Another Year Past & a Recipe for Baby Quinoa Citrus Salad

Whew, what a year.

I remember sitting at my favourite pub {we call it the Winchester} a year ago, reflecting and conspiring with C over a pint. What will 2012 hold? I’ll tell you now — we couldn’t have predicted what was to come. It was crazy. It was hectic. It was absurdly overwhelming in the most wonderful of ways.

We both had oodles {yes, oodles!} of work on the go at all times, went biking whenever the opportunity arose, oh — and then there was that day {you know the one I’m talking about}. To top it off, we ate and drank our way around Italy for a few weeks.

We spent Christmas in the mountains with family, and came home just in time to ring in the New Year …

… and as we did last year, we found ourselves sitting at the Winchester, pint in hand, wondering what the year will bring. I, like most people, want to focus on health and happiness {and I’m starting with the Baby Quinoa Citrus Salad recipe, below}.

I want to aim for quality over quantity with work.

I want to climb a mountain or two. Maybe three.

I am not going to bother with resolutions, because for the most part I feel that resolutions {like rules} are made to be broken. Goals, however {and delightful, doable ideas}, are made to be accomplished — to be followed through with.

Now, I can’t help but wonder: what opportunities really are in store for this year? What are you gearing up for?

Baby Quinoa Citrus Salad
Serves 4–6

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked baby quinoa (1 cup cooked in 2 cups water), or 3 cups regular quinoa
½ large red onion, diced
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1 long English cucumber, diced
A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ pink grapefruit, peeled and diced
1 navel orange, peeled and diced
2 mandarin oranges, peeled and diced
1/3 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries
1/3 cup slivered almonds
Extra virgin olive oil
White balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients, except for the oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper, in a large bowl. Add oil and vinegar to taste; three swirls of oil around the bowl, and five swirls of vinegar work pretty well, but adjust accordingly. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately, and refrigerate unused portions for up to two days.