I like you.
I like quinoa.
I like caprese.
I like chewing basil leaves.
I love Father of the Bride — this has nothing to do with the recipe except that I’m watching it right now. There’s a scene where George needs 12 hot dog buns but they’re sold in packages of 8, so he borrows 4 from another package and gets taken to jail. Hilarious. Laugh with me.
I also like salads that barely have any vegetables. They clearly were made for me. Don’t you agree?
I mean, salads loaded with greens? Not my thing. I’d rather have this.
So… remember when I went to Trader Joe’s last week and stocked up on groceries? Then I got sick and all I could eat were handfuls of cereal, ice cream cones and cinnamon-sugared toast. That happened.
Now my fridge is full of produce on the verge of rotting, and something needed to be done. I rely on retail-food therapy to lift my mood and, occasionally, to empty my wallet. You can’t take it with you, right?
Luckily it was single-lady week, so this was my dinner on Monday night. It was delicious and surprisingly nutritious.
Those little mozzarella pearls are adorable — far cuter in the quinoa than they are on my kitchen floor. And the mini heirloom tomatoes? Charming and irresistible. Good thing I know what to do with my food.
Caprese Quinoa
Makes about 3 cups
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 16 oz container grape tomatoes, quartered
- 3/4 cup fresh mozzarella pearls (or one ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into chunks)
- 10 large basil leaves, cut into ribbons
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Prepare the quinoa according to the package directions (commonly 2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa: bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook about 15 minutes). Depending on whether you want the quinoa warm or chilled, either let it cool completely or work with it immediately. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, salt and pepper. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of basil oil over the top, toss gently and serve.
Homemade Basil Oil
1 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups packed basil leaves (about three handfuls), coarsely chopped
Combine the olive oil and basil in a blender or food processor and pulse for 30–60 seconds, just until the leaves are blended into the oil. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges. Keep gently warming for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool completely.
Strain the oil through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the basil to extract as much oil as possible. Store the basil oil in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks for best freshness.
I’m tempted to bathe in that basil oil. See you on the flip side.