Hard to believe, I know, but true. And guess what — love is in the air at the grocery store. There was a whole aisle of Valentine’s Day candy and gifts:
Rows of heart-shaped candy boxes just waiting to be given to some lucky person by some person who’s hoping to get lucky:
How about a box or two of heart-shaped Little Debbie cakes?
But when you come right down to it, nothing quite says “I love you” like a heart-shaped pork chop:
I’m still recovering from the last round of holidays, and can’t even think about Valentine’s Day until after the Super Bowl and Chinese New Year. And like these tenacious winter berries still clinging to their branch . . .
. . . I am still clinging to the hope of keeping at least a few of my New Year’s resolutions. Eating healthier, of course, is one of them, and this recipe for Quinoa Salad with Pistachios and Apricots was a definite step in the right direction. If you can make it a day in advance, you’ll find that the pistachios and apricots soften and the flavors blend together deliciously.
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- ½ cup shelled pistachios
- 1-1/2 teaspoons orange zest
- ½ cup diced dried apricots
- 1 large shallot, minced
- ½ cup arugula sprouts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, and olive oil. In a medium bowl, mix together quinoa, pistachios, orange zest, apricots, and shallots. Pour dressing over. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, mix in arugula sprouts, reserving a few for garnish.
