Sunday 7: I'm Alive

Looking at my last post, it’s been awhile since I’ve been on the blog sharing. Over 2 months in fact. How’s that for consistency? 

Hmpf.

I could say I’ve been insanely busy (I have), and that I’ve been working a lot (I have) and that I just don’t have time (I don’t), but really- I haven’t been making writing a priority. At least not here.

I’ve been journaling my devotions most days and writing some other stuff here and there, but I haven’t been having a 2 hour coffee shop session a couple times a week and I really miss it. I’ve been to El Salvador and back, I’ve promoted with Arbonne, I ran the Cherry Blossom race in DC (bucket list!) and I’ve changed and grown and learned and thought and pondered and haven’t shared a single bit of that here. 

I will catch you up on ALL of those things. Soon. I promise.

But for today, here’s 7 things that are making me happy.

1. THIS!! Making time in my schedule to pack up my laptop and throw on my golashes and spend a rainy hour on a Sunday writing. I’m back friends.
2. SPRING. You guys- this winter was hard. Like, I spent countless hours being numbed by Netflix, eating snacks and outgrowing my sweatpants while the bitter cold and wind bore down outside. This was probably the most depressing winter I can remember for quite some time- for many reasons- and I spent a large chunk of the beginning of this year in a funk. Quite like the bulbs sprouting up out of the ground, I feel like I just woke up. And I’m ready to get back into life!
3. EATING CLEAN CHALLENGE. Just last week I started a 28 day eating clean challenge with Arbonne. It is almost exactly like a Whole 30 – eliminating allergenic foods and focusing on lean protein and lots of fruits and veggies. Can I tell you that I feel like a million bucks? And I also already lost 4 lbs of winter layer? I’m always surprised at how quickly I can slide back into bad habits and the minute I stop I feel better. I am promising myself to REMEMBER that this time and just stick with it. Also, the camaraderie our little challenge group has is amazing. I love swapping recipes and tips with these ladies and hearing about how great they are feeling.
4. EASTER. A week from today is Easter Sunday. I can hardly believe it’s here! I didn’t give up anything for Lent really, but I am doing a #lentchallenge to read the entire New Testament. It’s been trying. I’m a bit behind. But I’m committed to finishing. It’s been engaging and enlightening to read through the Gospels and about the growth of the early church and I’m learning so much. The Bible is full of so much wisdom and truth and I’m humbled every time I read it and learn something new. God is so good to us.
5. 84 DEGREES. Yesterday it was 84 degrees. I had the moonroof open, windows down and I was sweating. It was glorious. Enough said.
6. RUNNING. I just ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler last weekend. This weekend I got in about 10 miles between Saturday and Sunday. 2 weeks from now is the 1^st Half- Marathon of the year and I am just stoked it’s racing season. Training has begun!
7. COOKING. I’ve been absent in the kitchen for awhile. I’ve made a lot of omelets, salads and mix of healthy take out items or meals of hummus and veggies these past few months. I’ve also ate out quite a bit. Doing this challenge has pulled me back into the kitchen and I’m loving it. I went grocery shopping this weekend and made some delicious and nutritious meals for lunch. I can’t wait till the farmer’s market starts next month and I can really start experimenting.

Speaking of cooking…tonight I’m making T and I Quinoa Power Bowls with grilled chicken- a challenge recipe that mixes quinoa with various veggies such as kale, carrots, garlic and tomatoes  and topped with grilled chicken. Look for a picture on IG. You know how I like to take pictures of my food. J

How have you been? What have I missed in your life? 

What’s your favorite thing about spring?

Foodie Probs (4/31)

Recently, my beautiful friend Emily was diagnosed with Lyme’s disease. She got a nasty bug bite while at a school intensive in Virginia. A mosquito bite that at first appeared harmless swelled to unusual proportions and brought on shakes and just general feelings of uneasiness. After being treated for Lyme’s as a precaution and told that they all but cured it- she received news that she is in fact positive for the disease.

