Quinoa Snap Pea Salad

You may have heard that we had an earthquake in D.C. on Tuesday. No, that doesn't really have anything to do with this recipe other than that it's what we had for dinner later that night (after evaluating the damage to our apartment and having several drinks to settle our nerves) (okay, the drinking was just me). Due to all the excitement and commotion, I forgot to take a picture of it that night -- so you all will have to settle with a cellphone pic snapped of my lunch leftovers the next day. They were still delicious, by the way.

Quinoa Snap Pea Salad
From Food & Wine

• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas


• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained


• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil


• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar


• Salt and freshly ground pepper


• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved


• 1/2 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds


• 1/2 cup minced chives

In a small saucepan of boiling salted water, simmer the peas until bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and spread out on a large plate to cool, then pat dry. Cut the peas on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces.

In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until all of the water has evaporated and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa, then transfer to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, combine the oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Add the peas to the quinoa with the tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, chives and dressing; stir. Season with salt and pepper and serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

Mexican Pasta Salad

Wow, it's been forever. This is what happens in DC during August -- everyone goes on vacation, even food bloggers. The beau and I enjoyed a delightful week hiking in the Pacific northwest earlier this month, and I've just stayed in that vacation mentality with regards to posting new recipes and photos.

But I'm going to whip myself back into shape, starting with this delightful Mexican pasta salad. I feel like I've been making a lot of pasta salads this summer, but what's not to like about them? When you balance out a moderate amount of pasta (i.e.: carbs) with lots of fresh veggies and a light but flavorful dressing, you end up with a surprisingly healthy meal. Perfect for end-of-summer produce, too!

Mexican Pasta Salad
From Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

• 8 oz short pasta (such as rotini, elbows, penne, or a mix)


• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels


• 3 scallions, sliced


• Bell pepper (any color), chopped


• 14-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained


• Medium tomato, chopped


• 1/4 cup olives (Spanish, or whichever variety you prefer), chopped


• 1/4 cup cilantro (more or less, to taste)


• 2 teaspoons olive oil


• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice


• 2 teaspoons cumin


• Salt and pepper


• Cheddar cheese, grated (optional--vegans can omit)

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Add the corn kernels to the pot during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine scallions, bell pepper, black beans, tomato, olives, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, cumin, and pepper. Add the pasta and corn, and salt to taste. Serve with grated cheddar (if using) and extra cilantro.

Chopped Moroccan Salad

You know the drill. It's summer, it's hot out (hello, 103 degrees with a heat index of 119!), you don't feel like cooking, and there's no way you're turning on any sort of stove, oven, or other heat-emitting device. Obviously, this situation calls for a salad. This one's really fresh and full of nutritious and delicious ingredients. The Moroccan inspiration is mostly found in the spices of the dressing, but probably also in the fact that Moroccans likely don't feel like cooking in July either.

Chopped Moroccan Salad

From Women's Health Magazine

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 large pinch cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 cups baby arugula, chopped if desired
• 1/2 avocado, diced (use the whole thing if you love avocado)
• 2 medium or 1 large yellow tomato, diced
• Cucumber, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds or pistachios

Combine the oil, zest, lime juice, honey, cinnamon, and cumin in a blender or food processor, or whisk together until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Toss well with dressing.

Fresh Corn & Potato Salad

While there's a lot to love about summer produce, there may be no greater joy than freshly harvested sweet corn, so tender that the kernels can be eaten raw. No need for blanching here! This salad showcases this wonderful crop in a citrusy lime-based dressing. It's perfect picnic material, though eating it left-over for lunch in your office kitchen is good too.

Fresh Corn & Potato Salad

From Southern Living

• 1 pound baby red potatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
• Large red bell pepper, diced
• Avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions

Bring potatoes and salted cold water to cover to a boil in a large Dutch oven; boil 10 minutes or just until tender. Drain and let cool 15 minutes.

Whisk together cilantro and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add warm potatoes, corn, and remaining 3 ingredients; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Tortellini Salad

I read a fair number of other food blogs in my spare time, you know, for inspiration and recipes and good things like that. One of my favorites is 101 Cookbooks. The author, Heidi Swanson, posts healthy veg recipes accompanied by the most gorgeous photos ever - I'm just constantly drooling over it. Well, it turns out that she recently published a cookbook, so obviously I ordered a copy as soon as I could. And I am in love.

