Sweet Quinoa Salad

This week has involved a lot of prep work to Thankscooking, therefore I have become even more lazy at lunch. This is my favorite go-to quick lunch, when I am busy, and on-the-go, and urban, and working, and…. ok it’s mostly for when I don’t feel like cooking and it goes well with Sports Center.

Health benefits of quinoa aside, this salad is bomb just for its sweet/earthy balance. The carrots and cranberries balance out the quinoa. It’s delish, and it will keep for about a week in the fridge.

All you do is mix these guys together (duh):

2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup steamed edamame, shelled
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup shredded carrots (I usually use a vegetable peeler to get really thin slices)
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Of course, adjust the measurements as you see fit. Easy peasy!

Glazed Carrot Sweet Potato Casserole with Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce

Day 2 of Thankscooking Week! This dish is super simple and might be a good contribution to your holiday dinner if you are feeding a more traditional crowd. Make no mistake though - if your little brother openly opposes vegetables, you’re not winning any battles with this meal. There’s not necessarily a copious amount of sugar in either dish, so take caution.

Let’s start with the glazed carrot sweet potatoes. They are mostly what you might expect out of a sweet potato - peel, cube and boil for 20 minutes. However, while your taters are boiling, chop 2 carrots for each tater you’re using. I only made this dish for one (#lotsoffriends) and still had plenty of leftovers, so I’ll give you that recipe. Double, etc, as needed.

Glaze your carrots while waiting on the potatoes. And by that, I mean, saute on medium low in a little bit of olive oil for about 10 minutes. Then add 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup, and cook another 5 minutes.

When your taters are done, drain and mash them, add the carrots, and mix in 1.5 tbl brown sugar, 1 tlp earth balance, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

The orange pomegranate cranberry sauce shown here is pretty simple as well. Here’s what you should find somewhere in your house:

1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tbl honey (or agave syrup if you’re not into honey)
1.5 cups whole cranberries
1 tbl orange marmalade
1/2 cup pomegranate arils

Heat the sugar, water and honey over medium-low heat until everything is dissolved. Add the cranberries and cook about 5 minutes, or until the skins pop. Don’t be alarmed - cranberries have no sensor for pain and cannot feel this process.

They’ll be fine! Promise. So stir in the orange marmalade and pomegranate, and let chill before serving.