I'm there for you...

I'm nearing the end of a very difficult week.  Despite being close to engagement with my boyfriend, things came to a screeching halt.  Last weekend I kissed him goodbye for the very last time.

One of the disappointments of this week has been hearing (time and again) "I'm here for you if you need anything" and finding my friends missing when I call.  My best friend lives more than 3000 miles away.  We've talked on the phone several times throughout the week.  Another close friend was on a family vacation.  Other friends that I would consider close have seemed to go running.

This leaves me reflecting on friendships... Six months ago I posted a blog expressing my thankfulness for these two close friends.  But even the closest of friends cannot always be there for you.  Its bittersweet.

Summertime Recipe #3

I was turned onto quinoa recently.  After having it for the first time, I decided to check out its nutrition information... Although it is a grain, it is also a decent source of protein and minerals; and being a grain, it is also filling and has a nice nutty flavor without being too powerful.  Although it is just beginning to pick up again, it is commonly referred to as "the gold of the incas."  Some people may see quinoa as a "fatty" grain, but like avocados, the fat of quinoa is "good fat" and excellent for anti-aging and antioxidants.

So, with that introduction to quinoa, let me introduce my new "salad!"

QUINOA SALAD

- 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 3 cups chicken broth 

• - 1 lb meat (beef, chicken or lamb), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• - 3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
• - 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• - 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• - 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• - 3 garlic cloves, minced
• optional add-ins:
• - 1 medium chopped tomato 
• - 1 large chopped avocado
• - 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• - 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• - 4 oz feta cheese

Preparation

• Combine quinoa and chicken broth in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 T of the coconut oil and saute meat.  Once meat is cooked, add remaining 2 T coconut oil to melt the remaining oil.  

• Add basil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, lemon rind, pepper and garlic into meet, mixing thoroughly. Stir in quinoa.
• Refrigerate and chill completely.
• Just before serving, add any combination of the optional ingredients to create your own unique flavorful spin and dish up!

A poem

Tears spill unbeckoned
Eyes swollen and red
Please, please stop

Despair tightens my chest
Sorrow and grief hold tight
A challenge to breathe

Swallow, swallow, must swallow
Desire and hunger vanish
Food forced down

Goodbye

22 days to forever, but forever never comes...