Hi guys! Hope you had a nice weekend. Ours was a little hectic (but what’s new!?) We had another charity dinner party at our house on Friday night. It was a really fun group, and I really enjoyed having everyone. I was telling Pete that I actually like to do these kind of dinners (think 5 courses) occasionally just to make sure I’ve still got it. I think I’ve still got it.

Plus I love to share all of my insane Christmas decorating with others. I can’t help it- I just eat this season up.

We also had Pia and Coco’s last Cinderella performances, so the storm of that has settled for a while. I think I am just really looking forward to trying to enjoy and soak up the next few weeks with the family and hopefully a few less obligations.

 

So I am starting to think ahead not only to Christmas Dinner, but to a bunch of dinners that we have planned with friends and family over the next 2 weeks. I love to be able to bring a dish to those dinners that I am not throwing. Not only is it polite to contribute, but then I can be assured that there is something I will for sure be able to eat without troubling the host to be making me special food. This Christmas Quinoa Salad is just that kind of thing.

Fluffy Quinoa, sweet oranges and pomegranate seeds, crunchy pistachios and salty bacon make for a pretty incredible and flavorful combination and a perfect side dish for pretty much any meal! Plus, it is so pretty and festive looking that it feels totally special and as though t deserves spot on a Holiday table.

I have few more delicious holiday recipes coming this week, and a Holiday Decoration Tour again! Stay tuned…

 

 

Recipe: Christmas Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

  • • 2 cups Quinoa
  • • 1 1/2 cup water
  • • ½ cup white wine
  • • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • • kosher salt to taste
  • • 1 large shallot, minced
  • • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • • ¼ cup olive oil
  • • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • • 1 orange, sectioned
  • • ½ cup toasted pistachio’s rough chopped
  • • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • 4 pieces crispy bacon, crumbled
  • • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
  • • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • • kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, combine the water and the white wine, and then add the rinsed and drained quinoa and the salt. Whisk everything together and heat over medium heat until lightly simmering.

2. Turn the heat to low and put a lid on the pot. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat off and remove the pot from the stove and let it sit another 10-15 minutes.

3. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside to cool

4. In a small bowl combine the shallots, vinegar and olive oil and orange juice and whisk together.

5. In a large bowl combine the cooled quinoa and the olive oil mixture, tossing to coat the quinoa. Season to taste with Kosher salt

6. Gently fold in the oranges, pomegranates, pistachios, dried cranberries  crumbled bacon and fresh parsley. Season with kosher salt and transfer to a serving platter.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

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Hi guys! Hope you had a nice weekend. Ours was a little hectic (but what’s new!?) We had another charity dinner party at our house on Friday night. It was a really fun group, and I really enjoyed having everyone. I was telling Pete that I actually like to do these kind of dinners (think 5 courses) occasionally just to make sure I’ve still got it. I think I’ve still got it.

Plus I love to share all of my insane Christmas decorating with others. I can’t help it- I just eat this season up.

We also had Pia and Coco’s last Cinderella performances, so the storm of that has settled for a while. I think I am just really looking forward to trying to enjoy and soak up the next few weeks with the family and hopefully a few less obligations.

 

So I am starting to think ahead not only to Christmas Dinner, but to a bunch of dinners that we have planned with friends and family over the next 2 weeks. I love to be able to bring a dish to those dinners that I am not throwing. Not only is it polite to contribute, but then I can be assured that there is something I will for sure be able to eat without troubling the host to be making me special food. This Christmas Quinoa Salad is just that kind of thing.

Fluffy Quinoa, sweet oranges and pomegranate seeds, crunchy pistachios and salty bacon make for a pretty incredible and flavorful combination and a perfect side dish for pretty much any meal! Plus, it is so pretty and festive looking that it feels totally special and as though t deserves spot on a Holiday table.

I have few more delicious holiday recipes coming this week, and a Holiday Decoration Tour again! Stay tuned…

 

 

Recipe: Christmas Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

  • • 2 cups Quinoa
  • • 1 1/2 cup water
  • • ½ cup white wine
  • • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • • kosher salt to taste
  • • 1 large shallot, minced
  • • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • • ¼ cup olive oil
  • • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • • 1 orange, sectioned
  • • ½ cup toasted pistachio’s rough chopped
  • • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • 4 pieces crispy bacon, crumbled
  • • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
  • • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • • kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, combine the water and the white wine, and then add the rinsed and drained quinoa and the salt. Whisk everything together and heat over medium heat until lightly simmering.

2. Turn the heat to low and put a lid on the pot. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat off and remove the pot from the stove and let it sit another 10-15 minutes.

3. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork and set aside to cool

4. In a small bowl combine the shallots, vinegar and olive oil and orange juice and whisk together.

5. In a large bowl combine the cooled quinoa and the olive oil mixture, tossing to coat the quinoa. Season to taste with Kosher salt

6. Gently fold in the oranges, pomegranates, pistachios, dried cranberries  crumbled bacon and fresh parsley. Season with kosher salt and transfer to a serving platter.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8