Day 24 - Vegenaise & quinoa my new friends

I have blogged about Vegenaise few posts ago and finally got around to buy a jar. I love the taste/use of mayonnaise but can't eat it without getting sick. We cut mayonnaise completely out of our diets years ago, but at times mayonnaise is required for certain things. The jar of Vegenaise was about $3 and equals a regular size of a jar of mayonnaise. It smells similar but tastes a little different. And it has no eggs! Yesterday was the first time I tried it. I mixed salmon with Vegenaise and put it on my Cilantro-Spinach tortilla. Added a little spinach and cheese...and YUM! Today at work I forgot to pack some tortilla but were still able to eat some salmon with melted cheese mixed with Vegenaise and some spinach added for nutrients. It was really good and I was able to enjoy the Vegenaise even more. I highly recommend it to people who have issues with mayonnaise but still need some sort of mayonnaise-supplement.

I am sure if I would serve Vegenaise at a potluck nobody would be able to tell the difference.

Boise's weather is finally catching up with the season! We are enjoying the hot weather and the garden is def. benefiting from all the sunshine. I replanted some plants, but they died because of the extreme weather conditions and also due to my not so skillful replanting. But the kohlrabi, broccoli, zucchini, peas and cilantro are looking real good! We were even able to eat ONE strawberry (well Amelie was the honorable one)...hahaha. Strawberries are not doing too well, but I guess one has to have a lot of plants in order to benefit from them.

Organic quinoa

Tonight our dinner plans were quinoa. The first time I read about it was in Anna Getty's Organic Cook Book. I was intrigued and wanted to know more about it. The weekend we visited Tom's parents, Tom's mom taught me a little about the interesting little plant - which is used as a grain but has nothing to do with a grain. Weeks later, my co-worker Stefanie came to me and asked me out of nowhere if I ever had quinoa and let me taste her deliciously prepared quinoa salad. She even gave me the recipe. (Thank you Stefanie) I finally got some organic quinoa at the Co-op. Luckily Stefanie told me how she prepares hers which saved me a lot of time and headache. I put the quinoa in the rice cooker added some water and ta-daaaa...perfect little side dish done!

Salmon patties with cheese & quinoa

I added some cucumbers, sea-salt, pepper, olive oil, olives, a little lemon juice, black beans, fresh onions and done! (ingredients all organic - besides the sea-salt) We purchased some inexpensive frozen salmon patties. I didn't have many expectations, but those patties barbequed on the grill...wow! Full of flavor, topped with Tillamook (white aged cheese) - you got a real good meal. The quinoa and the salmon complimented each other so well. I am def. going to make this dinner more often.

WISDOM OF THE DAY

What? How do you pronounce quinoa? That's how you pronounce it: KEEN-wah

Though not technically a grain, quinoa can substitute for nearly any grain in cooking. Actually the seed of a leafy plant, quinoa’s relatives include spinach, beets and Swiss chard. Due to its delicate taste and rich amounts of protein, iron, potassium and other vitamins and minerals, it is quite popular. It is also a good source of dietary fiber and is easily digested.

Quinoa is an ancient crop that grows in poor soil, dry climates and even mountain altitudes. It is native to the Andes, but is also grown in South America and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Although it can grow in arid conditions, it thrives best in well-drained soil. You should be able to find quinoa in health food stores and larger supermarkets.

A quinoa grain is flat and has a pointed oval shape. The grains exist is several colorations, including yellow, red, brown and black. When cooked, quinoa expands to about three or four times its size. It also has a unique texture; the grain itself is smooth and creamy, but the tail of the grain has a crunchy texture. 

-http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-quinoa.htm