It's called Super Natural Every Day, and every recipe in it is the kind of recipe I would make up if I were any good at making up recipes. It's all fresh and seasonal and contains unexpected but amazing combinations of ingredients. I made my first recipe from it last night and have pretty much the rest of them bookmarked to make in the very near future. For now, here's Heidi's gorgeous tortellini salad.

Tortellini Salad

From Super Natural Every Day

• Fine sea salt
• 1 pound fresh tortellini or about 12 ounces frozen/refrigerated tortellini
• 8 to 10 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
• 1/2 head broccoli or equivalent broccolini, cut into small trees
• 1 small clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Small handful of fresh cilantro or mint, chopped
• Small handful of sprouts
• 1/3 cup/1 ounce pine nuts or almonds, toasted
• 1 medium ripe avocado, sliced into small pieces

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, add the tortellini, and cook according to the package instructions. About 30 seconds before the pasta is finished cooking, stir the asparagus and broccoli into the pot. Cook for the final 30 seconds, drain, and run under cold water just long enough to stop the cooking.

In the meantime, to make the dressing, use the flat side of your knife to mash the garlic along with a big pinch of salt into a paste. Whisk together the garlic paste, lemon juice, olive oil, and more salt, if needed. Set aside.

When you're ready to serve the salad, toss the pasta, asparagus, broccoli, and cilantro with about half of the dressing. Add more dressing to taste, if needed, and toss well. Add the sprouts, nuts, and avocado. Very gently toss a couple of times to distribute those ingredients throughout the salad and enjoy. Keep the dressing on hand to refresh leftovers; the pasta tends to absorb it overnight.

Beet-Tomato Soup & Shaved Zucchini Salad

I've been looking forward to farmer's market season for months. Yeah, our local farmer's market technically goes all winter long, but only the meat/dairy people are there. It's not until May that all the produce farmers set up shop. We have a few weeks still before the veggies really hit their summer stride, but some really great springtime deliciousness can be found.

This soup & salad meal made use of some of the late-spring produce that I picked up yesterday. A big pile of tiny baby zucchini -- only about 4 inches long, and very thin -- became a shaved zucchini salad with sweet pistachios and salty parmesan. (Never eaten zucchini raw? It's great. It's got a really nice crunch to it.) And two bunches of beautiful beets got transformed into a delicious beet and tomato soup with cumin, kind of like a summery southwestern take on borscht. Together, they made a beautiful and wonderfully fresh Sunday dinner.

Shaved Zucchini Salad with Parmesan and Pistachios
From Food & Wine

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds small, firm zucchini, very thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline
• 1/3 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons lightly salted roasted pistachios

In a small bowl, whisk the oil with the lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the sliced zucchini with the lemon dressing. Add the Parmesan and the pistachios, toss again and serve.

Beet-and-Tomato Soup with Cumin
From Food & Wine

• 1 pound medium beets
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Creme fraiche (for garnish, optional-- I couldn't find any at the store, so left it out)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (for garnish, optional)

In a large saucepan, cover the beets with water. Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until tender, about 1 hour; if necessary, add more water to keep the beets covered. Drain the beets and let cool slightly, then peel and coarsely chop.

Wipe out the saucepan and heat the olive oil in it. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped beets, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon of cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the vegetable stock and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a food processor. Rewarm the soup in teh saucepan and season with salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with dollops of creme fraiche (if using). Sprinkle with a little cumin and the parsley and serve.

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing

Pasta salad is one of those things that you can make in a million different ways. I may be exaggerating, but it's entirely possible that there are literally a million different pasta salad recipes floating around. I remember when I was in high school I used to make a pasta salad with walnuts and lime juice and maybe feta? It was super popular at parties (no, seriously). Well, this pasta salad is totally different but so very good. It's distinctly southwestern, with corn, black beans, and avocado, and it's got this great spicy buttermilk dressing that covers every bite with flavor. It's a great recipe to add to your pasta salad repertoire.

Orzo Salad with Spicy Buttermilk Dressing
From Cooking Light

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and drained
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 peeled avocado, cut into wedges

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain. Place orzo, corn, and next 3 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl; toss.


Combine buttermilk, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle over orzo mixture and toss. Top with avocado; garnish with remaining cilantro.

