I adore side dishes like this during the summer.  Make ahead.  Serve at room temperature.  This screams summer.  Bright flavors.  Crunchy texture.  {yum.}

Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked quinoa (red or white)
3 tablespoons of lemon juice (fresh is best)
1/2 teaspoon of raw honey (regular is fine as well)
1 cup of shelled pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup of parsley, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh mint, chopped
1 cucumber, finely chopped
1 spring onion, diced
10 cherry tomatoes, chopped
Zest from one lemon

Directions:

Combine in a bowl the lemon juice and honey.  Whisk to combine.  Then add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat/mix.  Serve at room temperature.

We harvested our very first cucumber yesterday and I made my favorite, super easy, refreshing salad with it.  Although this recipe can be made with any normal grocery store balsamic, I’m a huge proponent of buying a much better quality balsamic when you’re eating it pretty much straight.  Aged balsamic vinegar has such a wonderful complexity of flavors, smooth and doesn’t have that bitter bite afterwards.  I use Olivier Aged 25 year balsamic.  One bottle lasts me typically half the summer – and I use it in many dishes that I make.

Ingredients:

2-4 cucumbers, peeled and sliced into 1.5 inch slices
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic (eyeball the amount more/less depending on the quantity of cucumbers that you use)
1/8 tsp of better quality dijon mustard (I used Maille)
1/2 tsp of fresh chives, sliced into small pieces

Directions:

Add your cucumbers to your bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.  In a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons or so (again depending on how many cucumbers you’re using) and of dijon.  Whisk to combine.  Pour over the cucumbers and toss.  Top with the chives and serve or refrigerate until serving.  Must serve this dish nice and chilled

Okay that title is a mouthful!  My quinoa salad is my own creation but the cilantro lime vinaigrette is from my dear foodie friend, Lauren Kelly, Certified Nutritionist.  I’ll post the recipe here and along with providing you with her link to her blog.

http://laurenkellynutrition.com/2012/02/20/quinoa-avocado-tomato-corn-and-black-bean-salad-with-cilantro-lime-vinaigrette-its-meatless-monday/

So our Meatless Monday dinner consisted of yummy spicy black bean burgers that hubby purchased from Costco.  I’ve been meaning to get to them and I’ve decided that I’m cleaning out my freezers this week and using up what is stored in them.  We grilled the burgers and they were delightful.  Easy and quite filling.

The quinoa salad I prepared earlier in the afternoon and let refrigerate this afternoon.  Pulled it out and served it at room temperature.  Easy peasy!

2 c of quinoa, cook according to package directions
1 handful of green beans, trimmed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 c of Aduki beans, drained and rinsed (you can use black beans as well)
5 new potatoes, cooked whole, drained and cut in half

First, I cook the new potatoes in salted water until fork tender.  Drain and let cool. Cut in quarters and add to the serving bowl.

Second, I boil about 4 cups of water and add the green beans.  Cook for 3 minutes, remove and then submerge in a bowl of ice water to blanch.  This will keep them nice and crispy and bright green for the salad.  Add them to the salad bowl.

Third,  add the peppers and quinoa to the bowl with the potatoes and beans.  Give a good stir.  Set aside.

To make the dressing:

1 clove garlic
1/4 c grape seed oil (I used olive oil)
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/4 c fresh lime juice
Zest of one lime
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
1/4 c fresh packed cilantro leaves