It’s almost the wedding weekend of the summer and we couldn’t be more excited for our friends John + Ashely. The lists have been made of what we need to bring, the schedules have been set and all we need to do is get there and let the fun begin!
It’s hard to believe that summer is really done.
It’s hard to believe that school has started and yellow busses are out in full force.
It’s hard to believe that Labor day is next weekend.
But there is still time. There is still time to make a healthy summer quinoa dish and host a end of summer dinner party to share it with your best friends!
Trust me, if I could bring this to the wedding to share I would. But Brady would probably not want me as a date. And Ashley would probably not want me as a bridesmaid. So there goes that idea.
It’s up to you to share it this weekend!
I will say that I have made this dish a few times this summer and this particular time I made it, I went super heavy on the greens. It was for us for dinner and we don’t mind a few extra pieces handfuls of greens. If you are making it for a dinner party, you may want it to be more quinoa less greens.
Healthy Summer Quinoa with Strawberry, Walnuts + Arugula
- 2 c. quinoa, cooked as directed in 4 c. water with 2 bullion cubes – makes about 4 c. cooked quinoa or more
- 2 c. (very loosely packed) fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 c. baby arugula, chopped
- 3/4 c. candied pecans or walnuts (I candied these by cooking the nuts with about 1/3c. brown sugar, a big drizzle of honey and 1 T. butter in a pan until the sugar melted and the nuts were coated.) but you could just buy them!
- 3/4 c. crumbled feta – more or less according to your liking
dressing: wine vinaigrette
(make dressing but you may not use all of it, add as much as you’d like)
- 1/2 c. Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette – shaken well – (white bottle with a strawberry on it – at most grocery stores)
- 1/3 c. red wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves – minced or pressed
- 1 T. honey
- salt and pepper
- Make quinoa as directed adding bullion cubes to water when cooking.
- Chop spinach + arugula.
- When quinoa is done cooking, let it cool.
- When quinoa is cool, add crumbled feta, candied nuts, arugula, and spinach.
- Mix with dressing and serve!
* This can be done ahead of time. Add about 1/2 of all of the ingredients and store in the fridge and then add the rest just before serving.
Happy Thursday!
