Southwestern Quinoa Salad

This is a wonderful Southwestern style salad that is quick and easy to make. It makes a healthy side with quinoa, black beans, corn, peppers, red onion, and cilantro. It also is a great lunch. Best of all, it’s tasty. You can adjust ingredients and spices for your family. The recipe is vegetarian but can be modified to meet vegan needs as noted in the recipe.

Don’t like cilantro? Add Romaine lettuce instead. You can make this salad with white or red quinoa. All quinoa has a nutty, earthy flavor. This flavor is stronger in red quinoa and milder in white quinoa. Red quinoa also has a chewier, almost crunchy texture. Quinoa is a great base for salads because it’s nutritious, and it soaks up the flavors of the dressing and seasonings. Quinoa is gluten-free, rich in fiber and a great source of protein. The longer the salad chills in the fridge, the more flavor it will have. The dressing soaks into the quinoa and makes it super flavorful and delicious. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours for optimal flavor. Try making a bowl on Sunday, and package lunches for several days.

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Fresh Succotash

Succotash originated from Narragansett Native Americans living in the area now known as Rhode Island. The name is derived from a Narragansett word meaning “broken or boiled corn kernels.” Native Americans introduced succotash to struggling colonists in the 1600s.

Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Americans! Today is the perfect time for a historic fresh vegetable side dish originally shared by Native Americans in the 1600s. Succotash is a highly underrated dish made with fresh sweet corn kernels, squash, onion, tomatoes, and lima or other beans. I remember enjoying it as a child with summer meals. Many Americans consider it a southern dish, but there are variations of the dish across the country. Now in modern times you can personalize the seasoning blend to be Greek, Latin, or Cajun. For example, you could use a green bell pepper or a red one. Today I am adding green beans, red bell pepper, cumin, and a jalapeno pepper. You can add whatever beans you have. Nearly every version has lima beans included but sometimes with the addition of other beans. I recommend using fresh vegetables in the summer if available except for the lima beans. You may use frozen lima beans defrosted.

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Mexican Corn on the Cob

Do you love the taste of fresh, sweet corn?  Today we’re talking about revving up corn on the cob with a spicy twist. Mexican Corn on the Cob (also called Mexican Street Corn and Elote Corn) is a favorite street food in Mexico that’s easy to make at home.  You can make it the traditional way on a grill or you can put it in the oven next winter when it’s too snowy to grill. For oven Mexican corn, put the corn with husk on directly on the oven rack and roast 40 to 45 minutes until tender. Then add butter and toppings. Still yummy!

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