Apple Cranberry Quinoa Salad

I’m just not good with directions.

I really don’t know how this happened. This can be a bit of a disaster when I’m driving somewhere. I have a 2 U-turn minimum. It can be frustrating for those in the car. I’ve just come to accept it as a fact of life. Besides, it’s about the journey, not the destination, right? Right.

Besides, sometimes when you don’t follow directions, you end up somewhere even better than you intended.

At least, that’s what I told Sophia, who organized a little potluck dinner with some girl friends. Technically I was supposed to bring some kind of apple-artichoke salad. Which would have been great, except that I couldn’t find any artichokes. And I live so close to the Carytown Farmer’s Market, I figured I should probably go pick up some produce… and then it only made sense to make a recipe using all that fresh, local, in season produce.

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups butternut squash (about 1/2 medium sized squash)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1 medium apple
• 3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegarette (see note)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Note: I used the Wholesome Goodness Balsamic Vinegarette which is delicious! If they don’t sell that in your area, feel free to use any type of Balsamic dressing. I recommend using one that is a little bit sweet.

Start by rinsing and draining your quinoa. Then bring the water to a boil. Add quinoa and boil for about 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed. While that’s boiling, peel and dice your squash into 1 inch cubes. Spread onto a greased baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 35 minutes, at 350 degrees. Let the quinoa cool and add in cranberries. These will absorb the last bit of moisture. Then add the almonds. Once the squash is soft, let cool, and stir into the quinoa mixture. Shortly before serving, dice your apple and toss it in. (You can do it ahead of time but it’ll get a little brown.) Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette, sprinkle with brown sugar and serve!

It’s actually amazing the variety of foods we had using apples!

I’ll definitely have to post the recipe for that apple salad in the top left.  So delicious & healthy! The apple & pumpkin muffins were amazing as well.

I still have some produce from the Farmer’s Market and I bought some more quinoa, lentils, and split peas at Ellwood Thompson, so I’m going to try to think of some things to do with those… ideas? I really want to try a vegetarian split pea soup recipe, since all the ones I’ve seen so far contain ham. We shall see.

What’s your favorite apple dish?

Pre-vacation Eats & Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Ah, the last few days before a vacation. Desperately trying to use up all the produce, avoid the grocery store, and eat relatively clean, knowing that vacation will probably include plenty of indulgences…

I’m leaving for Boston this afternoon, so I tried not to fill up my fridge this week. I just bought the essentials (bananas, almond milk, kale, and Chobani) and I’ve been eating those things in a pretty solid rotation for the past few days. I know it’s pretty boring, but I like to eat my favorites until I’m sick of them, and it means I won’t come back to a bunch of spoiled groceries.

To avoid absolutely boring you with a recap of the same old thing, here’s a quick snap shot of the things that haven’t changed:

Breakfast– I don’t know if I’ll stop craving these once the weather gets cold, but for now, I’m sticking with these green smoothies.

Lunch– I literally can’t get enough kale these days. Tossed with a little quinoa for extra protein. So good!

Dinner– I was craving Chobani + Protein Powder + Blueberries + Love Grown Granola, so that’s exactly what I had for dinner.

Snacking– I made another batch of this Samoa Granola and I forgot how addicting it is…(Note: it’s much easier to eat after the chocolate sets up a bit 😉 ) I also had a few handfuls of Wholesome Goodness Yukon Mix while Lindsay and I sat on the porch sipping wine.

Despite my rotation of old favorites, I did whip up a new kind of nut butter. Not because I didn’t already have four jars of various nut butters in the pantry, just because I hadn’t made some in awhile, and it’s fun! I had been craving honey roasted peanuts for some reason, which were a childhood favorite of mine, so that was my inspiration for this concoction!

Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

• 2 cups dry roasted peanuts
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional but I liked the subtle flavor)

If you have a Vitamix, this will only take about 5 minutes. If you’re using a regular food processor, it can take up to 15 minutes, but it should still work. Just combine everything in the blender or processor, and let it run on high. You’ll probably need to scrape the sides every 2-3 minutes. If it feels really try, you can add a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil, but give it time. You don’t want to add too much oil, or your end product will be too wet. If you want crunchy peanut butter, reserve 1/3 cup of the peanuts, and add them in the last minute or two of blending.
Nothing like fresh peanut butter to inspire some snacking…

My favorite way to enjoy it is simply with an apple or a banana. I also usually have a scoop of PB along side my morning smoothie. The added protein + fat helps keep me full longer. Then again, the easiest way to enjoy it, is right out of the jar 😉

Do you try to use up all your groceries before a trip?