And she's back...

Well- it's been over 3 months since I last blogged, and with good excuse. I got engaged just before Christmas and it has been a whirlwind ever since. With so much to do before our May wedding, my culinary adventures have taken a back seat. (I've said before, I'm not the greatest multi-tasker). So instead I did a lot of my favorite recipe repeats (Lovebird chicken anyone? Chris LOVED it!) But I have a good feeling I'll be able to make up for lost time...I am moving to Italy where I can take my cooking (and eating) to a whole new level!

I did get a cooking itch this past week, as I felt myself slipping into a rut of the same-old same-old. (And I got a not-so-subtle nudge from my sister-to-be telling me I was neglecting my blogging duties.) So- I searched my beloved Whole Foods site for something creative, different and healthy. I mean I have a wedding dress to fit into and all. So what do you get? Quinoa loaf! It's a vegetarian meat loaf that uses a bean puree as a binder, combined with quinoa and veggies. Although I'm not a vegetarian, I find vegetarian recipes to be extremely creative and very flavorful. (There is also a part of me that is not sure if I'll get away with a recipe like this with my husband-to-be...at least not until I break him in). These kind of recipes always remind me of moms who try to sneak vegetables into their kids' food. Anyway, I made a few modifications:

I cooked the quinoa in vegetable broth instead of water.
I think the quinoa should be cooled before making this.
I used canned mushrooms to save a step (and a pan). Rinsed and drained.
I cooked it for nearly 1 1/2 hours, and it was still pretty moist in the middle (but I think this is why the quinoa should be cooled.)

See the recipe here: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2672#comments 

And just for fun: 

Don't we look Italian??