Quinoa Sorrento Salad

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It’s been sticky and humid this summer so it’s refreshing to bite into something that doesn’t require heating up the whole house. I don’t typically like salads because I start feeling like a rabbit chomping on grass. The addition of protein-rich (and easy to cook!) quinoa into this salad mix mixes it up. One scoop is good as a side along dinner, or a big bowl of it will make a tasty lunch.

The vinaigrette made out of shallot and red whine vinegar is acidic and robust without being to pungent. It’s easy to add whatever pits of crunchy, sweet, or salty items you have laying around the house too. Any dried fruit or nut mixture will work, but make sure not to skip the cucumber — it’s crucial to the lightness of the salad.

Super Smooth Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

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Sometimes I feel silly buying things in the grocery store that can easily be made at home. Other times I’m lazy and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Hummus is one of those things (like pomegranate seeds) that have huge markup at the store for the sake of convenience.

Since I’ve found a hummus recipe I like, I’ve vowed to (almost) never buy hummus at the store again. This hummus comes together in a food processor and it makes more than twice the amount that a standard container holds. It’s very creamy and smooth and it is easy to add flavors to. I had a jar of roasted red peppers and mixed some in while this was processing.

Dig in with chips, crackers, or pita bread. This is also a great, flavorful spread on a sandwich or wrap.

Pork Souvlaki with Tzatziki

I got the idea for this recipe from Serious Eats. This recipe “passes”, and gets to be written in the real Recipe book!

The main part that I kept over-looking was the “marinate over-night” part, so just to let you know, you need to marinate this over night!!! Okay, now that that’s over. This was served with red lentils cooked in chicken broth with some sprouts and roasted red pepper and toasted naan. Sounds good, right? The lentils were bad, but everything else was delicious!