It was scary, it was spooky and now it is over. Many of you grew up with the Halloween madness but for me it is entirely new experience. We moved to US in 2009 and didn’t celebrate until few years later. I can’t really say we celebrate now but we do try to participate ;). Yes, that’s a good word for it. We enjoy passing out candy and admiring costumes and creativity. Haven’t ventured into home decorating yet. All this will change soon though as our baby will be walking, talking and having his own opinions next year! I may need to ask my sister for few hints 🙂 Below she and her friend ready for Halloween in Vienna, Austria. I just couldn’t resist and had to share! Love it!
I am not sure how Halloween looks like in Poland now. Last time I was there this time of year probably 5 or 6 years ago and it wasn’t a big deal yet. Some parties and mainly fun for grown ups really but I am sure a lot has changed since then.
Traditionally November has been all about All Saints Day and All Souls’ Day. It starts with these holidays and somewhat continue along these lines until Christmas takes over. People travel to visit graves and lit a candle in remembrance of their loved ones. The glow that the candles create is visible from far away and it makes cemeteries look like a peaceful and beautiful places. I tried to look for some photos and found this one, this one and that one. I used to take a walk late in the evening just to breathe in the atmosphere. This year is special for our family because we’re remembering our dear Grandma who passed away last January.
You may read this and think what a quinoa salad has to do with Halloween and All Souls’ Day. Well, I’ll tell you. We have a lot of candy had a lot of candy left and I thought a salad would be a good idea. This one can be served warm and is hearty enough for a chilly day. Hope you’ll like it!
I found this recipe in my recipe binder – it is a magazine clipping, don’t know from which magazine though…
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 bunches Swiss chard
- 1 garlic clove
- 8-10 oz. mushrooms cremini OR white
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved
- pinch of red -pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Start cooking quinoa: First rinse it well in a cold water over a mesh strainer to remove bitter coating. Combine 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Drain it and return to pot. Cover ant let it rest for additional 15 minutes.
- Wash, stem and cut Swiss chard. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a skillet, add Swiss chard and cook until wilted and tender – ~10 minutes.
- In the meantime mince garlic, clean and slice mushrooms and set aside.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and red-pepper flakes to the cooking Swiss chard, mix and cook for another 1 minute or so. Remove from the skillet to a bowl and set aside.
- Add remaining olive oil to the skillet.
- Add garlic, mix and cook until fragrant – ~30 seconds.
- Add mushrooms, mix well and cook for ~3 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, stir and cook for ~10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add cooked quinoa, mix and cook until it is heated through.
- Add thyme.
- Assemble the salad: place half of Swiss chard on a plate and top with quinoa mushroom mixture. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 2 portions
Nutritional Info: Cal 292, Prot 14g, Carb 36g, Fat 12g, Fiber 6g
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