Lebanese-Style Quinoa Salad

This is one of those dishes I created by misreading a recipe from the Sprouts Magazine and ended up with something completely different… but in my opinion completely better!  It’s a total crowd pleaser!  Everyone who has tried it has asked for the recipe, vegetarian or not.  So give it a try.  I will say, it takes some preparation time, 45-1 hour the first time, but the more you make it the faster you will get.  Read the entire recipe before beginning to get an idea of what can be done at the same time.  It is also enough to last a few days.  I suggest that you make it on Sunday afternoon and then eat it that evening or the next day, because this dish also gets better with age!

If your wondering what the heck quinoa is, here’s some quick facts.  It’s basically a super-food:

Its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source.[4] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. 

What you need:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups boiling water

1 pound baby spinach

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

½ cup finely chopped fresh mint

1 cucumber peeled and diced

4 tbsp of sundried tomato pesto
(You can also use regular sliced and diced sun dried tomato’s here, but I’m not a fan of the flavor)

1 cup cooked chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons flax oil (So good for you!!!)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

crumbled feta cheese

fresh tomato quarters, for garnish

What you do:

  1. Bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 12 minutes (stirring once or twice). Once done place in large bowl to cool before adding other items.  While this is simmering and the water for the spincah is coming to a boil (next step) is a good time to start chopping the mint, parsley, cucumber, etc.
  2. Blanch spinach in plenty of boiling salted water for 30 seconds or so. Drain, plunge in cold water, and drain thoroughly. Squeeze out every bit of water. I literally take it in my hands in small amounts and squeeze.  You won’t get all the water out, but you’ll come close enough. Chop finely and add to quinoa. Add parsley, mint, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas, stirring well.
  3. Combine salt, pepper, lemon juice, flax oil, and olive oi in a small bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Add to quinoa mixture. Stir well and let sit for at least 15 minutes, allowing flavors to develop. This is best served cold so be sure to put it in the fridge to cool off.  Remember, the longer the better!
  4. To serve, scoop salad into low, flat bowls and garnish with feta and quartered tomatoes.
Published in:  on March 5, 2010 at 7:41 pm Leave a Comment
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Good Ole Veggie Soup!

An oldie, but goodie! It’s hearty and healthy and you can really add whatever you want to it and make it your own! It’s about a 15 min prep and 20 min simmer time (25 if you want to count the time it takes to get the water simmering in the first place.)

What you need:
2 varieties of beans, 1/2 cup each (kidney beans, lentils, pinto beans, or other)
1 medium potato, half-inch cubes
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 small bunch turnip greens, spinach, mustard greens or other green
3 medium tomatoes
1 red pepper, diced
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup brown rice
Other vegetables as desired
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups of vegetable stock

What you do:
Combine ingredients with 4 cups water, bring to a simmer, cook 20 minutes or until potatoes and beans are tender, adding water along the way if necessary.

Published in:  on at 1:00 am Leave a Comment
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Asperagus and Spinach Baked Risotto

Mmmmm, this is a good one! I got it from one of those cheapie giveaways and adjusted it a bit.  I actually made it in a  much larger dish than you really need, so what you need to get for this is a smaller square baking dish (9×9ish).  This takes about 45 to prepare, but 30 of that is cooking.

What you need:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
8 cups fresh spinach
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ntmeg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups sliced asparagus

What you do:
1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Spray baking dish with cooking spray
3. Heat olive oil in large skillet over med-hi heat.  Add in rice and stir to coat.
4. Add in spinach a handful at a time, adding more as it wilts.  Add broth, salt and nutmeg.  Simmer for 7 minutes.
5. Stir in 1/4 cup of cheese
6. Transfer to the square baking dish, cover and bake for 15 minutes
7. Remove from oven and stir in asperagus.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.  cover and bake 15 minutes.

Published in:  on December 20, 2009 at 3:33 am Leave a Comment

Jalepeno & Cilantro Hummus

This is a fun recipe because you can make it as hot or as mild as you want! Also, I don’t typically use olive oil in my home made hummus so the fat content is cut way back. Without it, it’s not quite as creamy, but it tastes just fine.

