Hi!  I’m Wendy and I want to thank you for stopping by Cooking Quinoa!

Here you will find everything you need to get started enjoying quinoa!  Whether you are just looking for creative ways to cook a food you already love or are just getting started, I’ve got a little something for everyone here.  Since early 2012 all of my recipes are gluten free, but I also try to give alternatives so that those of you who are not gluten free can enjoy the recipes without restocking your pantry!

If you are new to quinoa, you will want to check out this post on how to cook quinoa.  You can sign up for my free email list and get my free ebook.  I also have several ebooks for sale you that are packed with recipes not on the website that you may want to check out.

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About Me

I am 41 years old, which didn’t feel like that big of a deal until I unexpectedly became pregnant at 41!

We are happily and anxiously awaiting a pink bundle of joy in April of 2013.  I haven’t done a thing to prepare.

I am the very lucky homeschooling mom to Alex (8) and Christian (almost 7).  They are 14 months apart, closer than twins and make my world go around.  Unfortunately, they also happen to be my toughest food critics.  (I talk about how picky they are a bit in this post.)

The Commander AKA Alex

Angel Baby AKA Christian

I feel blessed to be able to make a full time income online and be home with my boys.  My days are crazy and I almost never get my daily “to-do” list completed.  One day I’ll be organized, but for now my desk is a sea of note pads, recipe drafts and pictures of dinosaurs.  Luckily I thrive on chaos.

47 Random Things About Me

1. Our family has been location independent for the last four years.  Although many aspects of being in one place appeal to me (including  working towards that “perfect” kitchen and not having to pack) every time I think about staying in one place long term I start hyperventilating.  Apparently I’m afraid of commitment.
2. I am painfully shy.  Phone calls make me nervous.  I hide this well and almost no one who knows me would say that I’m shy.  Including my parents.
3. I’m really not a weird person obsessed with a single food.  Don’t get me wrong, I love quinoa but I actually thrive on variety when it comes to food.  Cooking Quinoa is one of those things that just sorta happened…and I wouldn’t change a thing.
4. All three of my children are surprises but NOT accidents.  The best way I’ve heard it explained is that a surprise is something you didn’t know you wanted until you had it.
5. I absolutely love being a mom to little boys and though I’m excited, the thought of a little girl scares me to deal.  I feel like I need to be a better role model.
6. I could snuggle with my boys all day long.  Seriously.
7. Other than snuggling, I have a very hard time sitting still or relaxing.
8. My favorite song is Learn to Be Still by the Eagles.
9. The only reason I’ve been able to make a full time income blogging is that I was so uneducated and poorly networked when I started out that I had no clue that “you can’t make money with a food blog.”  Sometimes ignorance really is bliss.
10. I get a weird thrill from crossing things off on my to-do list with a sharpie.  One of the best gifts my husband has given me was the monster pack of Sharpies form Costco.  It was way better than the flowers he brought me on the same day because it proved he “got” me.
11. I’m not a size 4.  People assume because I write (mostly) healthy recipes that I have a perfect body and have it all figured out.  While I was definitely on a downward trend prior to Baby #3, at no point during the life of this website have I been where I wanted to be.
12. I love all things cheesy and creamy.  Which makes sticking to a healthy plant based diet interesting.
13. While I do my best to follow a vegan diet, I’ve grown to hate labels so I don’t use them anymore.
14. Speaking of which, one of my biggest pet peeves is those who judge others because they don’t share in their food choices.  I think most people are doing the best that they can and harsh judgments never made anyone better.
15. My favorite color is red.
16. I use way too many exclamation points in my writing. I’m aware of this but can’t seem to stop.
17. I have an irrational fear of snakes, but can handle spiders, roaches and about anything else.  My boys are not allowed to have any toy that involves snakes.
18. Speaking of toys, my boys are hopelessly spoiled.  I know it isn’t a good thing but we can’t seem to resist buying them new things.  My husband and I joke that we want to come back as our kids.
19. I hate to clean –  but a dirty house makes me nervous.
20. My husband won’t touch the kitchen after I’m done cooking.  Apparently, I’m the world’s messiest cook.
21. If I’d known how well my boys would respond to detailed daily lists for cleaning I would have started doing them two years ago.  I’m pretty sure they clean better than I do.  (But they won’t touch the kitchen either.)
22. I have absolutely no tolerance for mean people.
23. I think one of the saddest things on the planet is how the anonymity of the internet makes grown people act.
24. Since becoming a mom I only get my hair cut professionally a couple of times a year.  I really need to take better care of myself.  (See #5)
25. Speaking of hair, without help from the bottle I’d be about 80% grey. It’s been this way since I was 35.  Thanks Dad!
26. My hands and feet are weirdly soft.  Like I’ve never washed a dish or gone barefoot.   Unfortunately, this does not extend to the tops of my hands which are kinda getting wrinkly….
27. I’ve had insomnia since I was 10.  I can’t nap to save my life.  Except when I’m pregnant, and then only occasionally.
28. I’d love to be able to count calories but I just can’t. (I do admire those who do which is why I include nutrition stats on my recipes.)
29. I tend to be extreme with anything.  i.e. when I haven’t worked out in years I won’t just start working out, I’ll start P90x.
30. My self doubt is my biggest enemy.
31. Along these lines, I’ve wanted to start a food blog/general blog (i.e. not just quinoa) for over a year now.  I’ve purchased the domain.  I even have about 25 recipes cooked, photographed and loaded in the WordPress dashboard.  Every time I almost make it live I convince myself that only 3 people would read.
32. I have a love hate relationship with food photography.
33. I am the world’s worst speller.  (I’m sure you already realized that.)
34. I also have a hard time reading my own work, which makes editing a bit of a challenge.
35. I am all about the liquids – good coffee and wine go a long way towards a happy Wendy. (Pity my husband while I’m pregnant.)
36. I hate cloudy days.  I think if I lived in a cold dreary climate in the winter I’d develop seasonal depression.
37. I love music but I can’t sing.
38. That doesn’t stop me.
39. I once accidently punched a friend and client through a glass door at a karate center kickboxing class.  (See #28.)
40. Speaking of accidents, I am a train wreck in the kitchen.  I’ve lost count of my burns and cuts.
41. I am extremely sensitive although I know it doesn’t serve me well.  My husband has been known to delete rude comments so I didn’t see them.
42. I grew up in Gainesville, Florida which makes me a Florida Gator through and through.
43. But that didn’t stop me from going to FSU for my first two years of college – just to be on my own.
44. My freshman year of college, I received the “bow head” award in my sorority.  (Come on people, this was 1989!)  I pity my little girl.
45. I am technically challenged.  (Which is why I am completely uninvolved in the support process for ebooks – hubby handles this!)
46. I first became enthralled with cooking while reading Martha Stewarts Entertaining in the 80’s.
47. While home from college for the summer, I threw my parents a surprise party for 40 for their 25^th wedding anniversary.  I refused offers for help with the food and instead set my alarm for 1am and got up to cook in the middle of the night while everyone was sleeping.  The surprise was kept until the big day.  I felt like Martha Stewart.

Email:  wendy at wendypolisi dot com.

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