Yum
Memorial Day always marked the beginning of summer growing up. The pool parties we abundant on our block and all of us kids spent time swimming while all the parents would be grilling up great food!
Instead of the hot dogs and burgers (which I still love) I've grown to include salads as a typical summer item. My idea of salads now run the gamut from pasta, green salads, and grain salads such as the one I'm showing you today.
This is the PERFECT summer salad, with hearty grains, a bit of sweet from the grapes and a bit of bite from the fennel. All drizzled with a fresh lemon vinaigrette. What an excellent compliment to any grilled dish you may be serving up for Memorial Day.
You have to trust this combination. It's absolutely fabulous! The quinoa lends a bit of crunch, and helps fill you with hearty grains. Now I bet a lot of you are going "OH NO! Fennel!" but don't count it out. I don't even like licorice and although fennel has a slight hint of this flavor, eaten raw it is mildly sweet and bitey at the same time, and tastes wonderful! The grapes really hold their shape in the salad and give it a wonderful sweetness. What a great thing to use a fruit in place of a vegetable to jazz up a salad!
So make something that is light and refreshing, easy to make and taste wonderful with any main entrée!
Happy Memorial Day!
Oh, and take a look at this Garden Ribbon Salad...isn't it gorgeous?!?! Recipe coming soon!
Refreshing Quinoa, Fennel, and Grape Salad
Salad:
Instead of the hot dogs and burgers (which I still love) I've grown to include salads as a typical summer item. My idea of salads now run the gamut from pasta, green salads, and grain salads such as the one I'm showing you today.
REFRESHING QUINOA, FENNEL, AND GRAPE SALAD
This is the PERFECT summer salad, with hearty grains, a bit of sweet from the grapes and a bit of bite from the fennel. All drizzled with a fresh lemon vinaigrette. What an excellent compliment to any grilled dish you may be serving up for Memorial Day.
You have to trust this combination. It's absolutely fabulous! The quinoa lends a bit of crunch, and helps fill you with hearty grains. Now I bet a lot of you are going "OH NO! Fennel!" but don't count it out. I don't even like licorice and although fennel has a slight hint of this flavor, eaten raw it is mildly sweet and bitey at the same time, and tastes wonderful! The grapes really hold their shape in the salad and give it a wonderful sweetness. What a great thing to use a fruit in place of a vegetable to jazz up a salad!
So make something that is light and refreshing, easy to make and taste wonderful with any main entrée!
Happy Memorial Day!
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| Refreshing Quinoa, Fennel, and Grape Salad & Garden Ribbon Salad |
Oh, and take a look at this Garden Ribbon Salad...isn't it gorgeous?!?! Recipe coming soon!
Refreshing Quinoa, Fennel, and Grape Salad
1/2 cup cooked quinoa, cooled ( I used tri-colored quinoa)
1 cup red grapes, halved
1/4 cup thinly shaved fennel
1 cup red grapes, halved
1/4 cup thinly shaved fennel
Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons honey or agave
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons honey or agave
Salt and pepper
Combine ingredients for the salad in a bowl and toss to combine. In a small jar, add oil, juice, zest, honey, salt and pepper. Shake until well combined. Pour over the ingredients for the salad and toss. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
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