Tag Archive for: celery

A Bowl of Quinoa Celery Cranberry Salad

Quinoa Celery Cranberry Salad

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My absolute favorite go-to lunch is quinoa celery cranberry salad. Since it uses dried cranberries, these are typically ingredients you can easily keep on hand. You could also use dried cherries or even raisins but I really love the tartness of the cranberries. I typically make the quinoa in advance but it cooks in 15 minutes so this is still a quick lunch or supper.

This recipe is naturally gluten-free and contains complete protein from the quinoa. It also digests well for most people. As a Digestive Health Specialist, I like to keep that in mind! I use all organic ingredients as well as I feel it is critical to reducing our toxic load.  Also, celery is on the Dirty Dozen list from EWG.org. EWG is a nonprofit organization that helps protect families from toxic chemicals by testing fruits, vegetables, and even personal care products on their Skin Deep site. Consider checking both sites before you purchase non-organic products.  It’s so important, it could save your life!

But I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do. Please let me know if you make any adjustments.

Note: The recipe suggests you let it sit for an hour to bring out the flavors and I typically do. But if you can’t wait, it’s delicious to eat right away.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients

1 cup dry quinoa

1/2 cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries)

1 1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp olive or walnut oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 tsp pink sea salt

1 Tbsp Braggs or coconut aminos

 

Prepare quinoa on the stove according to directions. Typically you use a 2:1 ratio of grain to water. So 1 cup of dry quinoa to 2 cups of water.

Combine cranberries, celery, pecans, and cilantro or parsley in a large bowl.

Combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a small bowl.

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Let sit refrigerated for about 1 hour.

Makes 3-4 servings.

 

Chickpea salad

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Chickpea salad is a healthy way to save money and increase your fiber. My son who is a big meat eater loves this dish. It’s a low-cost version of chicken salad. Serve it on a bed of greens for additional health benefits.

Ingredients (use organic when possible)

  • 1/4 c chopped celery
  • 1/4 c chopped carrots
  • 1/8 c red onion or scallions (optional)
  • 1 can or 2 cups Chickpeas or china dal beans (cooked)
  • 2 tbsp Follow Your Heart Vegenaise to coat
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Sweet relish
  •  1 tsp fresh dill
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp coriander

Preparation:
Mash chickpeas with a fork or potato masher then add the remaining ingredients.  Mix and serve on lettuce, spinach, a gluten-free wrap, or with crackers.

A great on-the-go idea is to place a scoop in romaine or Chinese cabbage leaves and roll/wrap them. This makes them portable and no utensils are required.

Let me know how much you love this!

Brown Rice Salad with Crunchy Vegetables

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This is a great dish to take to a picnic or other group get together and I received rave reviews from it!

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 cups of cooked organic brown rice
  • ¼ c. scallions or red onions
  • 1 small organic red or yellow pepper chopped
  • ½ c chopped organic celery
  • ½ – ¾ c chopped organic carrots
  • ¼ – 1/2 c chopped parsley
  • ¼-1/2 c chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, or walnuts)

Vinaigrette Dressing:

  • ½ c Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 4-5 T Red Wine Vinegar
  • Ground Black Pepper

Preparation:
Cook rice with appropriate water or vegetable broth.  I sometimes use a mix of ½ low sodium vegetable broth and ½ water to cook my rice as it gives it flavor.  If using a vegetable broth to cook rice, you may not want to add salt as broth has plenty of sodium.  I also cook my rice with a couple cloves of minced garlic for flavor and health benefits.
Combine cooked cooled rice and raw vegetables and nuts.  Add parsley.  Mix vinaigrette in separate bowl and pour over rice and veggie mixture.  Serve at room temp.  Can refrigerate up to a day ahead and bring back to room temp before serving.

Original Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman 2. Salads