Spicy Southwest Quinoa Salad

If you're one of those people who eats a salad for lunch and gets hungry 3 hours later (or 2 hours later if you have my appetite), this recipe is for you.

Not only is it extremely delicious and quick to put together, it's packed with protein from the chicken and quinoa, making this salad a meal that will truly last you through the day.

I was inspired to make this salad after my summer in Chicago. I regularly visited a restaurant called The Protein Bar, which was famous for stocking its entire menu with protein-heavy and quinoa-filled burritos, bowls, and salads. After having their burrito (or Bar-Rito as they call it) several times, I opted for a southwest salad one day, but requested to have buffalo dressing instead of the much spicier Cholula hot sauce doused on top. What emerged was a delicious combination of flavors that come together quickly to make an easy and filling meal. 

After re-creating it myself several times, I feel it's finally ready to be shared with the public.

To make this salad, you will need:

1 chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
olive oil
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 container Trader Joe's Super 8 Veggie Mix (or bagged salad)
Sprouts
1/2 avocado, cut into chunks
Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce 

Start by making your quinoa. Follow the directions according to the package (I generally boil 1/2 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water until the kernels crack)

Next, heat a glug of olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add your chicken and toss on some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is browned.

Next comes the layering. You'll start with your veggie mix as the base. I went with Trader Joe's version because it gives you a nice variety of pre-chopped nutritious veggies for only $2.99. (Side note: I've found this veggie mix to be extremely versatile in other dishes as well - I'll add a cup or two into salads, a stir-fry, a noodle dish, etc. I highly recommend it for new veggie recipe experiments.)

Then add on your sprouts - I went with organic pea shoots for this part, but you can choose whatever is most convenient for you.

Next, add your quinoa.

Then your chicken.

Then your avocado.

Now here comes the fun part. Grab your bottle of buffalo sauce and toss on as much or as little as you'd like, depending on your spice preferences. Give the bowl a stir, sample your creation, and add more if you need to. Enjoy your hearty salad with a glass of cold water.

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Elephant & Castle

Hi guys.

Alright, I've been a pretty awful blogger this month. I think this is the longest I've ever gone without making a post. But rest assured - this certainly doesn't mean I've given up stuffing my face with delicious things and cooking up a storm in my kitchen. It just means that sometimes your responsibilities overshadow your hobbies (unfortunately).

The good news is, I'm now back at school and ready for another year of kitchen experiments and favorite restaurants. But before I do, I have a few Chicago posts on my hard drive that I'd like to get out here.

One of them is this post about a fantastic gem of a restaurant I found near my place in the city called Elephant & Castle. It's a British/Indian fusion restaurant with everything from traditional fish and chips to butter chicken and naan. It's also a great little place to grab some beers with your friends after work.

My guest started off with some Ale & Onion soup.

For a long time, French onion soup has been one of my favorite foods. If the broth is well-made and the cheese is melty, we're in good shape. This soup (which I've had on several occasions) has a touch of beer in the broth for added flavor, and the bread on top is chopped into little cubes so that you don't have to struggle to cut it into manageable pieces. 

Next came the appetizer of 'mini yorkies.' This is a delightful little bowl of mini yorkshire puddings filled with roast beef and gravy.

I'm not gonna lie - I ate about half of this and dipped some of my fries in the gravy. It was just SO GOOD. If you visit an Elephant & Castle, you HAVE to try this dish.

I went with the classic fish and chips...

One huge piece of haddock, a pile of fries, delicious tartar sauce, fresh lemon, and malt vinegar. An oldie and a goodie - definitely a dish that won't let you down.

Of course, the next time I'm in town I might have to try this little beauty I found on the menu after we ordered....

^This just brings hot dogs to a whole new level. For real.

I highly recommend visiting an Elephant & Castle if you live near one. You can find your city here.

All in all, a delicious dinner, followed by....

The funniest and best musical I've ever seen. This is another thing that I cannot recommend enough. If the show comes to your town GO SEE IT.

Your abs will hurt from laughing, but you won't regret it.

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Grand Lux Cafe

If you've been to or live in the US, you've probably heard of The Cheesecake Factory.
Well, as grand and magnificent as The Cheesecake Factory is, I'm a much bigger fan of the franchise's little brother - Grand Lux Cafe.

My friends Courtoon and Sirene (of cosplay fame) first suggested this place to me when I asked them what their favorite restaurant in Chicago is. I had to trust their good taste and made sure to pop in for a visit.

My first impression of Grand Lux Cafe is that this place is BIG. Huge ceilings, huge tables, huge EVERYTHING. It's very impressive and beautifully decorated.
We sat by the waiting area, carefully seated right next to the kitchen, and watched waiters whizzing by with sizzling plates being weighed down by pounds upon pounds of delicious goodies. Needless to say, by the time I sat down, I'd worked up quite an appetite.

Fortunately, minutes after we sat down, an order of Double Stuffed Potato Spring Rolls was plopped down in front of my face.

Let me deconstruct these beauties for you:

A crunchy spring roll wrapping
Filled with creamy and delicious mashed potatoes and green onions

Fried
Topped with melted cheddar cheese

Topped with bacon.

.....Are you drooling yet?

Let me just say, this whole plate would have satisfied me for lunch (in true Grand Lux/Cheesecake fashion, all portions are ridiculously large). But of course, there was still a main course coming.....

Including this mammoth of a turkey, apple, and brie sandwich on ciabatta with a side salad.

Trying to be relatively healthy, I got this asian chicken salad, which ended up being about the size of a basketball.

A delicious mix of greens, carrots, lettuce, chicken, crispy rice noodles, all smothered in a tangy Asian dressing. I've had cravings for this salad ever since the day I got it.
If you're in Texas, Florida, New York, or Nevada, I highly recommend checking out Grand Lux Cafe.
Because Cheesecake Factory is so overrated. ;)

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Taste of Chicago

This post is coming a bit late, but all good things come with a wait, right?

Let's pretend that's a legitimate saying and move on.

Well, last week my friends and I decided to check out something called Taste of Chicago. It's the world's largest outdoor food festival that combines local flavor, nationally popular music, and fun.
All you needed to say was largest food festival and I'm in.

So, I snatched up a few of my friends and we headed out on Saturday evening to see what all the fuss was about.

Neha and Hillary had their tickets in hand and were ready to scour the booths for something tasty.

And Tiffany gave a boost of enthusiasm.

While Neha and Hillary parted from the group in search of something spicy and delicious, Tiffany and I beelined for the Cafe Vienna German food booth.

5 tickets for a Schnitzel sandwich = well worth it.

Clearly a fried chicken sandwich was not enough for me, so I stopped off at The Green Room @ The Abbey.

Nothing like a steaming plate of curry fries to brighten up your evening.



We regrouped on the lawn to hide from the sun, relax, and enjoy our finds.

Neha grabbed what looked like the best purchase of the evening - a chicken, rice, and veggie mixture that I believe was chicken madras masala (but don't quote me on that.

Regardless, I want the recipe.

This is Neha's 'someone's been dating for over 2 years' face.

Of course, we had to finish our meal off with some dessert. Fortunately for us, there was a gelato stand very close by.

Bacio gelato a.k.a. hazelnut flavored a.k.a. Nutella flavored.

Definitely a successful food day.
If you find yourself in Chicago next summer, be sure to check out the taste! It's free to enter and costs $8 for 12 tickets (most meals are from 4-8 tickets). Definitely enough to get a good fill.

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