Eat Well Quickie: Today's Lunch

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Last week my mom drove up from San Diego with a trunk full of ingredients to make our first "Eat Well" episode starring (free-range) "eggs." We spent the morning in my kitchen, her cooking, me filming until we finished and I found that I'd accidentally shot thirty-minutes of footage. The original plan was to edit videos down to two-minutes, but after many frustrating hours TRYING, I realized that anything less than ten-minutes long would be impossible. So. After yelling at myself and pacing around the house heaving dramatic sighs for several days I decided to accept defeat, forgo the disastrous webisode idea and kick it old school. With words, recipes and images sans video-player. I hope this doesn't disappoint too much.

In the meantime, while my mother is busy writing up her first recipe/guest post, tentatively titled "Let's talk about Eggs, Baby," (ed: I kid you not, THAT is the title of the post she started. She was all excited and emailed it to me the other day. Who knew she was such a Salt n Pepa fan?) I thought I'd post an Eat Well quickie to get this party started.

The following meal(s) are vegetarian, gluten-free and high in protein. (For more on Quinoa's awesome, go here and here.)
For me/you:
Quinoa Salad on Greens
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Prep time = One minute

You will need:

1. Pre-made Quinoa (shown here, organic red quinoa from Trader Joes. But you can use white OR red Quinoa. They're both delicious.) I pre-make an entire box of Quinoa every Monday to last me/the family all week. It takes about twenty minutes to cook the Quinoa (I cook with vegetable broth) and it lasts beautifully for the entire week. I eat it for lunch and serve it as a side to dinners and/or incorporate it into other meals. (Example: "Juevos Quinoa-cheros" which is basically Juevos Rancheros (eggs, avocado, cilantro, salsa) except served on a bed of quinoa instead of corn tortillas.)
2. Greens (I used red mizuna locally grown and purchased from the Farmers Market. Fresh spinach and/or arugula work, too.)
3. Crumbled Goat Cheese
4. Pine Nuts (pine nuts are pricey. I use them very sparingly but you can substitute pine nuts for walnuts or another nut of your fancy.)
5. Blueberries (locally grown and purchased at the Farmers Market)
6. Balsamic Vinegar (any brand will do.)

Top greens with Quinoa. Top Quinoa with Goat Cheese, pine nuts and blueberries and drizzle balsamic vinegar on top = voila! Easy peasy! Good for the bod, filling deliciousness!
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***

For Fable/your babe:
Quinoa and Yogurt topped with Avocado and/or something else
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Prep Time = One Minute

You will need:

1. Pre-made Quinoa (see above)
2. Nonfat/lowfat/all fat/whatever you prefer organic (plain) yogurt
3. Avocados (if avocados aren't accessible you can top with corn, or REALLY any other vegetable your kid digs. Fable happens to be a huge fan of avocados. But she also loves corn and sometimes I sprinkle a few kernels on top and it's equally delish.)

1. Stir spoonful of yogurt into Quinoa:
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(bowl made with love by a family friend*.)
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2. Cut Avocado into bitty slices on top.
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3. Fin! A delicious meal for your babe!

***

Stay tuned for more elaborate "Eat Well" recipes/posts to come. Thanks for your patience and again, apologies for ditching the webisodes and replacing them with words + image blog posts. Hope you'll stick around for them no the matter! Happy eating!

*For order inquiries, you can email Patrice: pfdesign@roadrunner.com. Thanks!

GGC

87 comments:

Anonymous | 12:06 AM

These all look fabulous. I'm on the quinoa wagon. Thanks !

Firefly | 12:11 AM

Both look so yummy!!!

Fi | 12:40 AM

These look delicious, might have to get me some quinoa now. But - why nonfat yogurt for my babe?! He's not on a diet! ;)

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 12:54 AM

Fi - Totally. I only ever buy nonfat yogurt so please feel free to use whatever yogurt you typically use!

Anonymous | 12:56 AM

Fi,
California parents use non-fat and low-calorie foods for their kids because if the kids get fat, then they have to kill them. Once you have a fatty over about six-months-old, it is very hard to hide the body. They hate anything past skeletal in weight and/or appearance, that's why they eat shit that looks like this. This is also why RW think parents who put "Cheerios in a baggie" for their kid's snack are horrible, and why she would prefer her son smoke cigarettes than eat at McDonald's.

verdemama | 2:14 AM

Looks delish! I actually prefer the words + photos format. Sometimes I feel like I can't "commit" to watching a video, so this totally works for me, personally.

