Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad

I'm not sure that I'll really get used to how hot it is here. Last summer was hot, no doubt, but something about this summer is just killing me. It could be the extra weight I'm sporting...also known as a baby... but part of it is probably that it got super hot much earlier than usual. We rarely turn on our oven and often even the grill is unappealing. This light salad was the perfect compliment to fresh cherries and a rotisserie chicken-something we'd probably eat a lot more of if I had the stomach to get the meat off the bones. Thanks goodness for Nick. (And that is not just a pregnancy thing, we'll see if I ever conquer that fear. He is more afraid I'll turn vegetarian.)

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 2 cups)

1 c. cherry tomatoes cut in half (I used Roma)

2 avocados diced

2 cups spinach

1 bunch cilantro, about 1 1/2 cups

1/4 cup onion

2 small cloves garlic

For the dressing

1 lemon, zested
juice of 2 lemons

2 tsp. dijon mustard

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. cumin

dash of salt and pepper

Directions
 

1. Prepare quinoa by soaking a pot in the veggie broth for about 15 minutes. Over medium high heat, bring the quinoa to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium/low and let simmer. Stir every so often, and cook quinoa for about 20-25 minutes just until the liquid absorbs. You don’t want it completely dried out, so when there is just a TINY amount of liquid left in the pot, remove it from heat and put a lid on it. Set it aside, and prepare the rest of the salad.

2. In a food processor, add spinach and cilantro. Process the greens until they are finely diced.

3. Add the greens to a bowl, and set aside. Next, take onion and garlic and finely dice those (easy to do in the food processor), and add to the greens mixture. Add chickpeas and stir until everything is combined and coated. When quinoa is cooled, add it to the chickpea mixture.

4. Prepare the dressing by whisking ingredients together. Pour over salad, and mix until combined. Add in tomatoes and avocado and mix. Set in fridge for about 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors set.

from The Diva Dish : Adapted from: Ohsheglows

Fontina, Caramelized Onion, and Pancetta Pizza

Is it weird that I requested pizza for Mother's Day? Because I did. Jessie is the pizza queen and has so many great pizza recipes that we love trying. The only thing we changed was cutting down the onion a bit, more of a personal preference than anything. We only did 1 large onion last time, but I think 1-2 would be just right if you're wanting to scale it back a bit. If not, go for the full 3 onions!

Ingredients

1 recipe pizza dough
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 oz. pancetta, diced (Italian-style bacon)
3-4 cups onion, sliced (about 1 1/2  large onions)
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
extra virgin olive oil, to brush pizza
1 1/2 cups fontina cheese, shredded
fresh thyme and freshly cracked black pepper, to garnish

Directions

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. While dough is rising, heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and saute for 2 minutes. Add onions, thyme, salt, and white pepper. Cook 25 minutes until onions are soft and golden brown, stirring frequently.

3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.

4. Lightly brush the prepared pizza crust with olive oil. Top with the onion mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the crust is puffy and golden brown. Remove from the oven and garnish with thyme and cracked black pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Makes 1 large pizza.

from A Hint of Honey : Adapted from Cooking Light

Heather's Smoked Gouda, Pecan, and Cherry Salad with Green Onion Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

I can still remember when my friend Heather brought this to a pot-luck and how tasty it was. Luckily, Jessie had it on her blog so we enjoyed this a few weekends ago with our chicken burgers. I'd almost forgotten how much I love smoked Gouda, almost.

Ingredients

spring mix + spinach
pecans, whole or chopped
dried sweetened cherries (could sub. dried cranberries)
red onion, thinly sliced
smoked Gouda, grated


Green Onion Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

1 whole green onion, ends removed
2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/6 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil ( I used grapeseed oil)
1 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, puree onion with sugar, mustard, salt, and red wine vinegar. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Add the poppy seeds and pulse to combine.

2. Toss spring mix and spinach and top with pecans, cherries, onion, and cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Makes about 3/4 cup of vinaigrette.

(Recipe courtesy of Heather Sedwick, from A Hint of Honey)