Thai Style Quinoa Salad
Salad ingredients
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 1/4 red cabbage head, sliced thin
• 1/2 cucumber, diced
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup thawed edamame
Vinaigrette ingredients
• Juice from 3 limes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Toppings (optional)
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Chopped unsalted peanuts
• Grilled Chicken
Instructions
1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Put cooked quinoa in large mixing bowl. Add sliced cabbage, diced cucumber, shredded carrot, sliced scallion, edamame, and diced red bell pepper
2. In small bowl, mix the lime juice, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, honey, and vegetable oil
3. Add the vinaigrette to the quinoa and mix everything until combined and coated in the vinaigrette
4. Serve in a bowl and add optional toppings.
Mediterranean Orzo Soup
Ingredients
• Olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 bag (6 oz.) baby spinach
• Juice of a lemon
• Salt
• Pepper
• Parmesan
Instructions
In heavy-bottomed pan, heat olive oil on medium high. Add garlic and scallions. Cook for 1 minute. Add chicken stock to pot and turn on high. Let it come to boil. Add uncooked orzo, garbanzo beans, and zest of lemon. Stir and let cook on high for 10 minutes. Add cooked chicken, spinach, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Give another quick stir and serve. Once in a bowl you can top it with shaved Parmesan, pepper, and an extra squeeze of lemon.
About Blakely Trettenero
Blakely Trettenero, host of the Cooking for Bimbos (www.cookingforbimbos.com) and Hungry for Travels (www.hungryfortravels.com) websites, is a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, Fla. She also is a world traveler, having visited more than 30 countries, and is becoming a frequent guest on TV.