Quinoa Salad with Baby Spinach and Grape Tomatoes

Here is a wonderful year-round salad that is inviting, fresh and vibrant. The sort of salad a certain individual needs on a damp, Spring day when the sky is flannel white and the wind is capricious. On a day such as this it is tempting to head straight for comfort food. Baked Mac ‘n Cheese. Or that last wedge of Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas in the fridge. But what the body craves may- or may not be- what the body needs.

I’m just saying.

I’m no expert on cravings. But I do know that if I make a habit of indulging every gnawing whim and urge that wiggles its way into my sun deprived brain I’d munch Blueberry Banana Muffin Cake for breakfast and eat Shepherd’s Pie every noon hour from now till the Summer Solstice (a serotonin-boosting strategy not recommended, by the way, for those of us past a certain age where you can pack on voluptuous pounds faster that you can say blueberry pancakes on a stick).

It also doesn’t help that yours truly sports three honkin’ titanium screws in the left hip joint, curtailing one’s enthusiasm for certain popular aerobic routines. Maybe if I spun- er, spinned?- I’d still fit into my ~~summer~~ ~~fall~~ winter jeans. As of last week there’s not a pair of jeans in the house I can riggle into. [And by the way, why do doctors insist on referring to hip screws as pins, conjuring sweet visions of hemming, or quilting, both petite and delicate procedures that in no way involved a couple of workbench sized clamps, traction rope and a battery operated power drill?]

All I can say is thank goddess for black leggings. And comfy jogger pants. Paired with a tunic top they hide a multitude of muffins.

And cake.

Karina xo

Quinoa + Spinach Salad Recipe with Grape Tomatoes

This naturally gluten-free salad is dairy-free vegan yummalicious. If you enjoy dairy food, a crumble of goat cheese or feta would be fabulous (though, honestly, I didn’t miss the cheese). Note: Before cooking quinoa, rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve.

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

About 1/2 to 2/3 cup cooked quinoa per person

1 generous cup washed organic baby spinach leaves per person

A handful of organic grape tomatoes per person, halved

1 scallion per person, washed, sliced

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Sprinkle of fresh or dried herbs- parsley, thyme, basil, or mint

Tiny sprinkle of nutmeg

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice or rice vinegar

Instructions:

Gently heat a large pan (I used a wok). Pour in some extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic; stir and warm the oil for a minute.

Add the cooked quinoa and heat through. Add the baby spinach leaves, tomatoes and scallions. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Sprinkle with nutmeg and herbs. Stir to mix.

Sprinkle with lemon juice and stir. When the spinach begins to wilt remove from heat (I don’t like soggy spinach so I cook this very quickly).

Serve in a bowl.

Dig in.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

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