What you need:
2 cans of garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons of Tahinni
2 limes
1 jalepeno (or more)
1 bunch of Cilantro
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

What you do:
1. In a blender empty one can of garbonzo’s and the liquid. Add two tablespoons of tahini and the juice of two limes. Do a quick puree until it is reduced to a liquidy mess.
2. Empty the water from the second can of Garbanzo’s into the sink (you don’t need it) and slowly add the remaining beans while blending.
3. Now for the cilantro, garlic, jalepeno, salt and pepper… start off adding a little of each and add more to taste!  Taste frequently, the pepper sneaks up on you!

Enjoy!

Published in:  on November 20, 2009 at 1:38 am Leave a Comment

So you’re getting Tempeh in your stocking… now what?

Veggie Stir Fry is what!  Remember the lovely little recipe a few posts down with tofu stir fry?  Not a fan of tofu?  Have a hankering for something nuttier?  Try some tempeh! Slice it into cubes and add it to the Wok ($7 at Ikea!) first with some soy sauce.  It’s up to you if you want it extra crispy or a little squishy, I prefer somewhere in the middle.  Remember, we’re talking veggies here, there no such thing as done or undone, just preference.  Follow the rest of the recipe as listed.  Since tempeh has a nutty flavor I like to mix in a little gluten free thai peanut sauce to compliment it.

What exactly is tempeh?  Here’s an excerpt from Wiki:
Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. Tempeh’s fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins compared to tofu, as well as firmer texture and stronger flavor.

Published in:  on November 18, 2009 at 8:59 pm Leave a Comment

Roasted Veggies on Spinach

roastedvegies

This was easy to make, healthy and OH SO YUMMY!  I got this idea from one of those fun little discount book at Barnes & Noble.  So if you like one veggie more than another add more of it! Play around with this one and make it your own.

What you need:
1 cup sliced Mushrooms
1 cup sliced Carrots
1 cup sliced red pepper
6 Asperagus tips
2 tomatos quartered (or more)
2 tablespoons of chopped and pitted kalamata olives
2 teaspoons of lemon juice, but I used juice from 2 small lemons
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of sugar (I used half a packet of sweet ‘n low)
fresh spinach or baby spinach

What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. combine mushrooms, carrots, bell pepper, tomotes, olives, asperagus, lemon juice (from 1 or both lemons), oil, oregano, sweet n low, and black pepper in a  large bowl and toss until coated evenly.
3. Spread veggies in a  single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes
4. Serve over the spinach for a nice veggie salad!

How you feel:
GOOD!

Published in:  on November 17, 2009 at 6:02 pm Leave a Comment
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A few Merlot suggestions…

nickel Nickel & Nickel 2006 Suscol Ranch Napa Valley Merlot.  $50
The fun thing about Nickel & Nickel wines is that they are all single vineyard, meaning they are 100% varietal.  100% PURE merlot, no cab or pinot in there!  In America, a wine must contain, for instance, 75% merlot to be labeled as a merlot (don’t quote me on that number but it’s very close).  Anything less than that 75% is considered table wine or a red blend.  All the grapes for this merlot were grown at Suscol Ranch and if you visit the N&N site you can even see a picture of the vineyard (but I’ll show you here: http://www.nickelandnickel.com/wines_vineyards/VN_jpgs/suscolRanch_lo.jpg).  So after tasting this pure merlot you will have a better understanding of what merlot really is.  This tends to be full of berry and plums and obvious tannis.  I suggest to decant it and let if breathe for about 30 minutes before enjoying.

hillmerlotRutherford Hill 2004 Merlot $20-$25
The composition of the N&N was 100%, so what’s in this?  Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Syrah.  I saw a positive review of this wine that described it as “brambly flavors of mixed berries, cherry and pencil shavings.”  If my memory of second grade serves me correct, I did NOT taste pencil shavings in this wine.  This is a great wine, after sitting about about 10 minutes you’ll get cherry, berry and some mocha at the end.  No pencil shavings.

