confetti quinoa salad

It’s almost summa summa summatime! So exciting.

BUT one of the only bad things about this season is that the job search must begin. I cannot wait until the day when I don’t have to get a minimum wage summer job. It would be helpful if I knew what my summer class schedule was, so that when I apply for things and they ask my availability I could give a better response than “I don’t know!” accompanied by a smile and shoulder shrug. It’s not going over well- my charm can only take me so far.

One of the gyms where I teach Body Pump has a pool, so my first choice would be lifeguarding there. Is it unacceptable to be a lifeguard for the summer once you’ve graduated college? I hope not. I have no qualms about laying in the sun all day and reading Fifty Shades of Grey in my downtime.

PS- I had no idea what Fifty Shades of Grey was and recommended it to Danielle to read over Easter vacation with her family because I heard about it on the radio. And then she texted me like “WHATTT I can’t read this while staying at my grandmother’s condo in Florida in the presence of other humans let alone my immediate family.” <—- paraphrasing

And then I read an article that described it as “S&M Cinderella.” Oops-a-daisy. Sorry, Danielle.

Back to lifeguarding. Sheila and I got certified in high school. Has she told you about the time I was strapped to the backboard and she dropped me and I almost drowned? <—- exaggerating

That was so funny, right Sheep? I was hoping that our teacher could recertify me, but I just heard that she was semi black-listed for having an affair with the football coach. Sounds like something that would happen in Tree Hill. Or wherever Fifty Shades of Grey takes place! No? Okay.

I’ll always be a cookie monster at heart, but if I want to take a job that requires me to be in a bathing suit all day every day, sometimes healthy food is a requirement. The good news is that this is delicious. And pretty! Perfect side dish for your summer grilling.

Confetti Quinoa Salad

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup corn

1/4 red onion, diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 jalapeno (seeds and ribs removed), diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. I cooked mine in water, but you could use chicken stock or vegetable stock if you wanted extra flavor. Fluff with a fork and let it cool.

Drain the black beans and corn. Chop up all the vegetables/seasonings.

Once the quinoa has cooled, mix everything in. Stir in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and add salt and pepper to taste. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.