Summer Quinoa with Goat Cheese.

Late yesterday afternoon, we rolled on home from a wonderful weekend spent at church camp with our fellow Trinity Saints. 

What a joyous weekend it was!

But more on that later.

...And yes, I did take 17,523,234 photos.

But that is besides the point of those post.

After approximately 15 hours in the car (I am exaggerating...but that's what it felt like), we rolled into our driveway.  At 5:00.  Right at dinner time.  Rats.  I still had a car to unload, a baby to bathe, and a load of cloth diapers to wash.  But none-the-less, I also needed some good food in my belly.  I knew whatever I whipped up would have to incorporate lots of freshness, as that was very much lacking this weekend.  I needed some simple, delicious, detox food.  Insert, my newly invented dish, that I lovingly call...Summer Quinoa.

Summer Quinoa
You will need:
 - 1 cup of organic quinoa (Soaked is best, but I skipped that this time!  Quit judging, I was in a hurry!)
 - 2 1/3 cups water
 - 1/4 cup high quality olive oil
 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
 - 4(ish) tablespoons of fresh chives, roughly chopped
 - 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved (or any sort of chopped tomato!)
 - 1/3 cup all natural goat cheese, crumbled
 - Aged Balsamic Vinegar, if you desire

Step One:  In a saucepan, combine the quinoa and the water.  Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer until all the water is evaporated - maybe ten minutes or so.

Step Two:  After the quinoa has cooked, drizzle it with your olive oil and season it with the salt.  Add some freshly ground black pepper too!

Step Three:  Gently toss in the basil, chives, and tomatoes.

Then, move to a serving dish, and top it off with the delicious goat cheese and a few more chives.  Mmm.  Gently drizzle with balsamic vinegar, if you so desire.  I desired.  So, I did.  Like I told you last week - I can't stop eatin' this vinegar!  

Step Four:  Serve.  Eat.  Be replenished.

And that's it.

Almost as fast as boxed macaroni and cheese!  And much more nutritious and delicious.  This is a perfect, quick, easy meal.  Don't skip the goat cheese in this bad boy - it's a requirement.  I'm forcing you to include it.  It adds a salty, sharpness to the dish that, combined with the zing of the tomatoes, is truly divine.

Truly.

If you're looking to satisfy a manly-man's appetite, it would be very easy to toss some cooked chicken or shrimp in here!  My manly-man, however, was not super hungry last night, so the vegetarian version suited him just fine.

It could have been the two mystery-meat hotdogs that he ate for lunch at the camp.

Or it could have been the fact that it was 112 degrees inside our house when we got home and the last thing he felt like doing was eating.

Did I mention that we forgot to take the garbage out before we left?

Bleh.

Anyway, after a few glasses of homemade kombucha, a roasted ear of a fresh corn, some sauteed zucchini, and a plate of this quinoa, I was feeling in tip-top shape again. 

Nope.  That's a lie.  I think I need about 12 more hours of sleep.  Then, I'll be in tip-top shape.  Banana-grams, Trivial Pursuit, and a bunch of that danged 'ol fellowship kept me up way past my 7:45 p.m. bedtime.

Must.  Go.  Recover. 

Make the Summer Quinoa salad and let me know what you think!  Unless you don't like it.  Then, I don't want to know.  I'll cry.

I'm sensitive like that.

The end.

This post part of Monday's Barn Hop and Monday Mania

For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.

Summer Quinoa

• 1 cup organic quinoa ((Soaked is best, but I skipped that this time!  Quit judging, I was in a hurry!))
• 2 ⅓ cups water
• ¼ cup high quality olive oil
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 4(ish) tbsp fresh chives, roughly chopped
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved ((or any sort of chopped tomato!))
• ⅓ cup all natural goat cheese, crumbled
• Aged Balsamic Vinegar, if you desire

1. In a saucepan, combine the quinoa and the water.  Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer until all the water is evaporated – maybe ten minutes or so.

2. After the quinoa has cooked, drizzle it with your olive oil and season it with the salt.  Add some freshly ground black pepper too!

3. Gently toss in the basil, chives, and tomatoes. Then, move to a serving dish, and top it off with the delicious goat cheese and a few more chives.  Mmm.  Gently drizzle with balsamic vinegar, if you so desire.  I desired.  So, I did.  Like I told you last week – I can't stop eatin' this vinegar!  

4. Serve.  Eat.  Be replenished.