keen-what? quinoa!

Saturday I made a delicious quinoa bean salad recipe that my mom sent me (I think she got it from a magazine).  I first had this when I was down in SC with my family and I was excited to recreate it to take to Easter lunch!

First, chop a block of extra firm tofu into small pieces and lay out over some layers of paper towel (with more on top) for about 5 minutes.  The paper towels get really wet, really fast!  Then throw the tofu in a skillet with about a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle over with a teaspoon of salt.

Saute until the tofu is golden brown all over.  While it's going, boil a bag of edamame beans and drain and rinse a can of black beans.  Also chop up a cup of carrots, about 4 cups of tomatoes, and 1 medium onion.

When the tofu is done, set aside and let it cool all the way.  While it cools and you finish chopping, prepare 1 1/2 cups of quinoa with 3 cups of vegetable broth.  While the quinoa is going, start making your sauce.

Once all the broth is absorbed in the quinoa, mix the quinoa and the dressing together, then add the beans, chopped veggies, and lastly, the tofu.

Delicious and colorful!!

The full recipe (right in my mom's handwriting!)

Changes I made: 

• I didn't have fresh basil, so I used about a tablespoon or more of dried basil.
• I didn't have lemon zest (or a zester to make lemon zest) so I used the same measurement of lemon juice.
• I didn't have (this is becoming a theme) green onions, so I used a regular onion.

Let me know if you make this!  It's a perfect cold summer salad and would be great as a topping on spinach!

It's a beautiful day outside and I'm stuck in a cubicle.  So it goes.  Here are my "goals for the week" or, more aptly named, my "things I'm going to do or would like to do this week":

• make homemade crackers!  This has been on my list for awhile but my sister just gave me a recipe, so I have no excuse anymore!
• get my hair cut (1pm tomorrow!)
• do our taxes (booooo)
• make peanut butter popcorn

Aaaand I ran out of steam.  Clearly I need help with goal setting.  Offer up your own "goals" - for me or for you!