Grilled Portabella Mushroom Salad with Halloumi and Quinoa

Did you greet the arrival of summer with a great big grin like I did?  Oh, what a feeling!  Things have been bonkers busy around here for the month of June.  My mom came to visit for a few days, then I was consumed with working on the first round of edits for my cookbook - and now I'm on to round two.  With not much time on my hands, meals have been quick and simple, and that's another reason I love this time of year so very much - you can throw stuff on the grill and dinner is essentially done.  Take this salad I made for the fine folks over at Mushrooms Canada.  I grilled some meaty portabella mushrooms and thick slices of halloumi cheese, which I then served over a mixture of quinoa, arugula and plenty of herbs from my kitchen garden.  The result was a delicious, healthy and satisfying summer salad.  For the recipe, head to the Mushrooms Canada blog.  Enjoy these days, friends.  I'll be back soon, once the edits are done and I have just a little more time on my hands.   Until then, eat all the ice cream and wish on the shooting stars.

Chipotle Roasted Corn & Quinoa Salad with Prawns

Today's post is short and sweet, kinda like the remaining days of summer.  In between picking loads of strawberries at the U-Pick, and doing loads of laundry, and checking on the garden and checking the clock I thought I'd squeeze in a quick post to tell you about this awesome salad.  Wait a second, back up Renee, what's the deal with watching the clock?  Well, by handsome man returns from his holidays tonight, in exactly 4.25 hours and I'm just a wee bit excited.  It's been a long long long nine days.  Funny thing is we both booked our holidays before we met way back in April, and the funnier thing is that we both went to the Windsor/Detroit/Toronto area for our time off.  Neato, huh?  It's just one of many good signs guiding our way.  Warning:  I could go all mushy and stuff on you in this post.  Just sayin'.

Quinoa With Roasted Butternut Squash and Pecans

 

So check it out - these photos were all taken in my backyard a couple of days ago.  The cats stretched out, chewing on new shoots of grass while I snapped away.  Every once in awhile they'd stop chomping and start horking and give me a look like "she's still at it - that quinoa must be cold."  Oh the feline attitude I deal with.  I'm totally loving these days of longer light and the ability to shoot outside again.  I've gots the springtime fever I tell ya!  There are baby buds on trees and life is popping out allover.  Spring just oozes possibilities and I'm totally digging it.