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This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy quinoa- the only reason why I haven't posted this sooner is because I never manage to get a good picture before it gets scarfed down. Finally I decided to just post this without a great picture because frankly, you deserve this recipe!
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I'm not sure about the rest of the country but it is hotttt here in Jacksonville, FL. Spring, thank you for showing face for about 2 weeks... next time feel free to stick around longer. When I lived in South Florida we really only had 2 seasons, Deathly Hot and Warm, at least in Jacksonville we have Cool, Chilly, Warm, and Deathly Hot (can't avoid that one sadly). Hey, I'll take what I can get. This watermelon salad will cool you right off. It's perfect for BBQ weather (or basically the majority of the year weather if you're in Florida)  Aka, the easiest throw-together appetizer. This is my kinda dish. I love mushrooms, and I love them even more when they're stuffed with pesto. Give them a try! They're seriously easy to make.  Simple foods are always the absolute best foods. Maybe I acquired this mindset from my grandmother, Mimi. She would always emphasize fresh ingredients, a little salt and good quality oil and you can throw together the most delicious dish. It's so true. I think allowing the ingredients to shine is something we often forget when we make big complex recipes. This salad is classic, it's basic, and it's perfect.  Pheww, that's a mouth full! This a great dish simply because you can modify it to accommodate whatever vegetables you currently have in your fridge/freezer. In it's original form it has both savory and smokey notes with sweetness from the pesto. It's a winner, hands down.  Last week I was so cold. Ice cold. My finger tips were frozen and I just wanted a big bowl of warm hearty soup, this soup in particular. It's a modification of the Pesto Soup that Isa Chandler has up on her website, but I omitted the gnocchi and doubled the beans. To each her own, I do my absolute best to limit my gluten intake for when I am absolutely craving it (like that one time two weeks ago I was literally dying for pizza). Like I always say: everything in moderation! Do your best to make the healthiest daily choices without being too hard on yourself for when you occasionally indulge. Anyways, I'm drifting here. This soup was really delightful and I think you should give it a try.  If I can eat one thing for the rest of my life it may just be these stuffed shells. I was always skeptical about a stuffed shell that had a tofu ricotta filling but I gave it a go and now I don't think I could ever live without this. It's incredible. And perfect. And I want it nowww. Really, I do! Someone make this for me today, please!  There are a few things that will always make me think of my grandma Mimi- homemade preserves, fresh crepes, the famous buche de noel and of course bruschetta. She is a marvel in the kitchen, she takes the simplest ingredients and whips together the most delicious food. She is the inspiration behind my cooking, having been so from the start.  It was a sunny afternoon over a year ago when I first tried this dish at the Lyon family home. We were gathered around in the living room balancing plates of delectable vegetable dishes on our laps, this being one of them. I remember trying to guess the ingredients in the sauce, there was something so delicious that I couldn't put my finger on. Turns out it was cocoa powder! You're going to have to taste this for yourself to appreciate the magical powers of the cocoa in this dish- then we can sing it's praises together!  If you're anything like me that title may have thrown you for a loop. Avocados in pesto? Sounds totally weird, right? Wrong. It's a magical combination that is creamy and divine and perfect in every way. The avocado lends this dish it's creamy texture and the basil, garlic and nutritional yeast really drive home that traditional pesto flavor.  |