I don’t know much about Lyme’s disease, but I do know this about Emily’s situation. She has unusual and unexplainable pains in various parts of her body. Also, she’s had to see a specialist about what kinds of foods she should avoid as a way to keep her aches and pains to a minimum and allow her body to build up immunity.

Yesterday, she and I were texting about random things. We have both been so busy and out of town at various times we are basically communicating through text right now. Last time I saw Emily we discussed the various foods she could not have, most of them foods that are considered healthy, such as green peppers and bananas.  From what I understand, Lyme’s weakens your immune system. These dietary changes will allow the rest of her body to heal and build up some stamina without expending all her energy on digesting foods. I asked how she was feeling and how the dietary changes were going.

This is what she said, “It [the dietary changes] is emotional however. Surprisingly so. Not being able to eat a fun treat that everyone else is, avoiding favorite restaurants, etc. It’s frustrating, but first world. If that makes sense. Feeling so good though so that it’s gotta be worth it!”

I responded with an ‘Absolutely.’

Last month, I did a 30 day ‘Fall into Healthy Habits’ challenge with Arbonne. The idea was to eliminate certain trigger foods that are common allergens for most people while restoring the body’s PH level. They instructed us to cut the following ingredients for 30 days: wheat, gluten, dairy, peanuts, sugar and coffee.  I ate whole foods- mostly fruits and veggies with the occasional organic meat item rotated in and swapped out my coffee for tea. It was not easy but it wasn’t terribly hard either.

Just as Emily is finding out, dietary changes, although hard, really do yield some positive results.

In our discussion, I mentioned how having less sugar and avoiding gluten and dairy really feel good to my body. I don’t feel as tired or bloated or like I need to double up my workouts to make up for the junk I just ate. I sleep better, my skin looks great and I have more energy. My weight doesn’t fluctuate and my mind isn’t foggy. Overall, I have less mental and physical junk about food.

I’m a self-admitted foodie. I love to cook and will always be the first to try a new restaurant. When I’m out of town, I prefer to eat at local restaurants only- often indulging in whatever the ‘special’ is. At home, I shop almost exclusively local and organic and prefer to eat at restaurants where I know where the food comes from. I’m a food snob and proud of it.

Punch Burger in Indianapolis

I like to set up dinners or coffee dates with my friends where we can enjoy a sweet treat. Often, I’ll make a treat of some kind, generally healthy,  for my co-workers or my small group.

These are not terrible things. Eating local and organic is good for me, my city and my environment. Sharing time with others while eating is biblical and life-giving, it’s called fellowship.

But often, I will allow myself to ‘cheat’ or eat something downright terrible for me- i.e. Excess sugar in the form of candy, lot of dairy usually in the form of large amounts of ice cream, or something else I will regret later. My excuses can vary: ‘I had a bad day and I deserve it’ (days are only as bad as you make them); ‘It’s a special occasion!’ (when it’s really not); ‘This place has a great drink/dessert/friend appetizer, I get it every time I’m here!’ (reality check- it’s not going anywhere and will be there next time you come).

During the challenge I realized just how much food has become an area of excess in my life.  

LIGHTBULB.

This past year has been a lot about simplifying for me, eliminating the excesses in my life in the form of clothes, stuff and even commitments. What about food? I’m finding that food is and always has been an area of overindulgence for me. If I learned anything during this challenge, it is how MUCH it is much more of a heart issue than a physical one.

I told Emily, “…the more I look at simplifying my life- the more I realize food is an area of excess for me. First world indeed!’

Often, I see food as a way of rewarding or spoiling myself when I should be viewing it as fuel for my body. Eating in a way that sustains my body more fully AND supports my local community is the way I should be eating. Overall, I seem to have a pretty good handle on that.

But what happens when I have a crappy day? Or I’m celebrating with friends?

