MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - THAI QUINOA CRUNCH SALAD - SERVES 6

I was looking for something relatively healthy to eat and as I enjoy Quinoa and already had some in the pantry. I found this recipe at Alfredo Recipes. It was just what I was looking for. Gregg was out of town for a few days when I made it, so he didn't get a chance to try. I enjoyed it very much and will make it again sometime. If you like anything with Quinoah and with all the other additions added, I gave it a 10 out of 10. Alredo has a lot of delicious looking recipes to try if you would like to take a look.

Thai Quinoa Crunch Salad - serves 6

Calories per serving: 220

It is a fast-ish recipe and the time to prepare from prep to table is 30 minutes. I always take longer because I do things slowly and in stages.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained 

2 cups water

1 cup red bell pepper, diced

1 cup cucumber, diced (I always use the hothouse cucumbers  - you don't need to remove the seeds)

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup green onions, sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa well under cold water. Don’t forget this step as it removes the natural coating called saponin, which can taste bitter.

In a medium saucepan, combine drained quinoa and water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until quinoa is fluffy and water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and let it cool. 

In a large bowl combine the cooled quinoa, red bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, green onions, cilantro, peanuts and sesame seeds.

In a small bowl whisk together low-sodium soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to meld.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Each serving is approximately 220 calories if you are taking note of such things.

Notes by the host:

You can add cooked shrimp, chicken or tofu for extra protein.

The peanuts can be substituted for a nut-free version such as sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

Adjust the lime juice and honey to taste for a sweeter or tangier dressing.

The host offers other tips if you would like to take a look.

What did I think? 

Very much enjoyed with leftovers which was eaten over the next few days. Another 10 out of 10, for my taste that is. It depends if you like Quinoa and all the veggies. This would be an easy dish for you to add your own favorites. The combination of vegetables and also the dressing was very yummy. As I mentioned, this salad lends itself to add what you would like. If you didn't want to have the Quinoa, I was thinking you could use orzo pasta.

I didn’t have fresh ginger so used powdered.

No more changes were made.  

One night I had a side of crispy tofu and also added a few cherry tomatoes as another side.  The next morning I had it for brunch and added a hard-boiled egg, again with cherry tomatoes.

I was curious about Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah"), so looked it up online. I got all my information from this website. I have only put part of what I read on this one page, as there is enough in there to fill a book. I have done a mini one here so feel free to skip.

"Quinoa is one of the world's healthiest foods. It is a whole grain packed with nutrients, fiber, protein and plant compounds. It has many health benefits and is an easy way to add variety to your diet.

Quinoa is an ancient South American grain that was largely ignored for centuries. 

Interestingly, it was only recently noticed by the rest of the world and hailed as a "superfood" due to its high nutritional content, and now considered a specialty food by foodies and the health conscious.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is the seed of the Chenopodium quinoa plant, see below and borrowed from here.

Botanically speaking it is not a grain. However, it is often called a "pseudograin" because it is similar in nutrients and eaten the same way as cereal grains.

First grown for food 7,000 years ago in the Andes. The Incas called it "the mother grain" and believed it was sacred. 

Although it is now grown around the world, the majority is still produced in Bolivia and Peru. It was largely unknown to the rest of the world until very recently. Since then it has experienced a huge surge in popularly because of its high nutrient content and health benefits. It is also easy to grow in a range of conditions.

Quinoa is also popular because it is a gluten-free grain. This means people with celiac disease, wheat allergies or those who avoid gluten can consume it. Always wise to check with your doctor first if you have any issues, and even if you don’t.  

There are over 3,000 varieties of quinoa but red, black and white are the most popular. They vary in both color and nutrient composition, and are packed with vitamins and minerals, and contain more protein, fiber and healthy fat than other grains.

There is a load more information at the link I have shared above, too much to write down here, but you can read about all health benefits, which there seem to be quite a lot of. 

Again, I would always check with your doctor on the next visit. I will be doing just that on mine. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading their article. It's from a website called Healthline. I guess I am at that stage of my life! 

Anyhow, I have said enough about it today and put it on here for those who have an interest. 

Full addy for the above recipe below:

https://alfredorecipes.com/thai-quinoa-crunch-salad-recipe/

My signature below is from Copilot again. I asked for an Aztec child holding a bowl of quinoa and this is what it came up with. 

This appeals to my hobby as ever since I was very young, I have been interested in costumes/ traditional clothing, not only from around the world, but also from different centuries. 

A memory, as often happens these days. For a while, our school had international student teachers visiting, only for a few days at a time, and then they would go on to another school. At the beginning of their stay, they always introduced themselves by coming into our classroom wearing traditional clothing. They gave us a talk about their country and displayed their own photos/slides from home on the classroom projector. 

That started a life-long hobby as from then on, I always had an interest in the outside world and wanted to learn more. My hobby for collecting books on traditional clothing began. I also found paper dolls wearing international costumes in my Christmas stocking (an old pillowcase was our Christmas stocking). My mother's idea and I owe her for many things, but this encouraged my all-time favorite hobby. And because of the young visiting student teachers who wore these amazing, sometimes colorful, traditional clothing, and listening to them about the geography and history of their countries, I do believe that was the start of my curiosity journey that's stayed with me my whole life.  

If you have stuck with me to the end of this latest ramble, thank you for indulging me. I had almost forgotten that this was my Monday Morning Recipe Post.

I hope you all have a great week 

and Bon Appetit!