More adventures in the kitchen

Yesterday was just one of those days where cooking seemed like the appropriate thing to do. So, following my pancake breakfast extravaganza, I conducted some more food experiments. I made this AMAZING beet and quinoa salad. Seriously, it was so incredibly good and I wanted to keep eating it, but I was sooo full.

Tasty looking, right?

Quinoa and Beet Salad
6 small golden beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups baby arugula
2 ounces feta cheese
black pepper

1.) Steam beets until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Transfer them to a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons each of the olive oil and the red wine vinegar; mix in garlic, salt and little pepper. Let it site at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
2.) Meanwhile, cook the quinoa per package instructions: usually 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water. Bring to a boil then let simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and let cool.
3.) Remove the crushed garlic from the beets, and add the quinoa, arugula, and cheese to the beets and stir well. Season with a little more vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

I cannot stress how good this turned out! It was so refreshing and so filling, definitely something I will be making again as the weather begins to get warmer. Also, it keeps really well for a couple of days and gets even tastier because the vinegar and oil sort of marinate all the other ingredients, infusing them with more flavor. It made for the perfect leftover lunch today. Delicious!