Right before this challenge started, I was in an ugly place with food. Having had issues with disordered eating in my past, I was stumbling into some nasty habits. I was tracking food constantly, often overeating and then working out excessively or under-eating the next day to make up for it. I thought about food CONSTANTLY. I was constantly tallying calories in my head and deciding how I could indulge and stay under or within my allotment. If I went over, I’d figure out exactly how much I had to up my workout to come out even. It was a vicious cycle.

I quit tracking and took on this challenge as a reset. I found that my body DOES function better without gluten and dairy. I’ve found that I really don’t miss sweets all that much day to day. That freeing up my focus on food allows me to focus more fully on other areas of my life.

Mostly, I found that it’s okay to indulge occasionally. That wedding you’re going to? Enjoy a piece of cake and celebrate with the new couple. Your grandma is cooking you a favorite from childhood? Eat it and celebrate the memories.

But those random cookies from the grocery store someone brought into work? Not worth it. That candy dish you always keep full for ‘guests’? Get rid of it. Those $5 sugar-y lattes you feel you need every day to make it through work? Skip it and find a new job. J

One of the speakers at Influence, Jess Thompson, told us something that was really powerful to me.

Our bodies are not our own.

 They belong to God. He gave them to us. Glorify God in your body by taking care of it. It’s each of our responsibility to keep it strong and healthy, fully equipped to do the work God gave us to do.

I interpret that this way: Don’t struggle and strive to have a ‘perfect body’ as a way of control. But also don’t give up completely and look to food as a means of comfort.

Ultimately, our need to control how we look or to be comforted by what we eat is a sin of self-entitlement.

The world doesn't end if you don’t eat a cookie every day for your post dinner dessert. And it certainly doesn’t end if you don’t have 6 pack abs or chiseled upper arms.

I’m not saying that I have this fully figured out or that I don’t still struggle with both sides of this spectrum.

Day by day, I am learning to view my body as a vehicle through which to do the ‘good works’ that have been planned for me (Ephesians 2:10). I want to support my local community and the larger environment by purchasing local and organic. I want to serve and nourish myself and others in a way that promotes health and positive body image.

It’s really interesting that this conversation was had yesterday and this post came flowing out of it. Just that morning, I took the steps to become an Arbonne Consultant. I have been using their skincare products for a few months now and most recently, their wellness products as part of my #30daychallenge. I am incredibly pleased by their commitment to using pure, safe and beneficial products as well as the culture of promoting total body and mind health and wellness.  

I’ve been praying for a while about an opportunity to use my passion for health to help others and I think I may have found it. Having this conversation with Emily and talking through our reasons for choosing a healthier lifestyle has confirmed for me that taking on this role with Arbonne will be a great step towards my future goals (coffee shop in 5!)

I will always and forever be a foodie. I love breaking bread with my friends and creating memories over a home-cooked or locally prepared meal.  BUT. I will not go forward continuing to use food as a crutch or a comfort in times of need or distress. I will not eat treats every day just ‘because.’ I will not over-exercise or binge-eat. I will eat whole sustainable foods. I will eat when I’m hungry and listen to my body. I will remind myself that each thing I’m putting in my mouth should be fuel to nourish and strengthen my body.  

But when the time is right and that special occasion comes up? 

You better believe I will indulge in something delicious.

And probably full of almond paste.

Post 20 miler almond croissant from my favorite local bakery

#foodieprobs

Read more about Emily's diagnosis and her beautiful lovely writing at http://emilysparkles.com/

From the La-bora-tory: Springy Summery Foods

Do you remember that cartoon Dexter's Laboratory? With the pudgy little scientist kid and the goofy lanky sister? Every time I hear the word 'laboratory' I think of that show and how he used to say 'laboratory' all drawn out...La-bor-a-tory. 

When I'm cooking up things in my kitchen and trying out stuff I read on the internet or in one of Mama Pea's cookbooks (and usually subbing ingredients because it never fails I forget something at the store) I feel a little like a mad scientist.

I mean I definitely have the hair for it.

