Quinoa Cakes with Walnut and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

I've walked by the bag of Quinoa a thousand times in the grocery store. Each time I do I think I should grab it and find something to make with it. But I still haven't done it. I was pretty excited then to see that one of the grains for our Tasty and Healthy New Year challenge was Quinoa from Bob's Red Mill. Since I hadn't used it before, some research was in order. Here's some of what I found:

• Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wa) is a grain common in ancient South America and has gained in popularity in the last few years
• It's full of minerals and nutrients, including: iron, manganese, magnesium and copper
• Quinoa is a complete protein which is great for those looking for a protein source outside of meat
• It has a unique nutty flavor and is very versatile. It can be substituted for many other grains and can go in main and side dishes or even desserts! (I'll share a cookie recipe with it soon)

Deep-Fried Poached Eggs with Creamed Spinach and Crispy Prosciutto

Somehow I've made it through all these years of cooking with never making a poached egg. Not sure exactly how it happened. I've only begun to like runny eggs in the last few years so that's probably part of it. I've always love fried eggs but when I made them myself I would cook them all the way through and in a restaurant I'd also ensure that they knew I wanted no runny yoke. Now I love to have that yoke running over a piece of toast, and yet still never a poached egg. Until tonight that is. And now I'm in love.