I’ve been away for a while, much longer than the week off that I’d planned on taking. I needed to take a break from the pace of the FCI kitchens and my internship, to travel up north for family time and to reunite with old friends, to cook without pausing to take notes or click the shutter, and to eat some amazing food at this seriously good, seriously charming neighborhood eatery, and this destination restaurant/shrine to local cuisine. We capped it all off by ringing in the New Year with champagne and Brian’s now famous paella, and then, before I knew it, I was right back in the thick of things and feeling very disorganized.

I try to take a realistic approach to making resolutions come January 1, avoiding things that I know are futile, like super-restrictive dieting, or resolving to stop compulsively biting my nails (been there, done that). Instead, I like to make lists comprised of a mix of goals and big moments yet to come in the year ahead. Today’s recipe for creamy, hearty breakfast quinoa parlays beautifully into two lists I’ve made this year: my personal list, and my EVK-specific list.

Personal List:

1. Eat (good, nutritious) breakfasts. Coffee alone does not count, neither do the little tasting bites of muffins, scones, quick breads, and biscuits that I (simply must) take while working on morning production at my internship.

2. Attend to household duties as they come up, to avoid last week’s no heat, broken dryer, tub that’s leaking into the neighbor’s apartment, shower handle coming off, thank you notes still not sent scenario. These things tend to spiral out of control.

3. Culinary school graduation date: July 13

4. Wedding date: August 29

5. Interview/trail date for internship at restaurant possessing more than one Michelin star (that will remain anonymous here): January 19

6. Work hard, be nice, etc.

Blog List:

1. More original recipes

2. Better photographs

3. More bread

4. Be less of a lone wolf in the blogging community

It’s going to be a very exciting year, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with EVK readers. Happy New Year!

Breakfast Quinoa

The cooks at the restaurant where I intern make a version of this for brunch, and they get bombarded with orders for it, especially on cold rainy or snowy days. I’ve never asked for the recipe, figuring that I could adapt my experience using quinoa in savory recipes for this sweeter, more moist breakfast version. I used what I had in the pantry to give the quinoa flavor and texture and I encourage you to do so too. There are a million variations for this recipe, which makes it a great base for eating day after day, with a variety of different additives.

Serves 2

The Base:

1/2 cup milk (1% to whole)
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa
tiny pinch of kosher salt

Optional add-ins (these are just examples) all to taste:

dried fruits: (raisins, cranberries, chopped apricots, cherries, figs)
nuts: chopped and toasted (almonds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts)
fresh fruits of all kinds: stir in right before eating
dried, unsweetened coconut
drizzles: honey, maple syrup, agave nectar
spices: cinnamon, clove, or nutmeg
brown sugar

Rinse quinoa in cold water and drain thoroughly. Place the quinoa, water, milk, and small pinch of salt into a 1.5 – 2 qt. saucepan with a cover. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower the heat to med-low. Simmer for 15 minutes with the saucepan covered, then remove from heat and allow it to stand for 5 additional minutes (or until most, but not all of the liquid is absorbed and most of the quinoa is translucent in the center) with the cover still on.

Stir in add-ins of your choice to taste and serve immediately.

Every now and then I discover or rediscover a particular food, and suddenly, my daily eating routine is altered by meals adjusted to accommodate that food. Eating is transformed.  Eating up until the moment of that first taste seems trite.

These love affairs typically last for a few scrumptious weeks before something inexplicably changes, and slowly but surely, my affections fade.  

For the past few weeks, my affections for quinoa have been unwavering. It all began with an innocent, and absent-minded scoop of a yummy salad from the salad bar at my go-to work lunch stop. Even though it was competing with the flavors of a bazillion other foods that I had packed into the little cardboard takeout carton, this salad, which was quinoa-based, was standout. 

 I’ve been eating it every day since, in large helpings, over simple salads of mixed greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

 And while the passion is still hot, I figured I’d share my interpretation of this salad with you all. Spread the love!
Oh, and I’ve been mispronouncing Quinoa for all these weeks – finally someone was gracious enough to correct me.  Quinoa = KEEN – WAH.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

2 cups Quinoa (I bought Ancient Harvest brand and followed the cooking instructions on the box, which may vary. Be sure to follow the cooking directions for the quinoa you buy)
3 cups boiling water
1 lemon’s juice
1 cup finely chopped fresh basil
½ cup finely chopped yellow or white onion
¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

In a 2 quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Cover, remove from heat, and allow the quinoa to sit and absorb the moisture (approx 5 minutes, or until the center of each piece is translucent).  Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Remove from the saucepan and allow to cool completely in a bowl.
Once quinoa is cool, add the lemon juice and vinegar, and stir until fully integrated. Add all of the chopped ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Serve immediately, or save in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days. I found that this was better after it had been in the fridge overnight. Serve over mixed greens or on its own.