Fruits From the Garden ~ Purple Dragon Quinoa Summer Salad

Summer is passing fast but thankfully, the fruits from the garden still abound. Growing some of the staples of my plant-based diet proved to be a smart thing to do, and it also taught me some lessons about growing plats like legumes and carrots. But that is another story. I also have a wonderful neighbor next door and she is the tomatoes and peppers maven. They grow so easy for her! And she was generous enough to share some with me. All those fresh veggies and the hot temperatures we have been having, after weeks of 55F- 75F weather, really called for a bright and colorful summer salad.

The name of the salad is in honor of the purple dragon beans which I grew this year. These beauties were a work horse in the garden. They were so prolific that I had to pick beans every other day. While they are purple on the plant, sadly, the color changes to green when cooked. Still, they are delicious and perfect in this recipe.

Today’s recipe is a very forgiving one and truly, you do not need measures. Which makes it perfect for scaling up or down depending on the number of people you are feeding. For this version I added the following ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups red quinoa. cooked

  • 1 orange pepper, chopped

  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped

  • 1/2 cup of chopped kalamata olives

  • 1 can garbanzo beans

  • 1 can cannellini beans

  • 1/3 cup basil

  • 1 cup cucumber, chopped

  • 1 lb of green beans, blanched for 2 mins.

  • Plant-base feta cheese (I use Violife brand)

Combine all the ingredients on a big bowl, dressed with the vinaigrette dressing and serve.

For the dressing, combine:

  • 1/3 olive oil

  • 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced

  • Italian seasoning blend

  • Salt and pepper to taste

And that is it! It is super easy and super tasty. And most definitely perfect for a late summer lunch or dinner.

*** One of the reasons I love this salad is because it is jammed packed with protein from the beans and quinoa. I have been trying to increase my protein intake, which can be tricky on a plant-based diet, and salads like these are a great way to do so. But honestly, even if you are not on a plant-based diet, this salad is sure to please the pickiest of palates.

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Tales from the Trail: Sometimes You Have to Ditch the GPS, August Goals + Team Trail Sisters

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Hello, strangers! I cannot believe it has been a month since I blogged. Time sure passes fast when you are having fun. Well, I would not call it fun, but I have been busy doing stuff around the house, training and just trying to stay busy. I am in the second month of my training and I am still loving it, although I think my coach knows I like a bit of improvisation, and my schedule allows me to switch scheduled workouts during the week, based on how I am feeling. A 47-year old body sometimes feels like a much older one. So I have enjoyed that aspect. But this past week I started to feel like running was more like a chore.

If you remember, before this training, I was the “zen runner” type, not caring about times, laps and splits. And this week, I went off-trail in a sort of way. I went running just for the joy of it without a watch. And it was liberating. I do not want you to think that I do not like training, because I am loving the aspect of pushing my time, and I have managed to improved my 5K time a few times in the past two months. But sometimes, the GPS has to be off.

The latest escapade took me to Coyote Trail at Whitewater State Park— my nemesis. I love/hate this trail. It is a point-to-point trail and regardless of where you start, the beginning is a straight up long steep hill (with approximately 20% grade) which gets you to the top of the bluff. There you will find a beautiful meadow that always makes me think of The Sound of Music. The trail then winds south leading you to Dakota Trail (to the right) or Coyote Point (left). I took Dakota Trail which is even more steep than Coyote Trail. And remember, what goes up and down, must go down and up. Those descents on rocky terrain really leave my knees sore. And I do not think I tied my shoes tight enough because my big toenail was hurting at the end of the run because my foot kept moving forward. But other than that, it was a good run. Slow, but good.

This weekend I have my long run which I have come to love and looking forward to it. Interestingly, one thing that has come out of training for trail running? I am falling back in love with road running. LOL. But that is another story. Have a great weekend!

Crossing the Whitewater River

Crossing the Whitewater River

This is a technical trail and it SUCKS… but I love it too!

This is a technical trail and it SUCKS… but I love it too!

What goes down…

What goes down…

Must go back up. Ugh.

Must go back up. Ugh.

About the only “fairly” flat surface on that trail.

About the only “fairly” flat surface on that trail.

Happy to be done!

Happy to be done!

AUGUST 2020 GOALS & PLANS

August is here and I can’t with how quickly this year is going. I am back to work, although it is full time remote for the rest of 2020. This still saves me one hour (each way) commute and that makes a difference with training. This month we continue slowly building my endurance and speed on the trails, but also start working on the technical aspects of trail running. I am excited for that. I was preparing for a trail running camp with other fellow military veterans, but due to COVID, it is now postponed until March. Yes, I get to escape the bitter cold of Minnesota for a week in San Antonio, TX. But this change in plans puts me back at square one. I would sign up for virtual runs but honestly, my heart is not into it. I have been looking at some trail races in the fall, and now I have to decide which ones to do. But am I the only who is not motivated to sign up for races? I was excited about the ones I signed up for, but the I got the dreaded email: CANCELLED. Welp!

 
 

One exciting thing that happened last week, is that I am now a member of Team Trail Sisters! If you have not heard about Trail Sisters, we are a trail running community on a mission— to increase women’s participation and opportunity in trail running through inspiration, education and empowerment. In addition to the online community, we have a journal, host women’s discussion panels, award the Trail Sisters Adventure Grants, host Women’s Run With Her Trail Running Retreats and more (Trail Sisters).

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This is one community I am excited to be a part of! Super excited!