And while most of these are not my own creation, I have been enjoying trying out some new things in my La-bor-a-tory!

Before we left for Colorado, I wanted to use up all my fresh foods (I hate wasting food!) so I made up some randomness:

Corn salad with avocado & tomato, roasted squash and asparagus topped with a fried egg

Cucumber with edamamme hummus, greens topped with edamame salad & tomato

More corn/avocado/tomato & roasted broccoli and asparagus

As you can see I had some corn salad to get rid of! But it is great as a salad topper over greens or on it's own with some additional veggies added. 

This time of year there are so many good fresh veggies that I can get locally grown and organic: rainbow swiss chard, asparagus by the truckload and spring radishes. I also found a couple farmer that were growing heirloom tomatos indoors so I snagged up as much of those as I could.

And last but not least, EGGS. There is nothing better than farm fresh eggs! I don't eat much meat but I really, really love eggs.

Avocado toast, fried egg with tomato, sauteed swiss chard & spring radishes

 Sauteed swiss chard is a great spring side- just put it in a pan with some water and garlic and a little olive oil. Put a lid on and let it wilt. Stir a couple times. Viola! It has a pretty distinct flavor but goes excellent with mushrooms and of course...eggs :)

Where all the magic happens

 I have found that spending time in my kitchen preparing delicious food that I can trace back to a local farm makes me feel grounded and calm and healthy. I like knowing I'm putting good into my body most of the time!

I think salads are such an easy and delicious way to get your veggies in and pack your lunch for work. Here, I'm using mixed greens, spring radishes, tomatos, and cucumber (all locally purchased via my CSA or local market). 

Check out these amazing golden beets! I roasted them in the oven and sliced them to top over mixed greens and a little balsamic vinegar. So. good. 

If you can find in season and locally, ethically grown food in your hometown- you should always check it out. I've found that it tastes better and the quality seems to be much better.

They were so pretty!

Last night I gave a try to something I've been meaning to make forever: Polenta Fries

Um...where have you been all my life?

You can find the recipe here. 

I forgot to bake them and didn't do the extra topping, but they still turned out DELICIOUS.

I mixed a little Veganaise and Siracha to make a dipping aioli.

Might be the smartest decision I made yesterday. 

I paired my fries with some purple roasted asparagus. It looked so pretty on the plate and tasted pretty great too!

I had fresh pea shoots and strawberries from the market so I tossed them with a little balsamic and olives for a side salad. So fresh and springy. 

Best part of enjoying this season's eats?

Eating outside!

Do you like to cook? What are your favorite foods of the season? 

Do you also love Siracha this much?

Ten for Tuesday

1. I didn't do a Sunday Seven this week because I was at the tax office all weekend. But you know that means? Tax season is officially OVER. And I can go back to being #1joblady.

2. I still can't believe what happened yesterday at the Boston Marathon. It's heart-breaking and terrifying and  just plain evil. Pray for the victims, their families, the medical personnel, the investigation and most of all- for humanity. We are a people that seriously need saving.

3. I made Nicbars. My version of a Larabar. You're welcome.

4. It's looked like this for days around here.

Where the heck is spring?? It's cold, windy and yucky. 

At least the green popping up gives us hope it will eventually warm up!

4. I tried this as a warm-up before my Spartacus workout yesterday:

Um yeah.

 I only did half and I thought I was going to puke. HA. 

Thanks Julie! It's a goal now to get through this entire thing with no breaks. 

5. Today I had the opportunity to hear the CEO of my company speak to over 2000 of our team members here in Des Moines. It was really cool. Reminds me how lucky I am to work for an ethically sound and caring company. Also, he's from the Twin Cities. Midwest represent!

6. Once, with my friend Jane, I had this cheese called Fromager D'Affnois (super frenchy sounding). 

Anyway, it's a creamy delicious white cheese that has the consistency of butter and I was super stoked to find it at my favorite local grocery store. 

