Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you have a wonderful, romantic day planned. I will probably be spending mine in bed, having somehow contracted a stinker of a cold. I had to work today too, unfortunately. Everyone always says you should stay home and not spread your germs around, but apparently that doesn’t apply when you’re the boss. Who couldn’t find a substitute for the two classes she teaches. Whose assistant has a son who probably broke his foot. Who can’t find anybody to cover anything.
(Whine over)
Thank you all so much for your warm and wonderful response to my post the other day. It fills my heart.
Also, in case you missed it, I guest posted on Carla’s blog on Thursday. I hope you’ll pop over and learn about some changes that are coming in my life.
Along with my cold comes the official start of marathon training. I haven’t actually written it out yet, but I have a picture in my mind of what I want to do. I’ll share it on Monday. I did hope to get in a good long run this weekend, but now, with this cold I’ll be happy just to get out on the road.
While Alan and I don’t really celebrate Valentines’ Day in any traditional sense, I might prepare a special dinner. This main dish salad makes a perfect meal for a romantic evening at home because it is quick and easy to make, delicious, and even looks special.
Roasted Asparagus, Seitan Steak, and Quinoa Salad with Tropical Vinaigrette
For this salad, I used sliced seitan from Sweet Earth. You can certainly make your own, but the traditional seitan from Sweet Earth contains only five ingredients, the same ingredients I would use if I were making my own. No preservatives or other junk. And I like the taste of Sweet Earth better than my own.
- 1 cup of prepared quinoa, chilled
- About 4 ounces seitan, sliced into thin strips (enough for about 4-6 strips per salad
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon Better than Bullion Vegetable base
- 1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- pepper
- Asparagus, 4-6 stalks per serving
- olive oil
- salt
- Mixed greens (or other favorite salad green)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- ½ cup cucumber, sliced
- Tropical Vinaigrette (see below)
- ¼ cup roasted pine nuts
- Put the seitan in a small bowl.
- Mix together the hot water, Better than bullion, liquid aminos, liquid smoke, and pepper. Pour over the seitan. Set aside. Allow to marinate for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450.
- Toss the asparagus in a little oil and salt.
- On a cookie sheet, lay out the asparagus on one side, the seitan on the other. Pour a little of the marinade over the seitan.
- Roast for 10-12 minutes turning once. Pour a little more marinade on the seitan.
- For each salad, place a handful of salad greens on a medium plate. Sprinkle half the quinoa over each salad. Add the tomatoes, avocado, green onion, cucumber, asparagus, and seitan steak.
- Drizzle with Tropical Vinaigrette and sprinkle with roasted pine nuts.
Tropical Vinaigrette
1/2 cup pineapple
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
salt and pepper to taste
Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
I have to work again tomorrow, and hopefully I’ll have a little better luck getting out early if I still feel bad. So, it’s off to bed early.
Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? Any races on the schedule? Have you caught a cold or the flu this winter? Any tips to get rid of it faster?
So sorry to hear you’re sick! Hope you feel better soon. This dish looks delicious!
Thank you. So far (as I sit here at work because my assistant called in sick) I’m about the same. Hopefully good for the weekend!
I should cook me up some asparagus tomorrow – an aphrodisiac……… ALL BY MYSELF – LOL!
Oh, and I thought asparagus was just a diuretic (which is hardly sexy 🙂 ).
I’m just getting over the cold… knocked my training off for a week. I’m glad you are getting over one before you start training. Excited for your journey.
Thanks. It really is a pretty good time to get the cold out of the way.
it filled my heart too.
I LOVE OUR TRIBE.
I’m proud to be part of the tribe.
My cold crud is still lingering. I think I bruised a rib or pulled an ab muscle from so much coughing. Hope you are feeling better soon! Maybe you could take a 5 minute nap under a desk somewhere? 🙂
I have been coughing like crazy. No such luck on the nap, though. My assistant called in sick, so I’m manning the whole fitness center.
Feel better soon! Take some time to rest <3
Lovely recipe btw !
Thank you. If I can just get out of work I will go home to bed.
Emergen-C saved me when I was battling a cold a few weeks ago! Get well!
I’ve been using Emergen-C. We’ll “C” if it does any good 🙂
That looks delicious! So sorry you got hit with a cold… hope you can rest up and feel better for the weekend!
Thank you. My fingers are crossed to feel better. If I could just get home and get some sleep.
Yum. That vinaigrette sounds fantastic. I need to make some more seitan steaks and really want asparagus now 😉
Asparagus is really cheap here right now. About $1.99 a pound. I’ve been eating it like crazy.
This looks delicious! And also? I loved your post on Carla’s blog.
Thanks Christine. I appreciate it.
HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you feel better soon!!! Always great recipes here!!!!!
i can’t have seitan but i can have tempeh! so this is a great! <3 <3
This looks absolutely delicious. Love roasted asparagus and mixed with all the other yumminess, omgoodness.
Wow this sounds great. I love asparagus no one else in the family so I don’t get it to often but Ill have to try this soon as I get to the market thanks for the recipe
Thanks for the recipe! Quinoa is a new favorite of mine, and I like finding new ways to eat it. Hope your cold didn’t last too long.