Cook: Apple-Walnut Salad With Popped Quinoa and Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

I'm walking around Denver this weekend, cold as f*** because I forgot to bring a damn winter jacket, and I spot this thrift shop. I duck inside trying to muster up the cajones to actually eat ice cream in 40 degree weather. I mean normally I'd pass, but this is vegan ice cream at its creamiest and dreamiest and I have no idea when I'll be returning to Denver so I gotta roll with it while I can. I start walking the aisles of this thrift shop and quickly realize it is like no other thrift shop I've ever visited (from here on out I will refer to it as a "thrift shop" with the quotes signifying my extreme skepticism of its legitness). There were designer jeans that still had the tags on them, hand knitted taxidermic animals hanging from the walls, clothes WITHOUT STAINS on them and plates that didn't look like they came from a recently deceased older couple. To go along with the product, the prices, phew, those were simply outrageous. I could get stuff cheaper from Target than I could here. That definitely does not fit my definition of a "thrift shop."

Somewhere around the heirloom quinoa (food? and they call this a "thrift shop"), Macklemore came into my head and I seriously thought about, amongst other things, popping some tags. Let's take a trip into my brain to see just how it all played out... *thought bubbles float by* Heirloom quinoa? What kind of human hating savage donates that to a "thrift shop?" And why doesn't my local grocer carry some of that? I totally should just pop it but it is located right next to the cashier with the big eyes. And she keeps staring at me. I think she sees me eyeing the quinoa and knows what I'm thinking. Wait. Backup. Did I suggest popping quinoa? That's f**king brilliant man. Not only are you good looking, but you are so super...*thought bubble float away* Well, that's enough of that. The "thrift shop" experience did lead me to popping some quinoa and throwing it on a salad. So there's that.

Apple-Walnut Salad with Popped Quinoa and Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

(printable version)

For the salad:

-Granny Smith Apple, sliced thinly

-1/4 cup of walnuts, crushed

-6 ounces of mixed greens

-4 Tbs. of quinoa rinsed

For the dressing:

-1/4 cup of olive oil (the good stuff)

-2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

-1 tsp. Dijon mustard

-1 Tbs. maple syrup

-salt and pepper (to taste)

1. To pop the quinoa: heat a pan with a lid over medium high heat. When the pan is warm, toss a tablespoon of rinsed and dried quinoa into the pan and place the lid on top. When it starts popping, that means the pan is ready. All the quinoa to pop. When it slows down, just like with popcorn, remove it from the heat and set aside. Place the remaining quinoa into the pan and repeat the popping process.

2. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a glass jar with a lid. Shake that baby until it is mixed.

3. Place the greens on a plate (or two or three). Top them with apples and crushed walnuts. Sprinkle the popped quinoa overtop. Pour the dressing on. Eat it.

If you navigate the popping at just the right angle, this salad sounds like...

Click (Food): Vegan Teslas, Beyonce's Indecision, Sunflower Seeds Posing as Risotto and Ben & Jerry's Dairy Free Experiments

So Beyonce can't decide if she is vegan or not, Tesla is getting some heat about replacing their leather interiors with the faux version, Ben & Jerry's is working on a coconut or almond milk based ice cream and you can kill someone with a swarm of angry bees and bananas? Here's some other food related matters that caught my eye this week:



Happenings:

• Beyonce can't decide if she is vegan or not


• Farm Spirit, Portland's first all vegan tasting menu is preparing for its debut (June 17th). Its already been booked through the first week in July.


• Ben & Jerry's is working on a vegan version of their frozen treat


• A pair of Tesla shareholders have asked for a vegan version of the car. The board of directors have recommended against implementing vegan changes in the car.


• Vegans like their junkfood (really, you don't say...I am actually linking to this article because it has a list of some pretty cool vegan snacks you can find online)


• Heather Mills: Saving a limb by going vegan


• Hella Vegan Eats: Vegan, but not healthy.

• 13 Vegan friendly businesses that inspire Business News Daily. 

Recipes:

Homemade Chocolate Nut Butter from Tinned Tomatoes

That cheapo store brand version of Nutella that I buy has milk in it. There's no biscotti dipping for me. Even the regular version of Nutella isn't vegan friendly. But Tinned Tomatoes version is. I already made a throat slashing gesture and told the bunch of bananas on my counter that they are about to get what's coming to them. They called back at me and said they would be under the beehive located on our porch. 

Sunflower Seed Risotto by My New Roots

Sarah, of My New Roots, replaced rice in her risotto with sunflower seeds. Where did she get the idea? A woman in Amsterdam. Sarah suggests that this idea sounded a bit "bizarre" at first. I'm not sure I could've stopped myself from responding "Are you high?" if someone brought that idea to me as I was teaching cooking classes in Amsterdam. I guess that is why my cooking classes are relegated to elementary schools in the deep south. 

Vanilla Macadamia Cheesecake from Neurotic Mommy

This cheesecake comes from Jennifer Rose of Neurotic Mommy. She started her blog because she worried about what she was feeding her kids. She reduced the amount of GMO's in her family's diet and learned how to eat organic on a budget. Good for her. I know a certain neurotic father who went the other route and fed his kids nothing but boxed meals. The current reality isn't a pretty one.

Green Chili Veggie Burgers from Minimalist Baker

I have a certain bit of amnesia when it comes to veggie burgers. I have to, otherwise I would quit trying. Every new version I come across looks better than the last and I just think, this one is the one that will hold up under the pressures of a bun and not wind up needing to be eaten by a fork. And disappointment ensues. This will be my next foray, crossing my green chilis that this will be the one.

Vegan Peach, Cherry and Blueberry Crumble from Healthy Nibbles and Bits

Crumbles with one fruit in them are so awesome. Healthy Nibbles and Bits says yeah, one fruit crumbles are pretty good. But three fruit crumbles are even better. I'm convinced.