Quinoa and Asparagus Salad

Once again, I am indebted to the Food, Wine & Song Facebook page for motivation. I was looking for something healthy and interesting, when this recipe from the NY Times caught my eye via Food, Wine & Song. I made no adjustments to the recipe, except that I skipped the goat cheese and I used sprouted quinoa.

Sprouted quinoa, according to the box, can be eaten raw (simply rehydrated). I prefer cooked quinoa, so this was not an issue, but it did give me some flexibility with the cooking time as not all of the grains were evenly cooked. This was fine.

It has been awhile since I've made quinoa, and I forgot that it absorbs salt rather well. I went a bit overboard with the salt in the water, and was slightly worried (this is also why I left the goat cheese out). Luckily, I let the salad sit for several hours and the radishes and asparagus took some of the salt. AND the dressing was a total lifesaver--the lemon buttermilk dressing hid the saltiness of the quinoa, and brought out the flavors of the veggies. I definitely recommend making the salad ahead as it will result in a better distribution of flavors. This is a fantastic summer salad---good for BBQs and as a main.

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Winter Farmers Market: Sautéed Scallops and Herbed Rice

Somerville, MA is a great city. I love living here, and this year's new Winter Farmer's Market just added to my joy. It runs between now and March, and it has been inspiring to see people trudging out in the cold, ice and snow, to the Armory (yes, the market is inside). This past Saturday, I stocked up on locally grown leeks and potatoes, grabbed some hot Italian sausage from Stillman's , and then ventured upstairs to buy some FRESH FISH from Jordan Brothers Seafood. Yes, that's right: haddock from Gloucester, and scallops from Maine. Not frozen--fresh. When she showed me the scallops I might have cried, just a little. Oh, and I picked up a baguette, brioche, and potato bread. Scallops don't require a lot of fuss, but are easy to overcook. I pulled out my San Juan Classics Cookbook (San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest, not Puerto Rico) and went straight to the shellfish section where I found a recipe for "Sautéed Prawns or Scallops" from Thibert...

Quinoa Pilaf with Artichokes, Leeks and Sugar Snap Peas

More Quinoa! This was healthy, easy, and, "a way I actually *like* quinoa" as reported by my husband. The recipe is here , and I made the following notes: stir the quinoa in the oil and leeks for 2-3 minutes before adding the broth definitely use low-sodium chicken broth---quinoa absorbs salt very well and I found that the regular chicken broth was too salty. If you are using homemade stock or veggie broth, you are probably fine. I will add the snap peas last next time (with the artichoke hearts). I like my peas to retain their "snap." This is really a terrific meal for summer or to bring to a potluck.

FSP Lime Chicken with Currant Wehani

Serves 2 INGREDIENTS 2 chicken breasts, sliced juice of one lime kosher salt Penzey's "Florida Seasoned Pepper" 1 tbs unsalted butter 1 tbs olive oil 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped one large clove of garlic, chopped blanched slivered almonds 1/2 cup white wine 8 oz. Wehani rice (cook acc. to package directions: 35-45 min.) 1/3-1/2 cup dried zante currants INSTRUCTIONS start Wehani rice (prepare acc. to package directions, you can substitute broth for water...if using water, throw a pinch of kosher salt into the water. I also add a pat of butter.) while rice is simmering, prepare chicken slices by rubbing with kosher salt and Florida Seasoned Pepper (can substitute lemon pepper), half of the lime juice, and set aside in a medium frying pan with lid, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic to the pan, cooking until translucent (onions) Add almonds to pan and saute for 3-4 more minutes add chicken slices, browning on all sides. add other half of ...

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