Haven’t put together your menu for your Independence Day fete? Fear not, here’s some healthy options to whip together: “From Institute of HeartMath… Party Quinoa Salad Summer is a fun time for cold grain salads. This one is great for taking to a picnic or summer get-together. It’s colorful and tasty with a little crunch. Yogurt gives it a subtle creaminess and cranberries go great with the quinoa. 1 cup quinoa 1 ¾ cup water ¾ teaspoon sea salt ¼ cup almonds, slivered & toasted 2 cups spinach leaves, chiffonade* 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup cucumbers cubed and peeled 1-15oz.can chickpeas, drained and rinsed ¼ cup low fat yogurt ½ cup red onion, chopped 6 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice ½ teaspoon minced garlic Rinse quinoa and place in pot with water. Heat on high in covered pot until boiling, then lower to a very low simmer (don’t stir while it cooks.) Cook until water evaporates, about 15-20 minutes. Let sit for another 15 minutes and then fluff with fork and bring to room temperature. Mix all ingredients. Serve at room temperature or cold. Serves: 4-6 Total cooking time: 35 minutes *Chiffonade is a cooking technique in which herbs or leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and basil) are cut into long, thin strips. This is generally accomplished by stacking leaves, rolling them tightly, then cutting across the rolled leaves with a sharp knife, producing fine ribbons. Quinoa and Grilled Pepper Salad The slight sweetness of the roasted peppers in this dish complements the lime juice and cilantro in the dressing. Great for a July 4th picnic or potluck! 1 cup quinoa 1 ¾ cup water 1 red bell pepper, 1”cubes 1 yellow bell pepper, 1” cubes 2 orange bell peppers, 1” cubes 3 tablespoons olive oil (2 tablespoons for peppers, 1 tablespoon for salad) 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lime juice 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 2 green onions, chopped ¾ teaspoon sea salt Rinse quinoa and place in pot with water. Heat on high in covered pot until boiling, then lower to a very low simmer (don’t stir while it cooks.) Cook until water evaporates, about 15-20 minutes. Let sit for another 15 minutes and then fluff with fork and bring to room temperature. Mix peppers with oil and light sprinkle of salt. Bake in 425◦ oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned and soft. Whisk dressing ingredients together. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Serves: 4 Total cooking time: 40 minutes From Celeste Yarnall… Arugula Pizza Salad Note: Use organic ingredients when available and have fun with your own pizza salad toppings. These are my favorites and the way I put my pizza salad together: 1 gluten-free large ready made or homemade pizza crust organic marinara tomato sauce grated mozzarella cheese sun dried tomatoes black olives (pitted and cut in half) anchovies (optional) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese dried oregano arugula 1. If you are using a store bought gluten-free pizza crust, heat it at 350 degrees on a cookie sheet until lightly browned (about 10 minutes). Let cool. 2. Brush pizza crust with marinara sauce out to the edges. 3. Sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese to taste on top and then a light sprinkle of oregano to taste. 4. Place pitted black olive halves on top of cheese. 5. Place a few slices of sun dried tomatoes and anchovies strategically, so each slice gets these ingredients. (You can be creative and use the toppings you prefer instead of mine and of course make vegetarian substitutions.) 6. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling 7. Slide on to serving platter and put a generous amount of arugula on top to create your pizza salad then drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and more Parmigiano. 8. Slice, serve and enjoy! From Joy the Baker… Lavender Honey Lemonade Ingredients: 3 c. water, plus more to taste 1 c. freshly-squeezed lemon juice 1 1/2 heaping tsp. dried culinary lavender 2 tbs honey 1/2 c. granulated sugar Instructions: 1. Bring 1 cup of water and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat to a boil. When the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat. 2. Stir lavender and honey into water/sugar mixture and cover. Steep for around 15 minutes. 3. Using a sieve, strain lavender out of lemonade. 4. Combine and stir lavender syrup, the rest of the water and lemon juice in a large pitcher. Let lemonade chill before serving over ice. Makes about 4 cups of lemonade.”