Quinoa + Greens

I am back! It has been a long time since the last post, and in that time I have moved back to Missouri for my junior year of college, done my job training, started classes, and had a whoopsie (a minor concussion, which is why I could not write... the doc said that I had to limit screen time)!

Anyway, this year I have streamlined my appliances in my dorm room- which makes making food a challenge. I have a mini fridge, coffee pot, and... that's it! But, I am lucky to have a suitemate who lets me use her microwave! Praise!

Today, after church, I wanted to make a healthy lunch that would be filling, but tasty. I just don't want to spend all my money eating out, and especially with the Hurricane Harvey situation that hit Houston, I made a deal with myself that I wouldn't eat out for a couple weeks and give what I usually would spend eating out to donate to the rebuilding of those people's lives.

So. Dorm lunch.

I made a pretty good salad, pictured below!

Here's how to make it!:
You will need

• 1 cup of quinoa (I used a multicolored variety)
• water
• greens mix (mine is the kale and collard greens with carrots from Sam's club for like $5)
• cranberries/craisins
• olive oil
• smoked gouda
• pink himalayan salt
• mustard
• apple cider vinegar (ACV)
• a fork
• a bowl
• a grater
• a hungry tummy!

So starting with the quinoa, I used a "mac-and-cheese" bowl from Walmart, which costs about $7 and is a great college investment. In the bowl, I microwaved 2 cups of water until it was basically boiling, which was 2 minutes. Then, I measured one cup of the dried quinoa, and cooked it on three 5-minute intervals. So you will have cooked it for 15 minutes or so total. While this is cooking in the microwave, I prepped the rest of the salad.

In a beautiful, thrifted glass bowl, I splashed in about 1 Tablespoon of ACV, about a teaspoon and a half of regular mustard. Then add 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple grinds of that pink himalayan salt. Grab your fork and whisk it together in the bowl!

Add 2 BIG handfuls of that greens mix, and put it in the dressing bowl. Mix the dressing into the greens (I used my hands to really get the dressing everywhere!). Then, add about a Tablespoon of cranberries/craisins, and grate some smoked gouda cheese into the bowl; mix! Lastly, top with 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of your cooked quinoa and you are good to go!

I liked this meal because I felt like it was decently well-rounded. the Quinoa and greens provided good fiber and nutrition, the quinoa also has protein and is a grain, and of course there are veggies and a little bit of calcium from the cheese. These were all items I had on hand, so I didn't have to go to the store and buy anything! I highly recommend shopping for items that you can use multiple ways- for example the mustard is something I use in salads as well as making a quick sandwich; the apple cider vinegar is something I use to clean with, use on my hair as a conditioner-like rinse, and in salads; cranberries/craisins are a fun addition to my oatmeal, overnight oats, homemade trail mixes or my afternoon salads!

I hope this was an interesting read and gives you some healthy inspiration! I always say it is easy to be inspired, but harder to STAY inspired; whether or not someone stays inspired is what set the average apart from the extraordinary. 

Take care of your body, it is the only one you get (on earth ;))!

Love and salads,

Melly xoxox