Chef Carl's Quinoa and Cranberry Salad

Remember when you used to go with your dad to the store before a barbecue to get the hot dog buns that mom forgot to buy and some extra charcoal and you'd always stop by the deli and get a few "extras" from the deli, like that jell-o parfait and potato salad? If not, you missed out. Those were some of my favorite little jaunts with my dad. We'd always come home with some little treat in a plastic lidded container that would round out the meal perfectly. Those trips can get a little scary these days, as you know with celiac's disease you must be extra precise in reading the labels of the foods you eat, and sometimes, at a deli, you can't read the labels because chefs protect their recipes. Unless you shop at Harmon's.

I was at the deli the other day buying lunchmeat, and since I always buy the same kinds of lunchmeat that I know are gluten free, I never really ask about other foods. But they had samples of a cranberry-quinoa salad there and I asked if it was gluten free. The deli man started telling me all about this salad and it's nutritional benefits, and I must say, I was blown away. First of all, it's made with red and white quinoa, cranberries, bell peppers, red onion, corn, black beans, red wine vinegar, and honey. It's a super food or a super snack, whichever way you eat it. It's got a ton of protein in it as well as vegetables and complex carbohydrates. It provides as much energy as two cups of coffee in a 4 oz. serving, and it also has a complete amino acid protein profile. It's definitely a super food, right? It's got a great, unexpected taste, and of course I bought my own little container of Chef Carl's creation and ate some with my lunchmeat and fruit that day. It just fills you up right and you feel healthier eating these lovely foods all mixed together. I wish I could say I had come up with this fabulous recipe on my own and that I had a recipe to pass on to everyone for it, but I'd rather tell you to run over to Harmon's in Draper and buy from Chef Carl. Any chef that will concoct something delicious and then tell you exactly what's in it deserves some praise! And the jaunts for the perfect salad to complement the barbecue can resume.

Happy eating!