Quinoa Tabouli (gluten-free)

1c any 'color' quinoa

2c fresh cold water

2 huge cloves of garlic - smashed and minced

Simmer the quinoa on low until all the water absorbs. Remove from heat, add the garlic and stir gently. Cover while chopping all the vegetables. The heat will mellow the sharpness of the garlic a little.

Combine in a big glass bowl:

quartered grape tomatoes
2 yellow mini bell peppers
celery heart and tops
5 tiny cucumbers
5 green onions
1/2 purple onion
1 med. carrot - grated
zest and juice of 1 lemon
lots of good quality single source EVOO
1/2 bunch each: curly & Italian flat leaf parsley
2 cans of well rinsed-and-drained black beans

Add the slightly cooled quinoa and garlic.
Combine gently. Check the flavors and season. I used Lowry's Garlic Salt, ground black and red pepper. I was making this for our church potluck, so I forgot to take a pic of the finished bowl. Drop down two recipes. . .Yup, it looks pretty much like that Tabouli 😁 . . . Lin

A Smoked Salmon Rice Cake with Fruit

This isn't a recipe, rather more an idea for a quick and very healthy lunch or dinner.

Spread your favorite type of rice cake with smoked salmon spread from the deli. Top with chopped grape tomatoes, dill and black pepper. 

Wash and cut the fruit. Today it was a couple beautiful strawberries and a golden kiwi, which I didn't peel for less mess and more fiber. They have much smoother, thinner skin than the green kiwis. These were drizzled with fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar for crunch. 

Garnished with Kalamata olives. . .Lin

2 'Fruits' and 2 Cheeses

A really simple, throw-together bowl, to create for whenever you're hungry. Today, this was lunch with a pot of wonderful, Black Tartary Buckwheat tea, and a little honey. . .

1/2c± 4% cottage cheese

5 grape tomatoes

1 ripe apricot

grated sharp Irish cheese

fresh ground black pepper

Now that Summer truly has arrived, I'm finding I almost want to spend less time putting big pots of food together. More a grab and go mentality right now, so I can be outside in the yard, and on the deck, with my dogs as much as possible. The big stuff will still get interspersed here and there though 😉 . . . Lin