By Second week of school and Liam has settled into it with an ease that is completely characteristic. He has his routine. He knows where his cubby is, he knows Miss Alicia's systems, he has assessed Marcus-who-runs-fast as a suitable person to run with. He comes home tired in a different way than before -- not fussy-tired but output-tired, the tired of someone who has been doing things all day that matter to them.
Nora has started claiming Liam's absence by playing in the living room with his toys with a focused freedom she doesn't have when he's there. She is not malicious about it. She is just thorough. By the time Liam comes home she has usually returned things more or less to where they were, which suggests awareness of ownership and a sense of restoration. Or she just got bored. I don't have enough data to distinguish these interpretations.
I had a patient this week I want to write about without writing about. Thirty-eight years old. Two kids, similar ages to mine. I have been in oncology long enough not to bring this kind of thing home in a way that damages the home, but I carry it. I went home and held Nora and then held Liam when he came in from school and didn't let go as long as usual. Sean watched me hold them and didn't say anything. He understood the math.
Lemon pasta on Thursday -- simple, quick, the good olive oil and the fresh parsley and the lemon I always have. The meal that takes twenty minutes and feeds something specific.
Thursday called for something that required very little of me and gave a lot back — and this pesto quinoa salad has become exactly that kind of meal in our house. It’s in the same spirit as the lemon pasta I mentioned: bright, herby, quick enough that I could pull it together while still being present with the kids. Some weeks you need the meal to do the work, and this one does.
Pesto Quinoa Salad
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1/3 cup prepared basil pesto
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa. Combine quinoa and broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 13–15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Dress with pesto. Transfer quinoa to a large mixing bowl. Add pesto, lemon juice, and olive oil. Stir well to coat evenly while the quinoa is still slightly warm.
- Add the vegetables. Fold in cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, and olives. Toss gently to combine.
- Finish and season. Scatter feta over the top. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust lemon juice or pesto as needed.
- Serve. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 370 | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 48g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 520mg