Once again, it has been far too long since I posted. Sorry about that! I have a lot of recipes I want to share, especially since I've been cooking a lot of new and different things after we switched to being vegetarian. But of course, life got in the way. Specifically, school got in the way. For the past two quarters-- so, about 5 months-- I've been taking online classes to finish up some prereqs for my master's in teaching. The classes will enable me to pursue dual endorsements in Secondary English/ Language Arts (which I was already qualified for) and Middle School Humanities (which is what I needed some extra classes for). Thankfully, summer quarter ended last Thursday. Now I have a month or so to regroup and do fun things before I start my program in the fall.
I have a recipe I want to post today, but first let me confess something:
Becoming a teacher scares me to death.
It always has, actually-- I am 99% sure that is the real reason I quit the teaching program in undergrad (though I legitimately did get interested in other things). I'm afraid that developing lesson plans will be too overwhelming. I'm afraid the kids won't like me-- or worse, that they won't respect me. I'm afraid parents and administrators will hate me. I'm afraid my kids won't learn anything. I'm afraid of being a terrible teacher. And this time around, I'm also afraid of failing at yet another thing. Everyone was very supportive when I dropped my first grad program, but I'm not sure how great the reaction would be if I did it again. But, I've seen time and time again that the scariest things are the ones most doing.
Quinoa, on the other hand, is not at all scary (even if Bob thinks that it looks like bugs). And Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango is definitely not scary.
Quinoa looks a bit like couscous, and has a similar texture to it. It's fluffy, with a bland flavor that goes well with pretty much anything. It is also a complete protein, which is great for us non meat-eaters. It's actually a seed rather than a grain. Quinoa is easy to prepare. We just put it in some water with some vegetable broth powder (use straight up veg broth if you have it, we just use the powder because it is cheaper) and bring it to a boil for 15 minutes, then let it rest off the heat for another 5. Presto! If we eat it by itself, I usually add some garlic or cajun seasoning, but for salads like this I leave it pretty plain.
This recipe is from the cookbook "Veganomicon" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. It by far one of my favorite cookbooks, and you should go out and get it right now.
Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs grapeseed oil (we use olive oil)
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (about 1 cup dry, I think?)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Combine everything in a bowl.
You are done! Serve chilled or at room temperature.
