Lately I can’t get blogging out of my mind. I think about it constantly. My husband hears me talk about it all the damn time and yet I feel waves of guilt for ignoring it over the last year or so.
I’ve recently been expressing my re-interest in writing on my blog to some close friends and family, all of whom supported me with unexpected enthusiasm. My husband is my absolute greatest supporter, in everything I do. He wants me to do this for me. One girlfriend said, “why not now?” and I couldn’t think of any good reason not to. Yes I would love to have a nice fancy camera. Yes I would love a huge and updated kitchen. Yes I would love to have my own domain name, a real .com! Yes I would love to have the time to just blog all day, but guess what? Life just ain’t gonna work that out that way right now. So yes…why not now?
A good friend of ours is making a big move up north for some new beginnings and my husband suggested that this would be a good place to start. A new beginning for our friend and a new beginning for my blog. One of my friend’s favourite dishes that I make is my Quinoa Salad. I’ve never made it the same way twice, and it’s a perfect way to empty out your fridge of any produce you have kicking around. Plus it’s high in protein, full of vitamins and minerals and pretty tasty to boot.
Bell peppers, cucumbers, red onion, tomato, roasted asparagus, almonds seasoned with basil, mustard, apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water or broth
2 bay leaves
pinch of oregano (or any of your favourite herbs)
Salt & pepper
Bring the above ingredients to a boil in a covered pot. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and remove from heat for about 5 minutes and fluff with a fork to cool.
In a large bowl combine any vegetables, chopped into similar sized cubes with some fresh herbs. They can be raw or roasted, however you prefer. Bellow are some combinations for some inspiration.
Raw red bell pepper, radish, broccoli, kale, green onion, avocado, garlic and basil.
Roasted butternut squash, cauliflower and onion. Raw red bell pepper, carrots, avocado, spinach, garlic, sage and basil.
Roasted broccoli and sweet potato. Raw bell pepper, radish, carrots, green onions, olives, garlic, and arugula.
Add the cooled quinoa to the vegetable and herb mix and drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and some sort of acid like vinegar or citrus fruit juice and top with cheese if you like. I usually add either feta or goat’s cheese.
Makes about 4-8 servings, depending on if you are having it as a side or as a meal. Great at room temperature or cold. Perfect to make ahead for parties or for a refreshing meal on a hot summer’s day.
So what now for The Mango Kid Blog? I’m thinking about changing the name to Mrs. Mango…thoughts anyone? Comment bellow to let me know! I’m saving up for a fan-dangled new camera in the future as well for your viewing pleasure. I also want to expand my blog more into a lifestyle blog so that I can write about more than just food and the occasional DIY project. I like trying out a bunch of different things in life and want to share that with you. So stay tuned for posts on my journey through food, drinks, health, DIY projects, beauty, family and friends…who knows really! I’m not an expert on any of these topics so I’m sure some of this will be pretty interesting to follow along!
xo