Yummy Eats and Treats...

We are starting a new series "Yummy Eats and Treats" due to some "high demand" from some friends to post weekly recipes. I am going to admit, they won't all be recipes that I have made, but they will be recipes that I have either tried from someone else or that someone else has shared with me to post or recipes that one day will make it on "our menu" as my little ones say. Hopefully you get around to making them as well.

The first 2 recipes come from two sweet friends who brought these to work this last week and they were both so yummy I couldn't resist to share the recipes...

Recipe and photo from The Diva Dish

Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 C. dry quinoa

2 C. vegetable broth

1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

1 c. cherry tomatoes cut in half

2 avocados diced

2 C. spinach

1 bunch cilantro

1/4 C. onion

2 small cloves garlic

For the dressing:

Juice of 2 lemons

zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp. dijon mustard

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. agave nectar

1/2 tsp. cumin

dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Make your quinoa first (you can get this at Trader Joe's). Soak the quinoa in a pot in the veggie broth for about 15 minutes. After that, turn on the heat to medium high and let the quinoa come to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to medium/low and let quinoa 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 make the rest of the salad until cooled.

2. In a food processor, add your spinach and cilantro and finely dice, set aside in a bowl

3. Finely dice the onion and garlic (can be done in a food processor too), and add to the greens mixture.

4. Add the chickpeas to the mixture and stir until everything is combined and coated.

5. Once the quinoa is cooled, add it to the mixture

5. Make your dressing by whisking all the 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.

Tabbouleh via Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 cup bulghur wheat

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/4 cup good olive oil

3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (1 bunch)

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours.

These were both so delicious and great summer salads and side dishes! Thanks friends for giving me some inspiration on a new series.

Happy cooking!
Until next time...
{Lynnae}