Lauren Stahr | 3:02 AM

Ooo... I've been on the hunt for some yummy veg recipes lately! This looks amazing, I can't wait to try it. And I agree with verdemama re: text & pics.

Sydney | 3:15 AM

I too prefer the words and photos format, mainly so I can read it at work!

I am and have been super excited about the upcoming Eat Well series, ignore the anons that try to bring you down. Everyone should be encouraged to eat better!

Anonymous | 4:22 AM

Re: Anon 12:56

I bet all that hating keeps you trim. Good luck with that.

Kendra | 4:40 AM

I keep forgetting about quinoa; plus I thought it was harder to cook than that. I'll have to give it a try now! And I have to add a recommendation for wild rice. It's also gluten free, for those who are concerned with that, it's as easy to cook as white rice (though it takes a little longer), and it tastes delicious. We add it to eggs (stir it right into scrambled eggs), cook it into our bread and our pancakes for a nutty crunch, etc. I never thought of using it with yogurt or salad by itself, but what a great idea. So now I have new ideas for wild rice and a new grain to try!

L-Burt | 4:44 AM
This comment has been removed by the author.
L-Burt | 4:47 AM

Mmmm looks delish! I just found red quinoa for the first time but haven't made it yet. Love this idea!

Nutmeg | 4:49 AM

Rice/Quinoa/Grain of your choice on salad is delicious and fresh and awesome. If you are lucky enough to have a garden you have lunch/dinner right in your backyard.

I like words/pictures better... BUT I do want a chance to see your mama in action.

Karen Chatters | 5:04 AM

I'm going to love this series for me but I'm really going to looove the recipes for Fable (and my girl of the same age). This is super fabulous!

Jessica Peck | 5:19 AM

Thanks! Keep them coming :)

Unknown | 5:35 AM

Great post! I'm all for better meals.

Quick question, and it may be because i'm in Ohio, but I've never heard of Quinoa. What's the taste like? I'll have to do some research on where I can get it.

Unknown | 6:05 AM

Dear Rebecca,
I'm not with Anonymous up there, I think that I understand why you only buy nonfat yogurt.
But I do think that the industrialization of food is something that we should worry about and maybe eating our non-adulterated products is what we should be doing. My English is not very good, I'm sorry. What I'm trying to say is that I was told recently that Yes we should be reducing fat but probably not on dairy products (except if we need to loose weight or have some other health problem, of course). It seems that, on dairy products, that's where some of the most important ingredients are. I think that this is an interesting post about Full-Fat Dairy for Cardiovascular Health: http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/04/full-fat-dairy-for-cardiovascular.html. It seems that lots of studies are showing that "Contrary to popular belief, full-fat dairy, including milk, butter and cheese, has never been convincingly linked to cardiovascular disease. In fact, it has rather consistently been linked to a lower risk, particularly for stroke." I hope that you don't mind me saying this here, I just thought that you might be interested, I find myself struggling to make the best choices foodwise.
P.S. Those pictures of Fable and Archer in the bathtub are just adorable. If I ever decide to have children, I think that it will be because of these snaps that you keep posting!

AVB | 6:10 AM

I want the baby one just as much as I want the adult one. YUM!

Stephanie Wilson she/her @babysteph | 6:33 AM

I have all the ingredients for that salad but never would have thought to put them together- how delicious! Must try today.

Steph

Amanda | 6:40 AM

Thank you so much for posting these! It is so helpful to see a mom who actually feeds her child well!

PopMommy Pam | 6:44 AM

They look great. I love anything with avocado and I so love that bowl! Where did you get it?

Steph | 7:33 AM

I've never tried quinoa - not so popular in Australia I don't think. But it looks good!

For those of you not sure about the full-fat/low-fat/non-fat choice the clear recommendation for growing babies under 2 is that they should have full-fat dairy products.

