Healthy Living Project #3 and a great Quinoa Salad from Joanne at Eats Well with Others

I want to share a very nice patio meal we had recently (see below) but first, let me tell you how the gluten free diet is progressing. Surprising results!



The gluten free meals have been going well. Doug is now sure wheat is the singular culprit with his acid reflux issues. We had dinner at someone’s house (I know! Shock and awe, we actually socialized!!) and he ate a small wedge of dessert with a graham cracker base. It was such a tiny amount - Gotta experiment somehow, right?

The acid reflux came back that very evening. He had varying levels of discomfort and at times outright pain. All that suffering over a wee bit of graham cracker crust and some sauce. When we first eliminated wheat from our diet (April 4th ) it took ten days for him to feel good. He had not needed any medications after the 10 days passed. After April 14th it was smooth sailing.

No Prilosec, no Tagmet and a Tums only when I overdid it with tomato based sauce AND red wine. All was well until he ingested a small quantity of wheat. Once again, it took 10 days for all symptoms to pass. You have to be vigilant when dining out. Bottom line - eliminating wheat from our diet has removed the acid reflux issue.

Now, as promised, on to a wonderful meal we had on the patio recently - lamb kebabs and a Spring Vegetable Quinoa salad with lemon basil dressing. I saw this quinoa salad at Joanne's site Eats Well With Others. HERE is her original post - it was delicious.

Behold....easy to make. The looks of this salad give the false impression I worked hard to prepare it.



This marinade on the lamb is our favorite. We` served this with Tzatziki sauce and the spring vegetable quinoa....If you like lamb, this was a great pairing. The different tastes complimented one another.



My version of Spring Vegetable Quinoa Salad
From Eats Well With Others

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil+1/4 cup olive oil, divided (or oil from sun-dried tomato jar)
1 c16-oz can of chickpeas
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup kalamata olives, halved
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced basil
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tsp honey
Note: Joanne used kale and I did not

Method

Rinse the quinoa well and then put it in a medium saucepan with the water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer, cooking for about 15 minutes or until quinoa is cooked and water has evaporated. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450. Toss asparagus on a baking sheet (or parchment-lined baking sheet). Brush with the 2 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for 15 minutes. Let cool and then cut into 1-inch slices.
In a large bowl, toss the quinoa, asparagus, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

For the dressing, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, basil, garlic, and honey. Pulse until pureed. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Toss with the salad and serve at room temperature or slightly warm.

This is good warm or cold!



I love patio meals. It's so nice when the weather warms up but isn't too terribly hot. There is a good breeze, excellent food, great company and a glass of cold wine. Yes, please.



Coming up I'm sure I'll have some Nigel Slater recipes and new wines to share. We haven't had our May splurge wine yet so...need to work on that. Work....LOL