Which means for breakfast on Sunday I made this:

Pretty much the best sandwich ever. 

7. I am finding that I have more free time on my hands now that I'm not doing social media for the next couple weeks. Which means I am 30 pages away from finishing War & Peace. Believe it. I read almost 500 pages this weekend.

8. We are doing a series on marriage, sex and singleness at church right  now. It's super fascinating and timely for me. Tomorrow, T and I start premarital counseling. I'm so thankful for our small group and the open and honest discussions we can have. It really is a blessing. 

9.  In 3 short weeks I'll be running the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati with my friend Kim. I'm so excited! I definitely need to start researching the best local coffee and eats in town. :)

10. Coming up with 10 things is harder than I thought. So I'll leave you with this quote from our small group study guide:

“When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly 

dearest better than I do now.” - CS Lewis

Happy Tuesday. 

Sunday Seven 3/3/2013

It's been a couple weeks since I've done a real Sunday Seven.

You know, all kinds of things cutting into my blogging time...you know, like life. :)

So you are going to get a random assortment of all the things I've been loving these past 3 (wow, has it really been 3??!) weeks:

1. This little lady graced the world with her presence.

Meet my newest niece- Gwendolyn Mae. Already a Hawkeye fan!

2. I made a 4 course meal for T for Valentine's Day. It was so fun to take a day off and cook and clean and do something super yummy and sweet for the day of love.

I made beet and goat cheese hearts for salad with BLT tomatoes, an antipasto tray, pasta puttanesca (thanks for the recipe Lisa!) and my very first cheesecake. It was fun and tasty.

3. I did some volunteering with the American Heart Association.

It was a great excuse to wear bright red lipstick!

I also started volunteering 2 times a month at the local youth shelter- serving an afternoon meal. I cannot tell you how much I LOVE it. It is probably the most rewarding experience I've ever had to date.

4. I have been having some GREAT runs. I'm keeping close to about 20 miles a week and the random 45 degree days here and there are a blessing.

After a great 7 miles in the warm Sunday sunshine. 

5. I got to spend some time little people. T and I took my nephews and one of my nieces to lunch and to the Science Center. It was fun and chaotic and crazy. 3 kids under age 6. I have no idea how people do that!

I love this picture. Perfectly captures the day. 

Little girls are slow walkers and get free rides. from Uncle T. 

Someone loves the camera!

Then we all went to my sisters house where the kids played and played and I got to snuggle this one. It was a great day! (I was asleep by 9 PM on a Saturday night- I'm so old. HA).

6. I met a girl named Deena through my run group. We clicked and became fast friends. But now she's getting married and moving to Mexico! We still sent her off in style- girls night at Louie's Wine Dive complete with mini cupcakes!

The delicious butternut squash flatbread I had

Mushroom soup- SO GOOD

Our little run group! (horrible pic by waiter)

Because every celebration needs cupcakes!

I am so glad I met Deena- she's the coolest! Check out her blog about training for a 100K!

7. We've had a lot of snow lately. And wind. And ice. I'm over. it.

Roxy is sick of it too

What happened to that fat groundhog and his spring predictions???
Hmmm.

What have you been up to? 

Can you believe it's March already??

Meatless Munch: Butternut Mac & Cheese

I keep seeing all these posts about Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.
And I think it looks really good.
And I want to try it.

BUT- I'm super in love with Mama Pea's Vegan Mac 'n' Cheese

And all the recipes I see for Butternut Squash mac'n'cheese are pretty real cheese heavy.

So, what to do?

Well, when you have a craptastic day (or just an annoying Monday), and it's cold and you need some creamy, stick to your ribs, cheezy goodness?

You drink a delicious dark beer and proceed to make the best macaroni and cheese EVAR.

First, I boiled half a bag of penne pasta from Trader Joes and stuck a butternut squash in the oven. 

