I’ve mentioned the amazing “girls” that I work with and how each day one of us brings lunch meaning you only pack lunch ONCE A WEEK!  This is beyond brilliant.  I can say this because it totally wasn’t my idea.  Each of us find that we can be creative once a week so the meals that we are having each day are quite fabulous.  I am hoping that they will like this recipe in the sultry heat.

We might be working stiffs but we are “Ladies who lunch” at heart.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/food/recipe_swap/recipes-for-eventual-warm-weather-122570753.html

Spiced quinoa salad
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
175 ml (3/4 cup) quinoa
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) curry powder
2 ml (1/2 tsp) cumin
1 ml (1/4 tsp) cinnamon
2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
2 ml (1/2 tsp) black pepper
375 ml (1 1/2 cup) chicken stock
1 x 398 ml (1 x 14 oz) can chickpeas (sometimes called garbanzo beans), rinsed well and drained
125 ml (1/2 cup) walnuts, pine nuts or cashews, toasted and chopped
125 ml (1/2 cup) golden raisins, soaked in hot water for 3-5 minutes and drained
60 ml (1/4 cup) parsley, minced
1 tomato, chopped

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the quinoa, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered for about 20 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, stir in chickpeas, nuts, raisins, parsley and tomato. Can be served warm or cold. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Here’s what I did differently though:
1)  I cooked the quinoa with the chicken stock and the spices.   Just at the end I added the raisins so that they were soft.  One pot and less mess,.
2)  Because I had them, I used: smoked almonds (chopped), beluga lentils, spring onions and dark raisins.

Serve with a nice bit of grilled chicken.

Hmmmm…maybe some chunks of chocolate for dessert.

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