1. Caprese Salad
This simple raw recipe works well for anyone who is throwing a party and is in a hurry to come up with some quick snack items. Caprese salad is very easy to make, all you need are some toothpicks, cherry tomatoes, whole basil leaves, balsamic vinaigrette, a lemon, and thin slices of mozzarella cheese.
All you need to do is slice the roma tomatoes in half, and place one at the end of your toothpick. Then add the cheese, and one basil leaf after that; you can place them in whatever order you like, however this way helps to keep the cheese from sliding off. Lie the toothpicks across a plate and drizzle them with lemon juice, olive oil, and balsamic vinaigrette.
2. Quinoa
Use one part quinoa and two parts water to boil in a pot, make sure it’s covered. Depending on the size of your batch, it could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes to cool completely. You’ll know it’s done when the water is completely gone, just like if you were cooking a batch of rice.
Once the quinoa is fully boiled, allow it to cool for an hour or two; be careful not to put it in the fridge until it’s cool enough or it can grow bacteria. While the cooling period is happening, finely chop your onion, parsley, cilantro, and mint leaves, then add them to your quinoa once it’s cooled off. Add a few tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some lemon and salt to taste. Set it in the fridge one more time for about 3 or 4 hours.
Once you’ve given it enough time, have a bowl for lunch or eat it as a side!
3. Sauteed Garlic and Thyme Zucchini
Take 3 medium sized zucchinis and chop them into half inch circles and set them aside. Put your stove top on medium and add 2 or 3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your saute pan. Mince 3 to 4 cloves of garlic until they’re a light brown color. As the garlic is cooking, chop up one small sprig of thyme, as it’s very potent, and add it to your garlic.
Quickly add the zucchini slices and mix them in with the spices; when they’re evenly covered, allow them to sit face down against the pan until the slices are a golden color. Do the same to the other side, and remove them from the heat. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you want a kick!
4. Pico de Gallo
This incredibly delicious salsa can be great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and it tastes amazing with just about anything. Take 3 to 4 roma tomatoes and dice them up into squares. Then take one fourth of a white onion, and dice it up as well; if you want some spice, cut up half a jalapeño and mix all 3 of these together.
Mince a handful of cilantro and parsley and add it to your mixture. Squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over your pico to taste, and enjoy!
Mince a handful of cilantro and parsley and add it to your mixture. Squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over your pico to taste, and enjoy!
5. How to Use Parsley
While recipes like quinoa call for quite a bit of parsley, it’s more often used lightly for flavoring. Pasta dishes, couscous, and breakfast tacos all call for small amounts of chopped or minced parsley. Since it has such a potent flavor and scent, too much can be overbearing. So use it as a spice, or sprinkle it over mini sandwiches and finger foods to create an elegant garnish.
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