soup & salad

Carrot Quinoa Salad with Spicy Chili Lime Vinaigrette

 

Hello lovelies! I hope everyone is having a beautiful week!

I have to say, as much as I love the warm sunny days we have been having, I welcome the occasional rainy day. You see, the rainy days are perfect for binge watching shows without feeling guilty about wasting a nice day. Lately, we have been re-watching Game Of Thrones in anticipation of the season 7 premiere July 16th. It is insane how much I missed the first time around!

Which shows do you love to re-watch?

Okay, now let’s move on to this gorgeous salad. I love a bright, hearty spring salad. I wanted something substantial and healthy, but needed to go to the store. I decided to make a clean out the fridge salad. First, I tossed some carrots with olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, and smoked paprika. Then, baked them in the oven for about 20 minutes.

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While the carrots were cooking, I made some quinoa. Make sure to rinse the quinoa well before you cook it. I use a fine mesh sieve and run water through until it runs clear. This will take away any bitterness from the quinoa. I find that the quinoa turns out the best if I cook it plain, without any seasonings. Then, once it is cooked I fluff it with a fork and add seasoning.

carrot quinoa salad

Next, to assemble the salad, I lay down a bed of fresh spinach.

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Then, put the cooked quinoa over the spinach.

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The next layer is the beautifully cooked carrots.

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Finish the salad with a drizzle of Spicy Chili Lime Vinaigrette and some fresh chopped cilantro. Dig in!

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Carrot Quinoa Salad with Spicy Chili Lime Vinaigrette

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Time: 25 minutes
  • Print

A bright and hearty spring salad

Ingredients


1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 cup water

1lb carrots, peeled and sliced into coins on a diagonal

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups spinach

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

vinaigrette:

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

10 pickled jalapeno slices, chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Combine the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, cover, drop the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. Toss the carrots with olive oil to coat and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic. Add to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping hallway through.
  4. Vinaigrette: whisk together the garlic, chili powder, lime juice, honey, and apple cider vinegar. While whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil. Toss in the jalapenos and season with salt and pepper. The easy way: Put all ingredients into a jar with a lid that seals completely. Shake until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. To assemble: Layer the spinach, quinoa, and carrots. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with fresh cilantro.


Enjoy!

xo Ali Taylor

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Spring Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

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Spring food brings to mind colorful produce and lots of green. I wanted to combine some of my spring produce favorites in a simple salad with a zippy herby vinaigrette. Its an easy side dish for any meal.

First, roast the potatoes and asparagus. I like to toss the veggies separately, because the potatoes will take longer to cook. I use a good drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and some fresh garlic. That is it

Next, make the vinaigrette. I wanted to use some fresh dill, parsley, and lemon. To round out the dressing, I added some honey, apple cider vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust if needed.

To serve, toss the potatoes, asparagus, and radishes together with the vinaigrette. I like this best warm or at room temperature. If you are making it ahead of time, make sure you bring it to room temperature before serving. The dressing may harden a little when chilled.

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spring potato salad

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Spring Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Time: 45 minutes
  • Print

A light and fresh spring salad full of color and flavor

Ingredients

veggies:

1-1.5 lb bag baby Yukon gold potatoes, quartered

1 bunch asparagus, bottoms trimmed and cut into

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 bunch radishes, sliced as thin as you can

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

vinaigrette:

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

1/2 lemon, zest and juice

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 heaping tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Toss the potatoes with olive oil to coat and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic. Add to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping hallway through.
  3. Chop each asparagus stem into 3. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.  Roast on a separate sheet pan lined in parchment for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.
  4. Vinaigrette: whisk together the honey, mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, and apple cider vinegar. While whisking, slowly stream in the olive oil. Toss in the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. The easy way: Put all ingredients into a jar with a lid that seals completely. Shake until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. To assemble: Toss together the potatoes, asparagus, radishes and dress with vinaigrette.


 Enjoy!
xo Ali Taylor

5 Ingredient Tomato Soup

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! It finally feels like fall, so let’s kick off soup season with this deliciously simple 5 Ingredient Tomato Soup. This panty recipe is ready in no time at all. Plus, its the perfect cozy Meatless Monday meal. Serve it with some crusty bread and a green salad, or toast up some golden grilled cheese for a classic meal. Any way you dish it up, it is a definite fall favorite.

5 Ingredient Tomato Soup

A quick and delicious tomato soup better than the canned stuff.


Ingredients


28oz. can whole tomatoes
2 sprigs fresh oregano
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup white onion
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions

  1. Heat a large deep skillet to medium heat.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  3. Add the onions, salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme. Saute 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  4. Add the tomatoes to the skillet, squishing them in your hands.
  5. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
  6. Transfer to a blender or Vitamix and blend until silky smooth.
  7. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  8. Serve with some crunchy croutons, fresh bread, or as is.

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Enjoy!
xo Ali Taylor

Chickpea & Freekeh Salad

Hello lovelies! I hope everyone is having a fabulous week. I thought I’d put a spotlight on lunch this week. My lunch usually consists of either a smoothie or yogurt with fruit and nuts. Simple, healthy, straightforward, delicious….but a tad boring. So, I have been thinking of different ways to shake up my lunchtime routine. (more…)