This is what Babycenter says:

Starting at age 2, your child should begin eating the same kind of low-fat diet that you eat — that is, she should get no more than 35 percent of her calories from fat, as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture. (You don't want to restrict fat intake before then because it can affect a child's brain development.)

Stef | 7:41 AM

Please do share the source for that adorable bowl!

I love quinoa and if I had more ideas of ways to prepare it, I'd totally make a big batch for the week.

People often become passionate, emotional, and defensive about their food choices. So just chalk up Annonymous's very rude comments to that, and don't let it get you down.

I think it is great that you are using your own passion about food to do something positive and helpful, while expressing your own POV as a Californian mom. CA is blessed with lots of produce and farmers' markets, and it is known for promoting conscious consumption of fresh, local, simple, nutritious foods. Which I love!

I hope this project will be a place for inspiration and the sharing of knowledge between readers.

And I look forward to hearing from your mom!

Anonymous | 8:02 AM

Wow! I would rather eat a Big Mac.

Anonymous | 8:12 AM

Love it! So glad you've started this series. The meal looks delicious. Thank you.

Tina | 9:04 AM

I have never heard of/seen quinoa- and I also can't figure out how to say it haha I am trying to get better at eating healthy at home with quick easy meals. I am so excited about the new recipes! Not a vegetarian but at home I rarely cook with meat which makes these recipes even more perfect.
I like the pictures/written recipes as well :)
And why do people feel the need to say hateful things all the time? Funny enough,some bad behavior in children can often be linked to poor diet- I'm sure the same could be said for adults. I know I'm not happy when I eat unhealthy food hehe

JB | 9:12 AM

I live in Los Angeles and do love "unhealthy" foods, including fast food. That said, these dishes look delicious and I'm going to try to make the first salad tonight. So, it's clearly *helpful* to write about healthy recipes on your blog.

I think the Anonymous above is an older person, as the younger generations just don't talk like that anymore. ("Hiding the bodies," WTF? Who is worse - someone offering healthy recipes on their website, or someone insinuating that we kill children? Hmmm....).

I made the age comment b/c I've found in my family, ppl are VERY defensive about food b/c back in those days, you opened up a can of mushroom soup with white bread and that was dinner. Now it's delicious, yes, but it's not as *healthy* as other choices.

People seem to get so defensive when confronted with the idea that hey, maybe the way we did things and how we ate 50 years ago, there just *might* have been an improvement or two from back then.

Getting back to the original post, thanks for doing these! Keep 'em coming!

leila | 9:34 AM

Dear Rebecca,

Could you please add the amount/weight of quinoa that you cook for 20 minutes as well as the amount of water/broth that you cook it in? Thank you!

leila

jess; [the bottle chronicles] | 9:57 AM

That looks delish!

Ronni | 9:58 AM

To Lynzie,
I see that you're from Cincinnati and I know there are at least two Trader Joe's in Cincy. You can get quinoa there or at any big supermarket - just go to the 'natural' section. Cincinnati, and by extension Ohio, isn't a culinary wasteland: there's quinoa there.

Wendy Woolf | 10:11 AM

Quinoa is pronounced "keen-wa" and is an ancient Peruvian seed, not really a grain, and is a complete protein (has a balanced set of essential amino acids unlike grain). So, for vegetarians, it is a great way to get your protein! Just make sure you wash it well or buy it already rinsed. I buy it in bulk...it's way cheap that way. Whole Foods or any local bulk-type store has it. I will be doing more on quinoa in future guest food blog posts. I am so excited to get this going! Sorry about no video but ready to rock with the words! I find it fun to learn new healthy ways of eating...I am still learning every day!!

Ashley Parker, 2008 Class Reporter | 10:41 AM

I tried quinoa once, but I think I did it wrong. I will have to attempt your delish looking salad!
Also, I am giggling at how fired up people apparently get over nonfat yogurt. Who knew you were so controversial! :)

Amanda | 10:58 AM

As much as this salad looks delicious, your mom down there takes the cake with her badassery!

Amanda | 10:59 AM

Whoops! Perhaps I should have said "your mom UP there".

Amy K | 11:02 AM

You know, I've been buying quinoa for years but only recently discovered that it's pronounced keen-wah. The Whole Foods / PCC folks have probably been having a good laugh behind my back:)

kittenpie | 11:08 AM

I'm coming to your house to eat if I ever find myself in LA!

