Week 28--Avocado

I must be honest to admit that in the last few days and even weeks I've been missing my cooking groove.  I'm not sure why but I just haven't been very motivated to spend a whole lot of time in the kitchen.  Most of my most recent recipes have been very quick and simple, although surprisingly good.  This week's was a particular winner for my non-vegetable eating husband so I decided to include it in this journal.

This week I feature avocados. The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico.  Its fruit is touted with having nutrient dense characteristics, in particular unsaturated fats which are essential to our body's functioning.  In addition to good fat, avocados have high levels of potassium, are rich in vitamins B, E, and K, and have a high fiber content. High avocado intake was shown in one preliminary study to lower blood cholesterol levels. (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado)

For this week's recipe I made a variation of this recipe:  http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2010/05/quinoa-taco-salad.html by adding cooked shrimp and more vegetables.  Here is my version of the Quinoa Taco Salad with Avocado.  This recipe is vegan and gluten free.

Ingredients (Note:  remember to use organic whenever possible)

1 cup quinoa cooked in two cups of water

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

Juice from 2 medium, juicy limes

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro or parsley

1 half small red or purple onion, diced finely

1 small yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced finely

1 cup roasted corn kernel (I used frozen, roasted on a cookie sheet for 6-7 minutes, then cooled)

6 to 8 cups of mixed greens ( I used a combination of arugula, broccoli slaw with carrots and cut up cucumbers)

8oz cooked medium shrimp

1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced

1tsp cumin

1tsp paprika

3 cloves of garlic minced

Directions

1. Drizzle the cooked quinoa with extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat.  Squeeze on fresh lime juice and toss again.  Add cumin, paprika, and garlic. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.  

2. Add in the fresh chopped cilantro, diced red onion, diced yellow pepper,  roasted corn kernels, mixed greens, shrimp, and avocado.  Stir lightly to distribute. Taste test for seasoning adjustments.

3. You may serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour. Enjoy!