While the pasta was cooking and the squash was cooling, I assembled the remaining ingredients: non diary milk, silken tofu (I've used soft when I couldn't find silken, but I like silken best) and non dairy cheese. 

Once the butternut squash was baked at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (or until piercable with a fork), I cleaned it out, then scooped out the insides and joined it in the Ninja with the silken tofu, coconut milk, salt, pepper and dry mustard.  

The result is this creamy deliciousness. 

I added my butter (not vegan- still using up the overabundance of full fat stick butter from the holidays) to the pasta and then the butternut squash mix and the veggie shreds. 

Ta da.

The richest, creamiest, mac and cheese ever.

Surprisingly, I could not really taste the butternut squash. It just helped add to the richness.

Food experiment=success.

Then once my belly was full of creamy happiness...

I had my weight in Girl Scout cookies and called it a successful Monday. :)

Butternut Squash Mac 'n' Cheese

inspired by Nutrionella and Mama Pea

1 butternut squash, baked-cleaned and scooped (about 2 cups)

8 oz pasta of your choice, cooked

1/2 block silken tofu

2 tbsp non-dairy milk

1 package Veggie Shreds

1 tsp dry mustard

2 tbsp butter (I am addicted to Land'o'Lakes Sweet Cream unsalted butter...but there are definitely healthier versions out there)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Bake squash whole at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until soft.
2. While squash cools, bring a pot of water to boil for pasta. cook according to package directions. Drain and place back in pot.
3. In a food processor, mix together tofu, milk, dry mustard, salt, pepper and squash until full incorporate and creamy.
4. Add butter to pasta and stir until melted.
5. Stir squash mixture into pasta and add veggie shreds. Keep stirring until fully melted and creamy.
6. Dish up and enjoy.

I made this into 4 pretty serious 1 cup servings (this is stick to your ribs people), but if you want it to be a side dish or a lighter fare, make into 8 or 6 smaller servings.

What's your favorite comfort food?

How about Girl Scout Cookie?

I can do some damage on Thin Mints and Tag-a-longs...

Meatless Munch: Busy Week Lunches

This week I work approximately 70 hours between 2 jobs.

Most days I go straight from one job to another- which means I'm eating at least 2 of my daily meals (and both my snacks) somewhere outside of the house.

Last week, I gave some tips for a busy life, one of which was 'Plan Ahead: Food.'

Lunch staples for me are as follows:

- Salads made up of whatever veggies and fruits are in my fridge

- Leftovers

- Veggie and hummus or Egg Less Salad Sandwiches 

This year, I decided to step outside my box and try some new vegan and vegetarian recipes. I've tried to make one or two a week. 

A couple recipes have already stood out as winners.

Each of these are:

1. Easy to prep

2. Easy to store and transport

3. Easy to eat (I can't handle messy foods at work- think spaghetti or something that oozes- yuck)

4. Last but not least- Delicious and Nutritious!

Angela at Oh She Glows has great vegan recipes- many of which are tested on her omnivore husband so you know they are good!

I saw picture on Instagram about a Back on Track salad and thought 'What better way to kick off the new year?'

I am now on my second round of making this salad and I absolutely love it. It makes enough servings that I can make it on Sunday and it covers me for lunch every day of the normal work week (M-F)

Here is the version that I made:

Back on Track Salad

as inspired by Oh She Glows

• 1 cup dry wheat berries, cooked and drained 
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 2 Persian cucumbers diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 large tomato, diced (I omitted this the second time- mostly because I didn't have any tomato...weird)
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, diced with large stems removed
• 4 green onions, diced
• salt + pepper, to taste

Dressing Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard (I heart Grey Poupon so if you don't, use only 1 tsp)
• 1 tbsp Tamari (or soy sauce)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh if possible)

Cook the wheatberries according to the package

**So she mentioned soaking them overnight and then cooking them but i cooked them up just like rice before I read all the instructions...still turned out okay**

Combine all the salad ingredients in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. When wheatberries are fully cooked and cooled, add them to the salad ingredients. Mix well then pour the dressing over the top and give it a few good stirs.