And really, who isn't a fan of Salt'n'Pepa?

Adrianne | 11:34 AM

Oh NO! I can't believe it's pronounced keen-wa! I've been saying it exactly as it looks: kwi-noah. Haha, glad I haven't said that to anyone other than my husband:)

Methinks Anon (12:56) hasn't seen pictures of Fable's scrumptious thigh rolls if s/he thinks Rebecca is only concerned about having "skeletal" kids! :) Not to mention that the avocado on top has plenty o' good fat!

Rebecca, on behalf of the rest of us, please give yourself a big pat on the back for feeding your children healthy food and teaching them good habits! Thanks for the recipes. I can't wait to try quinoa. I too agree that the word + picture format works great. It's much harder to watch a video when you're supposed to be working than it is to read and look at pictures:)

Nicole | 11:58 AM

This is awesome! Keep them coming!

Kate | 12:11 PM

I've always wondered if your parent(s) read your blog. After watching the momversation video where you said you wanted to smoke cigarettes and have sex with random dudes the first though I had was holy shit my parents would lose it! Kudos to your family for having open communication.

Amy | 12:24 PM

Ok, just came on to say love that you did it old school with words cause then I can actually read it while my babe is napping--small house not so good for video (or sound of the video).

But then I saw the anonymous comment and just want to say...1) Take a look at Fable. She is obviously NOT underweight. 2) My 21 month old IS underweight and it is not something to joke about and neither is childhood obesity.

Every dairy product that I can get my child to eat is full fat, full cal. And I'm about as LA as it gets. I think about her wieght and ideas about how to boost calories whenever I can. If I were to make this recipe it wouldn't take too much thought to just switch out the non-fat for whole milk yogurt. And by the way, avocado is a great source of fat and calories.

And who knew a little post about quinoa could be so controversial? Cool.

Amy | 12:27 PM

And um, yeah that should be "weight" not "wieght". My spelling goes to crap when I get all worked up about something.

Unknown | 12:57 PM

Thanks for the quinoa inspiration! I always have it on hand, but I could use some new, yummy-looking recipes. Maybe I'll make up a big batch tonight!

LV | 1:27 PM

I love quinoa! I usually make it like an Italian panzanella salad, but the grain instead of bread. I add in chopped tomatoes, lots of chopped basil, sweet onion, good olive oil, white wine vinegar and salt/pepper. Amazing. Sometimes I like it with steamed edamame, chopped mint and coarse salt. It's great as an oatmeal substitute too, with raisins, chopped nuts, maple syrup/brown sugar, dried fruit... (I think you mentioned that you do this as well, right?) Anyways, totally versatile and a staple protein-rich, iron-loaded grain for vegetarians!

Kate | 1:58 PM

yea! the Eat Well section is finally underway.

add my vote to the tally for "words are better anyway". vids can be fun, but when you think about it, for a food section, words may be better b/c it allows people to print these things and put them in a binder to use as recipes later. and by "people" I guess I mean me. : )

Kelli | 2:24 PM

Do the kids love quinoa as much as you do? It looks like Fable is on board, but what about Archer? Is he into it?

Fi | 2:37 PM

Just wanted to say, I am not in agreement with anon and would certainly never suggest Fable is underweight (duhh!)

I really was just interested into why you'd choose nonfat yoghurt. In the UK we seem to lean towards full fat versions of *anything* dairy (or otherwise) for little people, so I was interested to see if it's different in the states.

But, wow, many thanks to anon for my education in the dietry choices of ALL Californian parents, that's some useful information right there... ;)

Ray | 2:53 PM

That Fable bowl is SO cute! Cool family friend you have there. And interesting meal. I love how you have an adult recipe and a varied baby recipe. ;o) I'm a carnivore, but maybe one day I'll try this.

BuenoBabyGirl | 3:40 PM

I'm going to give quinoa another shot. Eating quinoa like this looks "do-able." I have a friend who's vegan and lives on this stuff. She's made it for me sans all the good stuff you included, and I swear she must have sprinkled some cardboard on it too. Bleck!

