Mushroom & Quinoa Salad with Tilapia

I cooked!! And it was good!! But seriously. This meal was inspired by the need to use the mushrooms, tomato, and goat cheese that were in the house. Also it's Fish Friday...so tilapia was an obvious choice. And I like quinoa and balsamic. So ta-da! Dinner.

The rest of the day has been fairly uneventful. Errands. Refinishing furniture. Recovering from yesterday's X2 Chest+Back+Balance, ab ripper, and Zumba combo. Like things are sore that I didn't remember could be sore...Yoga-X was much needed this morning. Still, it's been a pretty chill day...and evening. I feel like Friday nights should be more exciting... Anyways, here is your recipe: 

Mushroom & Quinoa Salad with Tilapia

Ingredients:

2 tilapia filets (maybe like 6 oz each), thawed

1/2 cup quinoa

1 lb. sliced mushrooms

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 large tomato, cut into small pieces 

2-3 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Salt & pepper

EVOO

Balsamic vinaigrette 

Directions:

• Set the oven to broil on low. Line a pan with foil and place the tilapia on it. Season with a little salt and pepper. Drizzle with some EVOO. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, have your quinoa cooking (according to the directions on the package...I like to use chicken or vegetable stock for my liquid...more flavor).
• This is also a good time to drizzle your saute pan with EVOO, and cook the mushrooms and garlic. 
• Once the fish, quinoa, and mushrooms are done, you can combine everything in a large bowl. Drizzle on your balsamic. Top with goat cheese. Eat up!

Grilled Peach, Chicken & Goat Cheese Salad with Roasted Pecans

Here's a little break from my travel tales to share a new favorite salad. I honestly haven't been doing much cooking at all since being back. I've been out a lot more than usual. I was seriously spoiled not having to do any cooking or clean up any dishes in Zambia...so I'm having a little trouble getting back into the groove. 

Anyways, a couple nights ago, we enjoyed a salad that was just as tasty as it was pretty. The mother had gotten a ton of fresh, juicy peaches. Which, naturally, were ripening way faster than we could eat them. Someone had suggested using them on a salad. Brilliant. I had totally intended to marinate and grill some chicken up, but I ended up using a rotisserie chicken... We had gotten tied up running some errands. It was already 1900, and I hadn't eaten since lunch. There was no way I was waiting for chicken to marinate and cook. The rotisserie chicken worked out really well! I'm sure grilled chicken would be quite delish as well. 

Here's what you need:

• Mixed greens
• Chicken (rotisserie or grilled)
• Fresh peaches (I cut them in half and put them on the George Foreman for a few minutes, then sliced them)
• Chopped, roasted pecans
• Goat cheese, crumbled
• Balsamic dressing (recipe below)

Just pile it all together and enjoy!

If you want to make your own balsamic dressing, just mix together:

• 2 TBSP EVOO
• 1 TBSP Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• A pinch of sea salt 

Strawberry Fields Salad

A while back, a friend let me try some of her Strawberry Fields Salad at TGI Friday's.  And, I knew immediately that I MUST have it again.  Strawberries.  Candied pecans.  Balsamic chicken.  GOAT CHEESE.  OH MY.  I had NO idea how AMAZING goat cheese is.  Wonderful.  Luckily, I was able to find strawberries, salad mixes, and goat cheese all on sale around the same time.  We already had chicken and pecans in the freezer.  The salad turned out fabulously delicious.  My brother even loved it, and he is usually opposed to salads as meals.  Also, he who says he doesn't like nuts, was caught snacking on the extra candied pecans.  But really, who wouldn't?  Here it is--

Strawberry Fields Salad

Ingredients:

50/50 field greens and baby spinach

Balsamic marinade and vinaigrette 

Chicken breasts

Strawberries, sliced 

Goat cheese 

Parmesan, freshly grated

Pecans, chopped

Brown sugar

Butter

Directions:

Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hr before grilling.  Grill until cooked thoroughly.  Slice to put on salad.  After slicing the strawberries, toss them with some balsamic vinaigrette and let them soak for a bit before placing on salad.  Crumble goat cheese and sprinkle on salad with parmesan.  Melt the butter in microwave-safe bowl.  Stir in brown sugar and pecans.  Bake at 400 until slightly golden.  Let cool and sprinkle on the salad.  Enjoy!