Mediterranean Penne Salad

Passover's over, so we're back to carbs! Hoorah! Last night I threw together this great pasta salad from the most recent Cooking Light. It's got lots of yummy Mediterranean flavors, like olives and goat cheese, plus roasted vegetables which add a ton of flavor. The dressing is also super delicious -- tangy and the tiniest bit sweet. This is a great warm-weather meal and would make a delightful addition to any picnic, potluck, or other summertime party.

Mediterranean Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Goat Cheese
From Cooking Light

• 2 cups uncooked penne
• One bunch asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• One pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside. Place asparagus and tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 6-10 minutes or until asparagus is tender and tomatoes have begun to burst. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Combine shallots, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, herbes de Provence, and honey in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, stirring constantly with the whisk. Stir in a big pinch of salt and pepper.

Place pasta, asparagus, tomato, olives, and arugula in a large bowl. Toss. Drizzle dressing over pasta mixture and toss again. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Serve immediately, or cover and chill for 2 hours for a cold pasta salad.

Warm Lentil Salad with Grapes, Feta, & Mint

So I guess we're getting toward springtime here in DC (at least theoretically -- if only it would quit snowing!), which is about the time I start craving quicker, lighter, fresh-tasting meals so I can enjoy more time outside in the sunshine. (Daylight saving time, you are my friend.) This one really hit the spot for me last night. It's so easy to throw together and has such a great combination of flavors and textures: chewy lentils, sweet grapes, crunchy pistachios, mustardy dressing, salty feta. This would be great served over a bed of baby spinach, or for my carnivorous friends out there, as a side dish with some marinated grilled chicken or pork chops.

Warm Lentil Salad with Grapes, Feta, and Mint
From Vegetarian Times

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 2 cups cooked lentils (start with about 1 cup dry; simmer with water to cover for about 20 minutes)
• 1 1/2 cups red grapes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped mint
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, and cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender and translucent, stirring often. Remove from heat, and stir in sherry vinegar and mustard. Combine lentils, leek mixture, grapes, pistachios, mint, and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and top with crumbled feta.

Southwestern Quinoa & Sweet Potato Salad

I love this salad so much that it's usually the first recipe I tell people to make when they want to try quinoa for the first time. It's super easy to throw together, not to mention crazy delicious. It has a great combination of textures: chewy quinoa, creamy avocado, and crunchy bell pepper. Plus the always wonderful flavors of lime juice and cilantro... yes please!

Southwestern Quinoa & Sweet Potato Salad
From How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa (or 2 1/2 cups cooked)
• 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• Cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lime (or a whole lime if it's not very juicy)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

First, cook the quinoa: put it in a saucepan with water to cover by at least an inch and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until it's done (taste often to check; it should take between 10 and 20 minutes; add more water if it gets dry but isn't done yet). Drain and rinse in a fine mesh strainer.

Meanwhile, cook the sweet potatoes: put them in another saucepan with water to cover and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain well.

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, sweet potatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and avocado. Season with salt and pepper to taste, along with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lime juice, then add to the quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Eggs and Greens

During the week, dinner tends to be a slightly rushed affair. I'm just so tired when I get home from work, not to mention starving and slightly low-blood-sugar-cranky.

But on Sunday evenings, with errands out of the way and the obligatory dog park trip behind me, I like to spend a while cooking up something special. Something that takes a little more effort than I would put in on a weeknight. Something especially delicious.

Tonight, with football on TV in the background, I made this seriously awesome fall dinner. It made the entire apartment smell like fried onions and sage. The hash is autumn root vegetable goodness personified; the poached eggs' broken yolks create a rich, practically sinful sauce; and the fresh greens brighten up the plate and keep everything light and in balance. Yeah, this meal took a little more time, and a little more effort, but it was so worth it.

 Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Eggs and Greens

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 3/4 pound)
• 2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup cubed peeled cooked beets (about 1/2 pound)
• Salt and pepper
• 5 teaspoons red wine vinegar, divided
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 6 cups spring greens, frisee, curly endive, or other greens

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; saute for 5 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Add potatoes, 2 teaspoons sage, and garlic; cook for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in beets and salt and pepper to taste; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add water to a large skillet, filling two-thirds full. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer gently. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup or small ramekin, and pour gently into pan of water. Cook for 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon sage and a bit of salt and pepper evenly over the eggs.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 2 teaspoons vinegar, pinch of salt and pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and mustard in a large bowl, stirring with a whick. Add greens, toss to coat. Serve with hash and eggs.