Magic27 | 3:47 PM

Here in France, our paediatrician said our daughters shouldn't really eat low fat stuff till about the age of 4 or so (though an occasional low fat yoghurt wouldn't matter, it's just that they "need" the fat in full fat). That said, I'm very impressed at the stuff you give Fable - if I'd given that (or even any one of the ingredients in it, separately) to my younger daughter when she was Fable's age (or, to be honest, any age before or after that - she's 6 now), it would almost certainly have ended up on the floor... Picky eater did you say? Hmmm, yeah, that just about covers it...

Yes, she's better now, and I really do try to give my girls healthy food (lentils this evening, homemade quiche with tomato salad last night), but oh, when you have a picky eater, it's pretty soul-destroying... The elder one is better, though has recently decided she'll only eat white bread (which I don't buy) and frozen peas (which I don't buy if fresh ones are in season, like now).
I'm also not rabidly against fast food, but we probably only go once or twice every three months, so I don't feel guilty. And we have pizza on a Friday, but often homemade...
I've used quinoa before but it didn't go down well ("it looks like toe nails maman"!!!). But we eat lots of boulgour, semoule, Camargue rice (we live near the Camargue) and wholewheat pasta, so I'm not overly worried.

Amber | 4:42 PM

I started eating quinoa because of your blog, but was getting bored of it because I ran out of ideas for what to eat it with. Thanks for posting this and keep them coming please!

Ashley | 6:03 PM

I just made this. it is SO good! I am in heaven!!

margie s | 6:34 PM

You're right up my alley with the local, organic, vegetarian, AND affordable meal that looks delish. Thank you!! And I'm embarassed to admit that it never ocurred to me to cook quinoa ahead like that...thanking you and slapping myself on the forehead all at once.

Logan Square Freeborns | 6:37 PM

I've had a bag of red quinoa sitting on the counter all week wondering what I could do with it. Thank you so much for posting this. Ran to market to grab pine nuts and goat cheese and made it for dinner tonight and I have to tell you it was amazing!!! And so easy!

ttsc | 7:12 PM

Looks great, we eat quinoa often but I haven't mixed it with yogurt, I'll try it for my 1 year old.

diane | 7:45 PM

I LOVE quinoa, it can be added to so many things. Plus my dad calls it "Winona" cos he can't remember its real name, which is always amusing.

The818 | 7:47 PM

How old was Fable when you started her on Quinoa? I've tried cooking rice ahead for my 8 month old and it just doesn't stay well...

And yeah, both look delish!

rebecca | 7:51 PM

Oh man if quinoa didn't make me wickedly sick I'd make these. I have developed an in tolerance for it even if I rinse and soak the bejeesus out of it.

Welcome! | 8:33 PM

I just recently started using quinoa and LOVE it! I am spending some time with my parents and can't wait to make something for them using it.

Where did you get that adorable bowl? I adore it and would love to get one for my little girl. Do tell!!!

Käthe | 8:39 PM

Video schmideo. I prefer this. I can read it while the baby falls asleep. Try to read a video quietly!

Anonymous | 9:53 PM

I'm feeling special b/c I have been doing the same thing with TJs quinoa- precooking and eating it throughout the week. I love to add pine nuts and feta to virtually everything, but never in a zillion years would have thought of blueberries or mixing yogurt (full fat, raw here :p) with it! Great idea. My kids don't seem to like it much though :/ and I've been lazy about finding good recipes for it. Will try it with the yog and avocado and see!

LV | 4:11 AM

I hadn't thought of mixing the quinoa in yogurt. My 8 month old likes quinoa, but I found that he tends to inhale it a bit because it can be a bit dry, so I was mixing in mashed peas or apple sauce to clump it together a bit. But last night after reading this, I mixed in (high fat) banana yogurt and it looked like rice pudding or tapioca and he LOVED it. I will keep it up and just keep mixing it into different mediums. He also loves avocado, so this is a great suggestion, thank you for sharing!

Anonymous | 7:15 AM

You inspired my dinner last night! I made quinoa, tossed some red kale into it with garlic, threw that over a bed of mizuna with some native strawberries, chopped walnuts, goat cheese and a drizzle of olive oil/balsamic.

Blueberries aren't in season in Massachusetts yet! But strawberries certainly are.

