It couldn’t have been a better fit either, because much like Felicia, this pomegranate, nut, and green herb quinoa surprises you — in the best way possible. I hope she doesn’t mind being compared to food! But seriously, they’re both full of flavor and the most perfect juxtapositions: punchy but sweet, intricately layered but delicate. After I told Felicia that Jane’s other quinoa dish I made was very much in the same vein, she picked up her phone and ordered the cookbook from Amazon Prime, right on the spot. (She’s also now itching to buy my favorite Kyocera knife and my Vitamix too! More on that in a moment.)

What I love most about Felicia though is her infectious excitement over food and food photography. It’s so delightful being around someone who’s just as crazy (again, in the best way possible) about the taste and styling of her meals. And her attention to detail pays off, big time, as evidenced in her post about our cookfest yesterday; her photos are stunning.

She has the full quinoa recipe there so I’ll just add the one for homemade hummus, which is where that Vitamix comes in. Sure you can buy hummus at the store, but making your own is super simple and so much healthier. Plus you can tailor it exactly to your liking, which for me means Garlic to the enth degree. You might ask, as I did when I first saw the recipe: what is hummus even doing in this quinoa dish? I’ll tell you: making it amazing. It adds a creaminess that holds all the ingredients together and a surprising mediterranean feel. It’s almost like you’re on DVF’s yacht with Jane. Almost.

Following up on last week’s strawberry, pea, almond creation I bring you this delightful cucumber, tomato, onion, and herb extravaganza. The best part about both of these salads is that you can easily tailor it to your liking: pick and choose the amount of each veggie (more tomato, less onion) and add whatever protein on top to round out the meal. For herbs I used basil and thyme because that’s what I had on hand — but any fresh green from your garden or market would be delicious in this salad. I bet parsley and/or cilantro would be perfect here.

To my herbs and veggies I added a diced avocado, a bit of olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lime juice — and voila! B loved it too. He raved about this meal long after the dishes were done, and he never used to be a salad guy. I still wouldn’t classify him as such, but he’s getting there. Amazing what a little fresh herb and citrus will do to a previously Serious Sweet Tooth. Nature’s candy!