Lightening up for summer

It is finally warming up around here and I am finally not craving comfort foods. Bread, melted cheese, bread, cream, melted cheese. Yea, you get the point. It amazes me each and every year how much the weather influences my cravings and food choices. 

I made these the other night and it felt like the perfect transition into summer. I'll call them summer BLT's.

Summer BLT's

Filling
pack of bacon
can of diced tomatoes
cup of quinoa 
can of black beans
cup of frozen corn
Sauce
2 tablespoons mayo
few squeezes of lemon
dash of tumeric 
Holder
lettuce (small romaine works great)
 Method
cook bacon in oven at 425 until crisp
cook quinoa in tomatoes for 5 minutes, add corn and beans and cook until quinoa is tender
mix sauce together and add to quinoa
add crumbled bacon and mix
scoop into lettuce
serve with hot sauce if desired. 

Side Salad Dinner

Like summer tapas. 

The possibilities are endless, here are a few to get you started. 

Brussels Sprouts with Dried Cherries and Pistachios

Brussels Sprouts

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Dried Cherries

Pistachios

Coat the Brussels sprouts  with olive oil and roast at 425 for 10 minutes. Toss with remaining ingredients.

 

Sesame Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers (thinly sliced

Sesame Seeds

Sesame Oil

Truffle Salt

Toss all ingredients 

 

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

Quinoa 
Sweet Potato
Chicken Broth
Cinnamon
Honey
Put desired amount of quinoa and chopped sweet potato in a pot add chicken broth until covered. Bring to boil and cook until quinoa is sprouted and sweet potato is soft. Drizzle with honey and cinnamon to taste. Serve hot.

 

If you have enough of them who needs a main dish?