Done!

You can then store it in the fridge or go ahead and divide into containers for the work week. 

It made 5 decent servings for lunch. I served it atop fresh spinach or baby salad greens.

At my favorite grocery store in town, there is an Edamame Salad that I LOVE.

I decided to try my hand at making it based on the listed ingredients and it turned out amazing. 

Edamame Salad

as inspired by Gateway Market Des Moines

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen edamame

1/2 block sprouted tofu, cubed

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

3 green onion, chopped

2 tbsp oil (I used grape seed)

1 spoonful minced garlic

lemon juice + salt + pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate overnight.

The corn and edamame will thaw and the tofu will absorb the flavors. 

This salad is very light and summery. you can eat it plain as a side dish (how I normally eat it) or as a salad topper. If you eat it as a side dish, I'd consider 1/2 cup a serving. This will make about 2-3 cups. 

Last week I had a work food day and I wanted to make something relatively healthy that would also yield a little bit leftover for lunches. I saw this salad at Gateway and knew I had all the ingredients to make it- so I gave it a try with a little twist!

I'll be honest, it doesn't taste a ton like Falafel to me...maybe because the texture is not bread-like? So I'm renaming it as well. :)

Greek Bean & Broccoli Slaw

as inspired by Gateway Market 'Falafel Salad'

1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

2 cups broccoli slaw (roughly chopped into smaller pieces in food processor)

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 lemon squeezed

1 spoonful minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp coriander seeds (chopped in a food processor or you can use 1/2 tbsp ground)

Cumin and chili powder to taste (depending on how strong of flavor you like, I think you can never have enough cumin!)

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl together.

Mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl as the dressing.

I'll be honest- I've never used coriander in anything so I was excited to finally open this spice that has been hanging out in the rack since I got it...

Whisk together the dressing...

Pour dressing over the salad mix and stir!

Ta-da! This was pretty easy and I got some good feedback on it so I'm going to say 'winner'!

I'm not sure on servings since I took it to a food day...I'd say you could eat 1-1&1/2 cups of it over top a pile of mixed greens as a lunch with a side of fruit. I also think this would be good with some kind of grain mixed in...maybe couscous? I'll have to give that a try next time...

I also tried this Red Quinoa and Black Bean Salad from Oh She Glows. It reminded me a lot of Iowa Girl Eats Black Bean, Quinoa & Citrus Salad...which is one of my favorites. 

Seeing how the ingredients of this salad are my high school colors (red and black!), maybe this salad should be called Scarlet Pride Salad? :)

Red Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

as inspired by Oh She Glows

For the salad:

• 1 cup uncooked Red quinoa (cook according to package)
• 1 (14oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 Green Onions, chopped
• 1 cup fresh corn (optional and I used frozen- just nuked in the microwave first)
• 1 small avocado, chopped into 1 inch pieces (I omitted for storing purposes, but this would be a good topper)

For the dressing:

• 4-5 tbsp of fresh lime juice (Juice from 2 small limes)
• salt + pepper, to taste
• 1-2 garlic clove, minced (everything is better with more garlic)
• 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin, or more to taste

After the quinoa is cooked and cooled, mix it with the remaining salad ingredients in a bowl.

Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour over salad ingredients and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors soak in. 

Cumin makes it tasty!

Such a colorful salad!

The black beans, corn and quinoa keep me full all afternoon

The finished product!

I really love how this salad turns out- it's colorful and filling and excellent over a pile of mixed greens. It makes about 5 1 cup servings. 

(I serve a lot of stuff over mixed greens or spinach to get all my vitamins in!)

I can make one or 2 of these salads on the weekend and have enough lunches and  'away' dinners for a week!

How do you prep food for a busy week?

What is your favorite meatless lunch?

Do you hate beans?

I have a few friends who can't stand them. I eat them all the time. 

'Beans, beans, the wonderful fruit!'