Quinoa Watercress Salad

so good for you-watercress and radishes

     I usually make this salad in the summertime, starting around the time that those long thin breakfast radishes first appear at the farmer's market.  Then I tend to forget about it as I am lured by the deep golds and oranges of the winter squashes that show up later in the season, when the air turns crisp and cool, and I start to crave heartier meals. Well, we are not even half way through the cold season, and as much as I love the sweetness and comfort of roots and squashes, I really needed something to remind me that spring will come again. So when I noticed a beautiful bunch of watercress at the supermarket, I immediately craved this salad.

      Watercress doesn't seem to be that popular here in the States, but I really love it. It's leaves are soft and tender and the stems are crisp and juicy. If you've never had watercress, its' peppery flavor is similar to arugula, and like arugula, is milder when young, and becomes more bitter as it matures. 

   It is a great choice for salads, not only for its flavor and freshness, but for its nutritional value as well. It may not look like it, but it is a powerhouse of vitamins A,C, and K. It is rich in beta carotene and other antioxidants that protect our cells from free radicals. And, it also contains angiogenesis inhibitors, which are the things that block tumors from forming the blood vessels they need to survive. Angiogenesis inhibitors are now being used in the treatment of cancer. That's another reason for me to love this stuff.

    I kept this quinoa salad very simple with radishes and watercress, then perked it up with the lemon cumin dressing, but you could easily add a few more ingredients if you wanted to. Cucumber and watercress are especially nice together. Avocado is a welcomed addition to just about anything in my opinion. I once had the surprise of fresh watercress served atop baked leeks, and it was a very good combination, so you might want to try something like that here too. If you wanted to add a bean, I have in the past added edamame beans, and would suggest those as a very good option.

   I chose to use watermelon radish here for the drama of its beautiful color, but you could use daikon or any common radish you like.
  
Quinoa Watercress Salad
serves 4

1c. quinoa (soak overnight in several c. of water if possible)
1 1/4 c. water (2c. if grains are not soaked)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 bunch of watercress roughly chopped
1/2 c. of sliced or cubed radish ( you can cut it however you like)
note: you could also increase the ratio of vegetables to grain for more of a vegetable salad

Dressing
1/4 c. olive oil
1T. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
 1 garlic clove crushed
juice of 1 lemon (2-3 T.)
3/4 tsp. salt.

   Drain and rinse the quinoa well. Add the quinoa, 1 1/4c. of water, and the 1/4 tsp. salt to a saucepan. Note that if you did not soak the quinoa you will need to use the larger amount of water.

Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-12 minutes (about 15 for un soaked grains), or until the water is absorbed. Be careful though, you don't want to overcook the grains. They should be soft and firm, but not mushy, so you can drain off any extra water if needed. Set aside for about 15 minutes, and then fluff with a fork and let cool.

   While the quinoa is cooking you can make your dressing. I have a thing with cumin. I never use it raw. So, when making the dressing, I put 1 T. of the oil in a small pan and heat it over medium heat .Then I throw in the 1T. of cumin, and fry it until it gets toasted and fragrant. This only takes seconds. I then add the cooked cumin to the rest of the dressing ingredients and mix well.
  
   Once you have all your vegetables, the quinoa, and the dressing ready, just mix it all together. Taste for salt and lemon. Serve at room temperature or cold.
   
p.s.  your liver will love the lemon and radishes, so amp up the perky flavor and liver support by adding extra of these if you like.

Mind Changing Carrot Soup

Carrot Quinoa Soup

      Somewhere in my past , I must have had a bad carrot soup experience, because even though I like carrots, I held to the idea that I didn't want a soup made out of them. Luckily this soup came along and changed my mind.
   The first time I had it, I was on a three day silent meditation retreat at the Insight Meditation Society  (IMS) retreat center in Barre, Ma.  There were ninety participants, and we all started our day with meditation at 6AM, and ended the same way at 9PM. The sound of the bells would call us to the meditation hall, where we would silently take our places on a cushion, or a chair if the floor was too uncomfortable for us.  We all meditated, did our assigned chores, ate our meals, and relaxed in silence. We were to spend the entire time being present (in the moment), and settling our minds. To help with this, along with not talking, we were discouraged from reading and writing, and cell phones were a big no-no. 
   I am not a talkative person, so the silence was not much of a challenge for me. The hardest part of the retreat for me was staying alert while just sitting there in a silent room. I guess focussing on your breath is supposed to be interesting enough to keep you awake, but really-it just doesn't cut it. I had an ongoing battle with fatigue. Luckily we alternated between sitting and walking meditation, so I was able to steal a couple of naps in my room when I should have been walking. That may sound like cheating, but I figured since it was a silent activity, it was allowed. Don't you think?
   It really was a great experience overall though. It made me more aware of how filled with distractions my days are. How I turn to something outside of myself when I don't know what to do with myself. I also found it interesting how even without sharing words, just sharing the experience made me feel connected to every person in the room. We all had our own reasons for being there, but we were somehow all in it together. I left the retreat feeling very peaceful, and with a renewed commitment to practicing on my own at home, which I find helpful. It doesn't keep me from getting scattered or stressed out, but I do notice that when I do spiral into an emotional frenzy, it's easier to observe the chaos in my head and quickly get to a better place.  I am looking forward to going back for five days in February.
   The silent part of the retreat ended with lunch on the last day, giving us a chance to share our experiences, and talk about the food!  This carrot soup was a favorite of everyones. I have to admit though, the first time I made it something went wrong. I don't know if there was a mistake in the recipe, maybe the amount of water was wrong, or maybe it was because of my zealous blender habits. I have a Vitamix Pro 300 and like to crank it up to maximum speed. I find it exciting how fast it it can go. It's the most amazing blender. Anyway, I ended up with a smooth paste. I made a few adjustments to the recipe and my technique. Now it works. It now has a clean carrot flavor, with a hint of curry spice, richness from the coconut, and a nice texture.

Carrot Quinoa Soup
serves 5-6

2T. coconut oil (or olive)
1 1/2 lbs. carrots
1 large onion
1 large stalk of celery
1T. minced garlic
2T. minced ginger 
2 tsp. of curry powder
2 tsp. of salt
4 c. vegetable stock, or water
1c. coconut milk
1/4c. of rinsed quinoa ( I soak my grains before using to remove the phytic acid)
1 T. lemon juice and some wedges to serve with individual servings
toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

This soup is very simple.

Since it is going to be pureed, you can rough chop the vegetables into 1/2 inch chunks.

Heat a medium sauce pan with the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent. 

Add the garlic, ginger, and spices and sauté for a couple of minutes before adding the carrots and celery.

Add the broth, salt, and coconut milk. If your broth is salted, you may need to reduce the amount of salt you add. Simmer for about 20 minutes, and then add your quinoa and continue simmering for another 10 minutes, or until the quinoa is done. 
You could also use leftover quinoa or pre-cook the quinoa, and throw it in after the soup finishes cooking.

Remove it from the heat, and let cool a few minutes before pureeing it in the blender. You can make it smooth, but not so smooth that you completely destroy the quinoa. 

Add in the lemon juice, and taste. Adjust if needed. You can also add more liquid if needed.

Top with pumpkin seeds, and serve with extra lemon wedges.

Note:
Phytic acid is present in grains, nuts, seeds, and beans. It is a natural substance utilized by the seeds when they sprout, but it impairs our bodies absorption of iron, zinc, and calcium. Soaking beans and grains overnight, or at least for several hours, and rinsing them well removes the acid and increases the amount of minerals we absorb from them.