Keep the recipe posts comin'. I'm always looking for more inspiration from people who CARE about their food.

Thanks!

Heather

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 8:36 AM

You guys!!! It makes me SO happy to hear some of you made the dish last night and that you're planning on making it, et al! Thank you! I'm thrilled! This is going to be so much fun!

Happy eating!

As for the kids, Fable's always been a great eater so she eats pretty much everything - goes in and out of phases where she won't eat some foods but for the most part, will eat everything.

Archer used to eat Quinoa but not anymore. He is NOT a good eater but sine his fifth birthday has suddenly branched out and will try everything once.

He's big on rice pasta, pasta salad, anything involving eggs, cheese, shrimp and raviolis. But he also eats a bowl of strawberries and a glass of fresh squeezed OJ every day and apples. The veggies are tricky - we do wheat grass in smoothies and a multi-vitamin. He also frequents avocado sandwiches and once every week or so he'll eat fish sticks, and/or soy nuggets. (Other than that I keep soy away from him because of the hormonal scares. I drink soy milk in my coffee but the kids drink almond milk and rice milk.)

Anna | 9:59 AM

Just made the salad and read the comments eating my lunch. Yum. I would never have thought not to add some olive oil (and was a little suspicious) but I didn't miss it! I love the nuttiness of quinoa. I look forward to more recipes.

Anonymous | 10:49 AM

Becc-I had all those ingredients in my house and am totally eating this for lunch right now! Yum.

L | 12:55 PM

Made the second version for my little one yesterday - he spat it out so I ate it myself - yum :) Today I mixed quinoa with some spicy (not too spicy) red lentils and some plain yoghurt and the dude ate it up with no problem at all :)

I cannot wait to see more recipes as I've just been ordered to go on a gluten free diet :|

Hanasu | 1:36 PM

Hey, great post!! I was actually looking forward to watching/reading your healthy eating posts since you said you were going to do them.

I love veggies and would eat anything that looks like it for the most part. I have already had quinoa, although it's not very well known around here. I use it as a substitute for rice because I get very sick with rice. It is absolutely crazy good when done as paella (I'm Spanish, so it's kind of a tragedy around here that I cannot eat rice). I'll share the recipe if you like.

Also, I'm lactose intolerant, so no diary of any kind for me either. Do you have (or your mom) any idea how to either substitute or make it equally good without the cheese or yogurt?

Thanks again for the awesome ideas!!

Sarah | 3:09 PM

I made the babe version last night! Never in my life would I have thought up such a concoction but she LOVED IT! I've tried making quinoa before but always had a bitter taste. I had no idea it needed to be so thoroughly rinsed. duh. Good to know! Your mom is badass!

NOELLE ALOUD | 4:10 PM

Awesome lunch! I love grain + salad greens. So delicious, healthful, and simple!

Quinoa is also really delicious for breakfast, cooked in water with a splash of apple juice, a cinnamon stick or two, and some lemon zest.

Robyn....but call me Rob | 4:13 PM

That looks really tasty! Right on.

aMaNdA | 7:49 PM

Try coconut milk in your coffee...tastes better than soy IMHO

Caroline | 5:14 AM

I make a similar salad every day for lunch, but I add a bit of mustard to the vinegar dressing and mix it up using feta or blue cheese rather than goat. Also, I buy raw pumpkin or sunflower seeds, toast them, and add them, rather than nuts. Also try switching up the fruit, or adding more than one fruit. Chopped mango and crisp apple, blue cheese, pumpkin seeds, and mustardy dressing is a great combo with the quinoa and local greens. YUM. Nice to see someone else is on the same page.

Also, please keep writing the recipes rather than videoing them. What a pain to watch someone cook just to get the recipe. I'd rather skim your ingredients and start chopping rather than watch someone else chop-- that's just wasting time, unless there is some serious technique that must be learned.

Tanja | 5:30 AM

Looks delicious, I will try and make it

Anonymous | 12:28 PM

Awesome! Just made this for my daughter and me for lunch. Keep em coming! It's so easy to feel overwhelmed by cooking and choices for health when you grew up in a home where Spaghetti-O's were the major meal for lunch.

