I faced every foodie’s worst fear tonight. Dinner came around and…I wasn’t hungry.
I know.
See, my Mom and I skipped our morning walk so I was supposed to be able to sleep in ’til the leisurely hour of 5:30am. Imagine my surprise when I opened my eyes and the evil, red numbers on my clock blinked 5:52am.
5:52am?! Mother of Go-…I’M LATE!
After a record setting shower, Keurig brew and raid of the fridge – I was out the door by 6:25am.
Go me! 
I thought, ’til I got to work, peered into the bag of food I had grabbed from the fridge and only saw lunch staring back at me. 
That’s when I made the executive decision to have Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili for breakfast. It was 8am.
This is a bad idea! I tried to reason with myself. You’re going to get too full and your whole day will be out of whack!
Naturally my irrational, growling stomach trumped my rational, pleading brain and by 8:03am I was chowing down on glorious melted cheese, beans, rice, chicken and salsa. It was kind of awesome.
A delicious but MASSIVE Great Harvest Mediterranean Madness Sandwich for lunch only prolonged my fullness, and my appetite was nowhere to be found once 5pm rolled around! By then I was way too excited for the dinner I had planned and…ate it anyways.
I’m pretty sure you’d make the same decision if you smelled this dish while it was cooking: Lemon Grilled Chicken with Mediterranean Toasted Quinoa!
Dave & Sara @ 1 Cup Awesome have seeeeriously done it again with this one!
This recipe combines the flavors of the Mediterranean – bright lemon, savory garlic, rich olive oil and salty kalamata olives – with the amazing texture of toasted quinoa. It’s fantastic.
I made the Lemon Grilled Chicken first by pounding out a few organic, free-range chicken breasts, then seasoning them with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest.
I have never thought to call uncooked chicken pretty - but sorry, these were some real beauts!
After a quick trip to the grill,
I let the chicken rest while I worked on the Mediterranean Toasted Quinoa.
I started by rinsing organic quinoa in water, then cooking it in chicken broth.
You can get quinoa at pretty much any grocery store these days – usually in the health food section. I got this box at Trader Joe’s.
Quinoa is coated in natural plant chemicals that can give it a bitter taste, which is why you should always rinse it before cooking.
While the quinoa cooked away, I warmed extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet and infused it with a couple garlic cloves.
The smell was intoxicating!
When the garlic was golden and roasty, I added in the white part of a couple green onions,
then the cooked quinoa.
I let the mixture do it’s thang on medium-low heat, stirring every so often until it crisped up and turned golden brown, while I got to work combining a few other ingredients to add once it was done.
More green onion, tomato,
kalamata olives and capers.
The toasted quinoa and juice of half a lemon sealed the deal.
Just try and tell me you wouldn’t eat it too!
The garlic flavor is so subtle – dare I say sexy?? – in this dish, while the tangy lemon and kalamata olives pack a serious flavor PUNCH!
The toasted quinoa kind of popped and crunched in my mouth too. It was sooooo delicious!
If I had to eat a meal I wasn’t necessarily hungry for – this HAD to be it. You’ve GOT to make this dish! 
Aaaaand, it’s officially night night for bonzo – in the food department, anyways. I am stuffed to the gills!
In other news, Amazon’s 1-click ordering reared it’s ugly head today (seriously, that feature is dominating my life) and I 1-clicked my way to a new Kindle e-book this afternoon – Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II.
I’m thinking Hatchet for adults?? Ever since reading Unbroken and Lone Survivor earlier this Spring/Summer I’ve kind of become obsessed with war-time non-fiction stories. They fascinate me!
Off to read!
~~~~~
When do you prefer to eat your biggest meal of the day? Breakfast, lunch or dinner?
I prefer to eat like a "pauper" for breakfast, a "princess" for lunch and a "QUEEN" for dinner!
the shot of the quinoa on the quinoa box is stellar.
I eat the SAME way you do!
little breakfast, medium lunch, huge dinner!
the dish looks awesome! definitely one that I will try. I can totally relate to “eating it anyways”…..something I’m working on, but sometimes it just looks too good!
Yep, I’m the same way. Smaller meals throughout the day and a bigger dinner. It’s the best!
I do this all the time!! I am never usually hungry for the big dinner I have planned but I’m far too excited not to eat it. I’d rather stuff myself silly than to skip out on a good meal.
Your dinna looks DELISH! I totally dominate dinner- the rest of the day is more snackish!