Published in:  on November 15, 2009 at 11:40 pm Leave a Comment
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Quinoa with grapes and almonds – a great breakfast!

quinoaGrapes

This is a great snack or meal for anytime, but I’ve begun to really look forward to having it for a protein packed breakfast!  The grapes wake me up and flavor and texture is reminiscent of cerial!  I like to prepare it on Sunday night and eat through out the week, it’s amazing after all the ingredients have been together for a few hours.

What you need:
Almonds, a handful depending on taste.  If you really like almonds then use more!  (Or pre-packaged almond slivers 1 cup)
Red Seedless grapes, again depending on taste
2 teaspoons of majoram
2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil (or grapeseed oil)
1/8 teaspoon of salt

What you do:
1. Add two cups of water to one cup of quinoa.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 12 minutes.  You cna start this part early since you will need to let the quinoa cool before adding the other ingredients.
2. While quinoa is boiling place almonds in a baggie and beat with a tenderizer until all peices are broken up into smaller pieces.  You can use pre-packaged almond slivers if you don’t want to get violent with your nuts
3. Slice grapes into quarters length wise.
4. Once quinoa has cooled (usuallya bout 30-45 minutes in the fridge) add in Almonds, Grapes, Majoram and Flaxseed oil.

Enjoy!

Here’s a little tid-bit about quinoa, the worlds best protein:
In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

Published in:  on at 10:55 pm Leave a Comment
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Talkin’ to Manni

In our house Manuel has certain things that are just his to make and vice versa.  One of his special things is PIZZA!  Most importantly, the DOUGH!  Last week we made a most amazing grilled veggie pizza that was just to die for!  I could post the directions to make it, but it wouldn’t be the same without the special yummy dough he makes from scratch…. and guess who won’t give it up?  I’m working on him!

STAY TUNED! (suggestions taken)

pizza5

Published in:  on October 27, 2009 at 12:39 am Comments (3)

(Almost fried rice) Tofu Veggie Stir Fry

stirFry4

Manuel is the King when it comes to making up dishes off the top of his head with whatever ingredients we have laying around.  He would type this himself but he’s busy watching football so he’s dictating.  Tonight he tried a Vegan Tofu Fried Rice with the new cheap wok we got from Ikea, but the result was more stir fry than fried rice.  Next time we will know to get the egg substitute and make it more like fried ricie, but what we got was still amazing!  Have fun trying new things in this like snap peas! It’s about a 45 minute cooking time if you make your own rice, quicker if you do instant!

What you will need:
Broccoli – chopped
Cauliflower – chopped
Red Bell Pepper – sliced into thin slivers
Frozen Peas & Carrots
Mushrooms – sliced
2 packages of Silken Extra Firm Tofu
1/3 cup of Canola Oil (or Vegetable Oil)
1/4 cup of Tamari
Jasmine Rice
Cavenders Greek Spice – see previous post, but any spice you would like for the tofu will do
Low Sodium Soy Sauce (optional)stirFry1 copy
Special Tools:
Rice Cooker (optional, but handy!)
Ikea Wok


What you do:
1. Cube the tofu and cover in the Cavendars
2. Preheat oven to 375 and bake Tofu for 15 minutes
3. Cook the rice according to directions provided with that brand
4. In a wok (or something similar) preheat oil and tamari on high heat for 1-2 minutes
5. Add frozen peas & carrots first, tossing frequently, for 2 minutesstirFry3
6. Add in the rest of the vegetables, tossing frequently, for 4-5 minutes
7. Add in the baked tofu and toss for 2 minutes
8. Add cooked rice and toss for 2 more minutes

That’s it!  I added some low sodium soy sauce to mine and it was great!  We had this with Viansa Prindello.  Chill to 58 and decant for 15 minutes to bring to the coco. Hmmm, reminds me that I have not been posting the wine reviews!  I need to get on that!

Published in:  on October 26, 2009 at 12:52 am Leave a Comment
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