colorful quinoa salad

You know those weeks days when you just don't feel like doing anything?

Saturday was that day.

I'll spare you the not-so-exciting details and just tell you that the highlights of the day included a lengthy Starbucks visit and this salad. That should give you an idea. It's a shame that Saturday was such an absolutely perfect day and the most I made of the weather was an hour spent in Starbucks' courtyard. It was a nice hour though.

I was so hungry for dinner but felt so lazy but still wanted something so delicious and so good for me. I think I may have used the word 'so' enough in that sentence but I'm not sure. Maybe one more would have been good.

But this salad was just the thing. It was super easy, especially since I found a container of already-cooked plain quinoa leftover from earlier in the week. I wouldn't have wanted to like actually get out a pan and boil something, so that was fortunate.

This is goood stuff, and also, conveniently, good-for-you stuff. Everyone knows that quinoa is the ultimate health food right? And then you have things like mangoes for sweetness, black beans for delicious protein, pomegranates for a nice crunch and some antioxidants, avocado for healthy fat and because they are basically the best food/fruit/vegetable ever.

Your stomach will thank you.

Colorful Quinoa and Black Bean salad 
Serves 1-2

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup mango, diced
2 T. cilantro, chopped
2 T. pomegranate seeds
1/2 an avocado, diced

Dressing:
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. olive oil (I used lemon-infused)
1 tsp. agave nectar (or sugar)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper or lemon pepper

Add salad ingredients to a bowl except for the avocado. Add dressing ingredients and toss. Adjust seasonings and ingredients to taste. Add avocado and toss gently. If you will be storing some of the salad for later, I'd suggest leaving the avocado out until just before serving.

(You'll notice that I accidently left the avocado out for most of the photos anyway...got it in this last one though.)

mango avocado salsa

You know what kind of makes me sad?

Not this.

Kids hang out together these days...and text.

Like, text other people. (Or maybe they are texting each other, which would be kind of weird.) Or maybe they're on facebook. Or instagram. Or playing a game on their phone. All I know is that they aren't interacting with the person who's right in front of them.

Today is a beautiful, absolutely flawless day, and I walked by a pair of pre-teen girls sitting outside enjoying the weather, facing each other...both on their cell phones.

Back when I was a kid... (cue rocking chair and pipe), and we didn't get cell phones at age 11 (I had to wait til I could buy my own...so first year of college), we were forced to actually play together. And we got creative. 

 We played "house" in trees. (Or under porches, or in our rooms...we liked playing house.) 

We gathered dirt and various scraps and dandelions and made "chop suey" (Just me? Okay.). 

We captured crawfish from crannies in rocks by the lake.

We played dolls. 

We were more innocent, I think.

I'm not trying to sound bitter or angry, cause really I'm not. 

I have nothing against having a cell phone. I have one. It's super handy. Fun, too. I text. I play games. I Facebook. I Instagram. I would be lost (literally) without my maps app.

I also have nothing against preteens or teens. Maybe I shouldn't even single them out, because I think adults do the same thing sometimes. I just notice it more in the younger generation, and then it makes me kind of sad, and then I wonder how old am I, really? I sound about 83.

My only problem is when cell phones unnecessarily (I know there are exceptions) replace real person-to-person contact, when real life people are ignored in favor of screen life. When preoccupation with a phone replaces enjoying where you are and who you're with at that unique, fleeting moment in your life.

So share this salsa with someone you love. Because it's fresh, and it's sensational. You'll bond over the juicy chunks of mango and crunchy chips (I highly recommend the Hint of Lime ones with this), and perhaps the sangria that she brought over. And perhaps you'll forget about your phone, for just a tiny bit.

 Mango-Avocado Salsa

Serves 2-3

1 Mango, diced

1 Avocado, diced

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1-2 T. of fresh chopped cilantro

1/2 T. lime juice, or more to taste

Kosher salt to taste

Add mango, avocado, onion and cilantro to a bowl. Toss gently. Add lime juice and salt, tossing gently to combine. Season to taste with more salt, lime or cilantro.