applesauce
1/4 cup chopped Nuts
2 Tbsp. Oil
2 Eggs, beaten
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine wheat bran, flour, baking soda and baking powder.
Stir in nuts and raisins.
In a separate bowl, blend applesauce, milk, molasses, oil and egg. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
Spoon into greased muffin tin (or paper muffin cups) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 marvelous muffins.
by Krista | Jan 8, 2010 | Fabulous Friday, Winter
It’s a quiet Thursday night and I’m nursing a sore throat with salt water and hot tea. It’s kinda nice to be cozy in bed, listening to Mediaeval Baebes, playing Scrabble on Facebook, and reading Anne Lamott.
A few days ago I was reading my new blogger friend Chaya’s post at Sweet and Savory Says It All and was startled to see my name in a list of blogs she’d chosen for the Sugar Doll Blogger Award!!! Thank you, Chaya! 🙂 Chaya was one of my first readers and bent over backwards to make me feel welcome in the blogging world. She provided tips and encouragement and I love her homey recipes that she makes for her beloved hubby and family. 🙂 I’m such a newbie at all this she had to tell me what I was supposed to do with the award. 🙂 So, dear Chaya, here goes! Better late than never! 🙂
10 things about myself:
- I have lived in 24 different places since I was born.
- I wish I had a treehouse.
- I am Canadian but have spent more of my life in the United States.
- I love to travel and Turkey, Romania and Australia are at the top of my go-to-next list.
- My favorite author is John Buchan, and I must have Earl Grey tea when reading his books.
- My favorite color is red and it never fails to cheer me.
- I do not like mushrooms. Nope. Not at all.
- My dream house would have a library. And a secret passage.
- I hang jewelry on my wall because it’s too pretty to hide away until wearing.
- I rediscovered the Library this year, and still can’t believe they let us take books away for free.
This past year has been a rough one with health issues, so I’ve been operating under the mantra if I put good things in, good will come of it. This year I’m determined to use a greater variety of whole grains in salads, soups, gratins, etc, and today I’m dining on a Quinoa Pesto Salad with Broccoli and Almonds.
I was inspired by Heidi at 101 Cookbooks and rummaged about in fridge and shelves to see what I had to work with.
I found red quinoa and set it to cooking in a pot of water with a bit of salt. Then lightly steamed some broccoli just until it was gorgeously bright green. When the quinoa was cooked, I fluffed it up and mixed it with a jar of pesto then added chopped broccoli, some grated feta cheese and sliced almonds.
Deeelicious! The pesto makes it feel richer than it is, and the red quinoa, bright green broccoli and pale almonds bring color and festivity.
Quinoa Pesto Salad with Broccoli and Almonds
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 bunch broccoli, steamed and chopped
1 small jar pesto
1 ounce feta cheese, grated
1 handful sliced almonds
Combine and enjoy!