Tomato, Avocado, and Golden Beet Salad

Tonight's dinner is 100% brought to you by Joe Fray. Well, I picked out the recipe and helped with the shopping, but I took no part in the actual making of the food. You won't be seeing him writing any guest posts, however. I asked him what he would say about the making of this meal, and he looked at me for a few seconds and said, "You chop things and put them in a bowl and mix them." Not the most loquacious when it comes to food writing, that Joe.

So I'll just tackle this from the point of view of the eater. This salad is delicious. It's great for early fall because there are still pretty decent tomatoes to be had, and beet season is now upon us. We ate the salad with crusty hunks of whole wheat baguette (and a great episode of House on TV).

Tomato, Avocado, and Golden Beet Salad

• One bunch of golden beets, greens removed
• 4 medium tomatoes, sliced into wedges
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 small red onion or half a large red onion, sliced
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon chives

Place a medium saucepan filled with water over high heat; bring to a boil. Add beets, bring back to a boil and reduce heat to medium; simmer until beets pierce easily with the point of a sharp knife, about 25 minutes. Remove beets from pan and place under cold running water until cool enough to handle. Peel beets with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1/2-inch wedges; place beets in a large bowl.

Add tomato, avocado, onion, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to bowl; toss to combine. Sprinkle with basil and chives. Serves anywhere from 2-4, depending on how hungry you are.

Cooked Grains Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

Hey, look! Another grain and vegetable summertime salad! Well, when summer produce is abundant and delicious, far be it from me to refrain from eating it whenever possible.

This recipe is borrowed with gratitude from the New York Times' Recipes for Health series. I love their fresh, light, seasonal recipes -- they always seem to know exactly what I would like. This one's simple yet really, really great. The tomato vinaigrette in particular is outrageously good. I could have just eaten that with a spoon. Of course, the quality of the vinaigrette will depend in large part on the quality of your tomatoes, so choose wisely.

If I were to change anything the next time around, I'd probably add a few more veggies. I think lightly steamed summer squash or chopped-up green beans would be really nice in this.

Cooked Grains Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

• Half-a-pound ripe farmer's market tomatoes (I used a yellow heirloom variety)
• 1 clove garlic, minced finely
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or sherry vinegar if you have it)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups cooked grains (I used pearl barley and brown rice; you could also use farro, quinoa, or bulgur)
• Kernels from one ear of corn, steamed (you can steam the whole cob before slicing it up, or zap the kernels in the microwave for about 30 seconds)
• 1 medium cucumber, diced
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh herbs (I used dill, but tarragon or parsley would have been great too)

Cut the tomatoes in half across the equator and grate on the large holes of a box grater into a wide bowl. Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper, vinegar, and oil. Add the remaining ingredients, toss together, and serve.

Curried Quinoa Salad with Cucumber-Mint Raita

First recipe on the new blog! Woo! Good times. I figured tonight's dinner was as worthy of a blog post as any, so why not start off with it? This is a great and very different recipe from the most recent issue of Cooking Light, a magazine that often frustrates me (some months it contains very few vegetarian recipes). But this one was kind of fun.

It's the kind of grain/vegetable salad, served at room temperature, that I'm so drawn to during hot summer weather. It has a nice savory-sweet balance: the curried quinoa is salty and spicy, mango and currants add sweetness, and celery provides just the right amount of crunch. A minty raita ties it all together.

This is a great vegetarian meal because quinoa has lots of protein. In fact, it's a "complete" protein, meaning that it has pretty much all the amino acids that people need. If you haven't tried it, you should -- it's a delightfully chewy little grain.

Curried Quinoa Salad with Cucumber-Mint Raita

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 diced peeled mango
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons dried currants (*note: you can find these near the raisins in the grocery store)
• 1/4 cup finely diced peeled cucumber
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 six-ounce carton plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 five-ounce package fresh baby spinach

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add curry powder and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add quinoa and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in salt. Cool completely.

Add mango, diced celery, scallions, chopped cilantro, and currants to cooled quinoa; toss gently.

Combine cucumber, mint, and yogurt in a small bowl, and stir well. Divide spinach evenly among 4 plates, and top each serving with about 1 and 1/4 cup quinoa mixture and about 2-3 tablespoons raita.