Thanks for a delish and simple recipe. Yum!

kelli | 1:13 PM

thank you for doing it with WORDS! Truthfully, I'm less likely to spend the time on a video...would rather read and look at the pics. plus if i don't have a ton of time i can skim and still get the idea...not so much with video.
we do a similar salad and it is EXCELLENT! thanks for sharing!

Jo | 4:34 AM

Just wanted to say thank you for the delicious recipe! I'm usually at a loss for what to make myself for lunch, but finally got around to making this today (had to make some modifications to use what I had on hand/being in the UK) and it was so, so good. I used white quinoa, rocket salad, pine nuts and grated large slices of parmesan on top. Divine! Thanks so much. Am a total quinoa addict now.

Laurence | 3:19 PM

Just tried it. It was absolute delish! Thanks for the inspiration!

Anonymous | 3:28 PM

I tried Fable's version of the dish today and it was DELICIOUS! Thanks so much for the recipe.

I read a lot of food blogs and I think you're better off just typing it anyway b/c its probably not worth the time to do a video blog every time! I'm very content with the regular posts!

Keep the recipes coming. I'm always looking for new ways to serve healthy food! Thanks for the great (quick) recipe!

melanirae | 6:06 AM

I love the stuff, but I almost have to eat it with my eyes closed cuz those little round worm looking things GROSS ME OUT. (i have a phobia of tiny repetitive things, like spores, seeds etc.)

Will try these for sure.

Christine | 12:19 AM

Just tried cooking quinoa with the broth and it's quite tasty. The sad thing is that I get quite grossed out looking at the quinoa itself. I don't know why! I've been scrambling it with egg, a bit of milk, goat cheese and a dash of black pepper. I wonder if it'll get rid of the gross feeling if I cooked red quinoa instead.

Anyways, just wanted to thank you for the recipe ideas! I've followed blogs before who do offer recipes and this is the first I've actually felt inspired enough to try! I hope you do a mix of video and blog entries.

Angie | 10:42 AM

Well, color me surprised.

I really wanted to like this, but was pretty certain I wouldn't. Anyway, it was delicious - thank you! I used baby spinach, white quinoa cook with vegetable broth, slivered almonds and feta cheese. I'm 19 weeks pregnant and trying to eat healthier than I have been so far. Thanks again! Can't wait to see what recipes are next.

Nemaine | 1:01 PM

Great recipe! I love white quinoa but am definitely going to try the red now. Thanks for sharing.

Gina | 1:11 PM

I was feeling resistant when you first posted this (I've been trying to loose weight and I'm frustrated with the deprivation and dicipline). I finally tried it this weekend and I've now had it for lunch 3 days in a row (I bought a box of spring greens and they go bad quickly-I think I may have to eat it for dinner too). I really do love it and I wanted to thank you for posting it. I'm looking forward to following your healthy eating examples.

andrea.d | 2:21 PM

Totally random tidbit: I also make a big batch of quinoa weekly, and use a prepared low-sodium organic broth for the liquid. In Canada, all packaged goods have both French and English labels, and Low Sodium in French is Faible en Sodium. Makes me think of you and Miss Fable every time! Anyway, thanks for the recipe! I enjoy many variations of this salad and will definitely have to try it with blueberries.

Anonymous | 9:27 PM

I learned tonight that quinoa has to be washed well before using it...and I'm the kind of girl that rarely follow those kind of directions. A bitter unpleasant substance saponin coats the grain and it is critical that it is rinsed off before using or make sure it is pre-rinsed before using.

"Broccoli Forest" cookbook is really clear on this and I've been really sick for days because I don't follow directions. :(

Rebecca | 11:16 AM

Love this salad. Actually, I made something similar to the baby meal you described for breakfast this morning - red quinoa and Greek style yogurt, topped with mango slices and a drizzle of buckwheat honey. I may or may not have licked the bowl.

frankiedoodle | 9:16 AM

Yum! I use a rice cooker for my quinoa- just add a tad more water than you would for rice! About the full-fat, non-fat issue, I prefer the full fat, organic and grass-fed yogurt. If it is gras-fed it is high in CLAs (which aid in metabolizing properly) and it's also oh so good for your body! There is nothing wrong with full-fat, healthy yogurt. Just as there is nothing wrong with avocado and walnuts!!! : )