I know how you feel about your day being thrown off by a huge unplanned meal. Our team went to lunch @ Zombie Burger the other day (read: grease and sodium overload) and I was totally stuffed when dinner rolled around. I’m on some meds that MUST be taken with foods, so I forced myself to eat some Special K and a peach. I love having a huge dinner and when that doesn’t happen I’m all out of whack! Anxious to hear how you like the book, I’m a history buff so I may have to check it out.
What did you think of Zombie Burger? I want to go because of the name alone!
Zombie burger is awesome! So many things to try. Although I would wait a bit for the opening buzz to ware off. They’ve been CRAZY busy.
I’m the same way, light breakfast, medium lunch, big dinner. I think I like to do it this way because dinner is always the meal I feel I can most enjoy. Breakfast is usually on the run, lunch is usually at my desk. I like it this way!
I need to try making quinoa this way! I love it but needed some new ideas. Love how fresh lemon makes a dish taste.
I have been eyeing this toasted quinoa recipe on their site, yum! Especially since I made their Mexican Quinoa Salad (thanks to you sharing this fabulous blogsite, thanks by the way!) and it was killer plus a huge hit at beach week
You eat dinner superrr early girlfriend… love it. I’m used to a 7:30/8:30 dining hour!
Yay! Thanks for making this and we’re pumped you loved it. So…kind of ashamed to say this, but three times in my life I have literally eaten until I puked. Not my proudest moments…
I have various levels of fullness:
1. Satisfied, happy
2. Full, slightly uncomfortable
3. Very full, begin sweating
4. Extremely full, swear I will never eat again, thought of food makes me gag
5. Way too friggin’ full, vomiting takes place
HAHAHA – I literally laughed out loud at this comment!
I do LOVE me a queenly dinner
I used to hate breakfast, and now I’m sorta loving it– lunch for me is the least exciting, usually because I don’t have a lot of time to put into it.
Please please, report back on this book– i LOVED the Hatchet growing up (and the sequels) and My Side of the Mountain (he trained a falcon! he ate roots out of the ground!), so a more mature version would be awesome.
I have to have a cup of coffee and something mediumish for breakfast, usually snack on fruit or have salad for lunch, then go BIG at dinner! I am reading Unbroken now after reading about it on your blog and it’s very good so far~
Love this! I say eat what you want when you want it – within reason
And personally, it is the healthiest thing you can eat! Personally, smoothies make me…gassy 
– too much liquid and air.
the trader joe’s organic chicken is a total beauty! this quinoa looks just fab… can’t wait to add it to the dinner queue
I grew up eating a good breakfast, a moderate lunch, and hefty dinner… I’ve kinda stuck to that. I’ve tried to eat larger breakfasts and lunches and downsize my dinners but It always throws me off.
Awesome dinner btw!
baha! the ‘woman screaming’ made me laugh out loud! dinner looks fantastic – can’t wait to try it out! :]
I prefer that my biggest meal is in the morning. That way I’m not tempted to snack all day at work (where are the chocolates are stashed)!
I like breakfast or lunch to be my biggest meal and then to eat less for dinner. I think it is because I usually do not eat dinner until 6:30 or 7, so I do not like to eat too heavy a few hours before going to bed. I love having big brunches on the weekend!
Whoa! I had a Mediterranean Madness sandwhich today too from GH in Clive – it definitely held me over all the way to dinner. And dinner just happened to be at the parents for my b-day so tons of food and now stuffed stiff.
Definitely either breakfast or dinner, I can’t eat a big lunch, or else I start to feel groggy/uncomfortable at my desk in the afternoon!
“I prefer to eat like a “pauper” for breakfast, a “princess” for lunch and a “QUEEN” for dinner!”
You sum up my philosophy perfectly!!
I totally agree with you in your big meal philosophy…and never heard it phrased that way haha. But I do hear it’s better to eat your biggest meal of the day early…but it never seems to happen for me!
I love savory foods for breakfast! Growing up, I always wanted leftovers for breakfast and never normal breakfast food.
Kinda weird for a kid, but I really have no sweet tooth.
Also, I feel compelled to say this because I teach high school English and I am one of those people who sometimes annoyingly corrects grammar. But I have been seeing this on a ton of blogs lately, and I feel like if we don’t correct it, people will continue to use it wrong. The only time “it’s” EVER has an apostrophe is when it stands for “it is.” When you use the word in a possessive format, like “its shirt” or “its flavor” or “I love its color,” there is never ever an apostrophe. ONLY if you substitute for “it is.”
