dinner with friends

I love having friends over for dinner. Fortunately for me, many of my friends love cooking and eating delicious food just as much as I do. The other night two of my very good friends came over for dinner with lots of fresh, delicious ingredients; what resulted was a delicious and healthy week night dinner. Cooking dinner is such a de-stresser for me after a long day of work, as is seeing my friends who always make me laugh. I know that it is sometimes hard to make dinner after a long day at school or work, but with recipes like these, it is incredibly quick and easy. And I promise you, once you get into the swing of it, you'll look forward to making your dinner. Not only will you have something tasty to eat, but you'll feel accomplished as well. And if you still can't bring yourself to cook, invite yourself over to my apartment, I will be more than happy to cook for you too!!

These recipes are truly easy. A few of my friends are always making fun of me, because I'm often claiming that everything I cook is really easy. But, it is --I promise! I find that most of the recipes I create are interesting, yummy, flavorful, and creative, but not complicated. The ingredients in these recipes are some of my absolute favorites to cook with. The salad credit must go to my friend, who generously put this delicious salad together. Kale salad is delicious, and I find, often under appreciated. Kale scares a lot of people, especially when raw, but just try it out, and let me know what you think!


Tri-Color Quinoa with White Wine Mushrooms and Fresh Lemon Kale Salad

1 cup of Quinoa (I used a blend of white, black, red quinoa*)
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 shallot, chopped
A good splash of white wine
1/2 tsp of rosemary and thyme
1/4 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

mushrooms deglazing in white wine

Combine 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa in a pot over high heat. Once water is boiling, turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook on low for about 10-15 minutes, checking frequently and fluffing with a fork once done. Add salt, pepper, and cumin and mix to combine.

Add a splash of olive oil to a separate pan, over medium heat. Add shallots, cooking until they start to turn translucent (a few minutes) and then add the mushrooms. Cook on medium-high for 5-7 minutes adding rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add a splash of white wine to the pan, turning on high and letting the alcohol cook out for a minute or two before turning down the heat to low. Combine mushrooms with quinoa, stirring and then adding in fresh tomatoes.

1 large head of Kale
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Kale salad, you must try

Cut Kale into bite size pieces and add to a large bowl. Whisk olive oil and lemon juice together with salt and pepper. Pour half of the dressing over the kale, massaging into the kale for a minute until the kale starts to turn a darker shade of green. Add walnuts and feta to the kale and toss. Add extra dressing slowly as desired.
enjoy!

a seriously delectable combination

*Quinoa is a grain, and cooks somewhat similarly to couscous. It also happens to be full of protein, and gluten free, and one of my favorite things to eat! Quinoa comes in multiple colors, but white/regular quinoa is most often eaten. I like the combination of the three --red and black are a bit nuttier and harder than the white, so it gives a dish a nice textural contrast.