Quinoa & Bean Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

We just returned from a very relaxing holiday and were craving some of our favorite 'Canadian Foods'.  Cuba is famous for their 'black beans and rice' dish (which I just happen to love) and their fruits are delicious.  Their tomatoes at this time of the year are juicy and very tasty as are their cucumbers, seeing as it's still Winter here in Canada it is always a nice treat to be able to eat ' vegetables' fresh from the garden.  Tropical fruits such as watermelon, honeydew, pineapple and strawberry papaya - so sweet and juicy and we enjoyed them every morning for breakfast.  This salad has been a favorite of ours for many years - I first saw the original recipe in a Canadian Living magazine and have since adapted it to our tastes, this is my version below.  Passata tomatoes you can find in most tomato sections at the supermarket (or just drain you own canned tomatoes and blend) and you can change the type of beans/peas etc to your tastes - I love to use basil and oregano but the original version uses Italian herb mixture.

  I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we do.  It is great to make when the green beans are fresh from your very own garden and makes a wonderful summer lunch. This recipe makes a very large portion and is perfect to take to a potluck or any large gathering.

Quinoa & Bean Salad with Tomato Dressing

The ingredients you will need.

The Quinoa is cooked, the vegetables are diced and ready for the bowl.

The Kalamata olives will be sliced.

All the ingredients are assembled into a large bowl.

Tomato Vinaigrette is ready to dress the salad.

  

This healthy and colorful salad can be served as a main course or a side.

Quinoa and Bean Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette Recipe

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups green beans, trimmed and chopped

1 can mixed beans, chickpeas (or beans of your choice)

1 small onion, diced

1 sweet red pepper, diced

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced

Tomato Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup bottled strained tomatoes, (passata)

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon honey (can add up to 3 TBSP  if you like)

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of cayenne

Method:

In saucepan, bring quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12 minutes.  Fluff with fork and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch green beans until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.  Drain and refresh in bowl of ice water.  Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Stir in the cooled quinoa, beans, onion, red pepper, feta cheese and olives.

Tomato Vinaigrette:  Whisk (or put into a small jar) together the tomatoes, vinegar, oil, honey, seasonings, salt, pepper and cayenne.  Pour over quinoa mixture and stir to coat.

It can served at room temperature or cold, add a nice crusty bread and you have a meal.

'The heart is like a garden.

It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love.

What seeds will you plant there?

.....Buddha'

Mushroom and Olive Stuffed Cheese Bread

Family get togethers and snacks or just snacks for a weekday afternoon.  Something quick and tasty to take along on a picnic or just to enjoy with family while watching a movie; add this to a hot bowl of soup and you have a meal.   This Mushroom and Olive Stuffed Cheese Bread would be a great lunch to pack for the kids to take in their school lunch or the Husband/Wife to take to work.  I had come across a recipe for a Cheese Bread in the Food Network Magazine and added my own touches to it - I though the original recipe needed more 'substance' so I added finely minced mushrooms and black olives.  I also served this Cheese Bread with a small bowl of ' tomato dipping sauce', you can dip it into Ranch Dressing or something with a kick by adding some hot sauce to the tomato sauce - I think whatever your family likes!  Enjoy. 

Mushroom & Olive Stuffed Cheese Bread

The ingredients you will need.

The dough has been mixed together, kneaded and left to rise for 1 1/2 hours.

Beautifully risen dough ready for the stuffing.

First half of the dough rolled out and ready to be filled.

Mozzarella cheese, finely chopped mushrooms and olives,

for stuffing inside.

Fold the dough over the stuffing and seal the edges.

Cut into 1 inch strips 1/4 of the way through and sprinkle

with the cheddar cheese/herb mixture.  Place on some

parchment paper and it's ready for the oven.

Close up view of the cuts and sprinkled cheese topping.

  

Oh it's cheesy, gooey and so very good.

All that's needed is the dip.  Enjoy!

MUSHROOM & OLIVE STUFFED CHEESE BREAD RECIPE

For the Dough;

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (I like Bread Machine Yeast

because you can mix in right in with the dry ingredients)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 cup warm water

 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Filling;

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped fine

1/4 cup sliced olives, chopped fine

1 teaspoon dried parsley and oregano

Make the dough:
Whisk the dry ingredients together, add the olive oil and water

and stir until it comes together, then put onto a floured counter and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, dusting with flour as needed.  Put into a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.

Make the filling:

Toss 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, the cheddar and pecorino, garlic salt, granulated garlic and dried parsley and oregano in a bowl. In another bowl mix the rest of the mozzarella with the mushrooms and olives and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Cut the dough into two pieces and roll our each piece into an 8 - 10 inch rectangle

Sprinkle half of the mushroom/olive/cheese mixture onto one side of the dough and

fold over and seal the edges well.  Do the same with the other piece of dough.

Take a sharp knife and cut slits 1/4 of the way through the dough - one inch width in between pieces -

Sprinkle the cheese and herb mixture on top of the cut and stuffed dough.

Place in hot oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes until baked through and the cheese is golden brown.

Let cool slightly and then pull apart into 'breadsticks' or slice into pieces. 

'I would like to live the way the river flows: carried out by the surprise of it's own unfolding.'

John O'Donohue

Barlely and Beans Salad

Salads are the perfect meal for lunch, a light supper or even as a snack in between meals.

This Barley and Beans Salad would travel well on a trip or to work.

Our family loves beans (and corn too!) so the combination of them both - Yum!

This salad is hearty and has a bit of a kick so colourful and very filling.

.  You can add the herb sand any bean combination  your family likes best .

 

 

Barley and Beans Salad

 

Colourful, healthy and quick to make.

 

 

The ingredients you will need for the salad.

The ingredients you will need for the dressing.

The barley has been cooked and cooled.

Kidney Beans, Black Beans, Corn and veggies have been added to a large bowl. 

All that is needed is the dressing and some tossing!

 

 

Beautiful, colourful and oh so tasty......Barley and Beans Salad.

 

 

BARLEY AND BEANS SALAD RECIPE

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup pearl barley
2 cups water

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1  can corn kernels, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup red onions or sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced

 

Dressing:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups water to boil.

 Stir in barley and reduce heat to medium-low.

Cover and simmer 30-40 minutes or until tender.

 If using a rice cooker, increase water to 2 1/2 cups. Allow barley to cool.
 In a large bowl, combine the cooled barley, beans, corn, red onion and bell pepper.

 Mix well.
Combine remaining ingredients, whisking in olive oil. Pour over salad and toss well.
Serve at room temperature or chill in fridge for several hours.

You may not need all of the dressing, use your discretion.
 If serving chilled, reserve some of the dressing to pour over salad just before serving.

 

'The human soul is to God is as the flower to the Sun;

 it opens at it's approach and shuts when it  withdraws.'
B. Whichaile