So, last night I was at a picnic that my Bible study group was in charge of hosting. I first decided to make a salad and changed my mind on what I would make about four times. It was between a California Chipotle Chopped Salad from Fitness Magazine or a Chickpea and Heirloom Tomato Salad. I finally decided on the California Chipotle Chopped Salad without the Chipotle. Not because I dislike Chipotle, on the contrary, I love it. It was more out of necessity because I didn't have any.
I am going to provide a link to the original recipe if you prefer it to my rendition.
Here is my version of the recipe:
Sassy California Chopped Salad:
1 avocado
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 can black beans
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 head butter lettuce
1 head red lettuce
Dressing:
3 garlic cloves
3 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp chili powder
Juice of 1.5 limes
2 tbsps agave nectar
Step 1: Cook the quinoa in chicken, vegetable or whatever broth you so choose. I through in a bouillon cube with my water and cooked the quinoa in that. Then I placed it in the refrigerator to cool down while I made the rest of my salad. Why put the quinoa in the refrigerator you ask? Well, I'd prefer no to wilt my entire salad before it gets to the party. Plus, it is just to hot for a warm salad right now! Bleck!
Step 2:
I put all of the dressing ingredients together in the food processor, turned it on, done.
Step 3: Chop the lettuces and throw them in a bowl with the tomatoes, cooked quinoa, black beans rinsed out of the can into your salad. I chopped the avocado in its skin and scooped out into a bowl and poured lime juice on it to stop the browning process. I then tossed it in the juice and later dumped it into the rest of the salad.
Step 3:
Pour the dressing over your salad mixture and toss while you pour to evenly distribute throughout your salad. I would put a bit less dressing than I did this time but I was in a hurry with no time to dig for a container to store the rest of the dressing.
One of the biggest changes in this recipe was my not cooking the black beans. I didn't cook them because it's too hot for cooked beans and I wanted a refreshing salad in this almost 100 degree weather. It was hot enough cooking the quinoa and you MUST cook quinoa. I don't know about you but I refuse to eat that grain raw! Love it, but, not enough to eat it uncooked.
How does this tie into the arts, since that is what my blog is all about? Well, I'm going to get a bit personal here. See, I've been in an ebb NOT a flow season for quite a while. These last few months have been some of the most difficult for me. Lately so much so that I go back and forth about giving up on my dreams. I feel old and stupid for still having them and nothing ever happening or not having the money to make them come true. So, last night the Pastor of the church asked me, "What do you do?" He's smart because he asked this question in two parts. Most of us here in New York have a job that pays the bills and one that is a passion and for most of us pays nothing so far. Among other things, I want to be a writer, so he introduced me to one. It was the boost of support I needed in this dark time and I am very grateful to him for it. The conversation with this man was educational and put a needed fire in my belly that gets blown out from time to time. So, friends, keep doing what you love, or start doing it. Life is definitely too short to hate what you do every day, no matter how much money you make.
Peace!
-E