Okay, grammar talk done now.
Your dinner looks great. Glad you decided to make it!
In answer to your question for today: I love to graze all day. But that usually doesn’t work out. So I end up eating my biggest meal for dinner, which is around 9pm. Bad idea! I need to work on a new routine!
Have you read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand? One of the most incredible WWII stories I’ve ever heard!
I am hands down a tiny breakfast, big lunch, and small dinner kinda gal, but my husband and I work second shift, so it makes sense for our life
What a pretty recipe! You know, I used to go to Pioneer Woman for recipes, but I soon got so tired of her “drench it all in butter” recipes and her annoying self-promotion. This looks so good and good for you. Nice job! Keep it up.
Way to eat what you want when you want. Dinner food for breakfast = totally acceptable. Oh and I never knew you should rinse quinoa before cooking. Great tip.
What do you normally eat for breakfast? I am looking for new ideas!
Lately a ton of cottage cheese, Greek Yogurt and fruit. Also cereal & almond milk is a always a popular choice for me!
Yum! This dinner looks really good! I am a big fan of quinoa. I’m definitely going to to have to try this!
I usually have my biggest meal at dinner. I think thats because dinner is my favorite meal of the day. Well besides dessert!
I WILL be making that dish! Yum! I agree with you. I like something small for breakfast like a bowl of cereal and cup of coffee. Then go a little heavier at lunch, but dinner is always the biggest. It’s still all about portion control, but the most important part is dessert! There is always room for dessert!
I agree on liking a bigger dinner. I try to eat a medium breakfast and a smaller lunch though, because if I eat more at breakfast I’m less hungry for snacking throughout the day, and if I don’t eat a light lunch I get sleepy around 2pm! I really want to try that sandwich from Great Harvest – yum, yum. I had no idea they did sandwiches. Have you ever tried one of their gooey bars? OMG.
UM. NO!! On it!
Your pictures are always so gorgeous, Kristin!
And definitely dinner. Although I do love a good breakfast!
Have you read Operation Mincemeat? It is right up your alley!
By the way, thanks for leading me to skinnytaste!! Love…
I agree! Skinnytaste is awesome and found it off of your blog. Thank you!!
Never thought about cooking the quinoa THEN sauteeing it but that sounds delicious!
I eat a big breakfast every morning, small lunch, and then a large late dinner. I always try to eat early, but dinner usually isn’t ready until 8:30 or so! That will have to change someday.
I have read Unbroken – after that I read “In the Garden of Beasts:Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin”. Highly recommend it!
Ahhhh COME COOK FOR ME I am a broke college student with no kitchen!! <3
i eat a bigger breakfast and a smaller lunch & dinner. but i work out in the AM so i’m always really hungry afterwards!
Lately, my favorite breakfast is cottage cheese and fresh fruit. Then if I’m going to tutor at the Altoona library, I’ll swing by the Caribou Coffee in HyVee for my favorite dark chocolate mocha. For lunch I love to explore some of the great places around Des Moines; most recently Luna Bistro. Dinner is usually up to me. My husband is happy as long as it contains some form of meat. : )
I just got back from a great vacation visiting my sister Sher near Portland, OR. One of our “field trips” was to Bob’s Red Mill. The store is awesome. (And across the street is an incredible bakery called Killer Dave’s. The Sin Dawg is to die for!) At Bob’s Red Mill I learned that they triple wash the quinua, so it’s all good to go. I LOVE the sounds of this recipe. Looking forward to trying it soon!
My mouth is watering… Mmm! I never knew you were supposed to rinse quinoa- oops, I’ve been eating dirty quinoa this whole time
You are going to loooove that book, can’t believe its a true story!
The author of that book was Jon Stewart a month or two ago, great interview.. Let us know what you thought of the book when you’re finished!
Just saw this and can’t wait to try it this weekend! I already fell in LOVE with their Lime Chicken Drumsticks and Quinoa salad and have had it 3 times since you posted it. It was my FAV summer meal! I’m also a ‘start small and build’ kinda girl. I too like cottage cheese for breakfast lately. I’ve gotten hooked on it mixed with chopped fresh fruit (especially peaches) and a few chopped almonds…Yum!
I bought that Shangri-La book too! I thought I needed to expand my interests past fiction and this book seems to be a good bridge to a real story.
I hope you post if you start reading and enjoy it!
I made this Chicken and quinoa this weekend and the dinner got rave reviews!
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