Orange Coconut Quinoa Pilaf

 

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/4 cup quinoa (rinsed thoroughly)
2. 1 1/4 cup coconut milk
3. 1 cup water
4. A pinch of salt
5. 1 Tbsp olive oil
6. 1 can mandarin oranges (chopped)
7. 1/2 cup dried cranberries
8. 1/2 cup almond slivers (toasted with a little salt and olive oil)
9. 1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup
10. 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
11. 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
12. 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Rinse the quinoa very, very well.  Place in a metal strainer  and rub the quinoa together under running water.  This will release the bitter tasting saponins that coat the quinoa.

• In a sauce pan or large skillet with lid, gently toast the quinoa, just like you would Rice a Roni.  Once quinoa is dry and slightly toasted, add coconut milk and water.  Bring to a boil, cover the pan, and reduce heat to low.  Let cook for 15-20 minutes.  Once cooked, remove from heat and let sit for another five minutes.
•  While the quinoa is cooking, toast the almonds in a small skillet.  Heat a little olive oil over medium heat and toast almonds for about 5 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt to the almonds.  Place in small mixing bowl.
• In the same mixing bowl,  add olive oil, maple syrup, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon.  Mix together.  Gently fold in chopped mandarin oranges and cranberries.
• Place quinoa into a large bowl and pour the sauce that you just created over the quinoa.  Gently toss and refrigerate for about an hour and a half.  Serve cold.

 

~A Perfect side dish for Summer BBQ's~ 

Hummus Plate~ A Super Fast Meal

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1. Greek pita (you can make your own, click here for a recipe, but try it with whole wheat flour)
2. Hummus (you can make your own, click here for a recipe)
3. Carrots (I used orange and purple)
4. Cucumber
5. Zucchini
6. Hard boiled egg 
7. Any additional vegetables

Directions:

• Boil eggs.  Place eggs in water and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Once the eggs have reached a boil, turn off the stove and let them sit for several minutes.  Rinse eggs under cool water and let them sit in a cold water bath for a few additional minutes.
• Using a panini press or skillet, grill the pita bread until lightly browned.  Slice into triangle pieces.
• Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Grill on a panini press or skillet.  Once grilled, slice lengthwise into smaller stick pieces.
• Chop the remaining veggies into long matchstick pieces.
• Place a large dollop of hummus in the center of your plate and surround with the sliced vegetables.

Homemade Pitas are Amazing!

~Super Fast and Delicious~

Spicy Indian Lentil Stew

Serves 4
Ingredients:

1. 1-2 onions
2. 1-2 garlic cloves
3. 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (keep your fresh ginger in the freezer, this makes it easier to grate)
   
4. 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
5. 2 cups water
6. 1 cup red lentils (rinsed)
   
7. 1 can cannellini beans or white beans (drained and rinsed)
   
8. 1 can diced tomatoes
9. 1 large carrot, diced
10. 1 medium parsnip, diced
11. 2 celery stalks, diced
12. 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
13. 1-2 teaspoons curry
14. 2 teaspoons cumin
15. 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (add towards the end of cooking)
16. 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
17. salt & pepper
18. Pinch of red pepper flakes
    
19. Kombu Seaweed (remove before eating, cooking with a 1-2 inch piece helps make the beans and lentils easier to digest)
20. 1 tablespoon olive oil  
21. Croutons and cilantro (garnishment) *eliminate croutons if making gluten free or vegan
    

Directions:

• Chop onion and garlic.  Saute in olive oil in a large pot.  Let cook for about 5 minutes, then add a little bit of vegetable broth.  Continue to simmer while you prepare the other vegetables.
• Chop the celery, parsnips,  and carrots.  I cheated and used the food processor, which is much faster than chopping all of those veggies!  You will need to cut in half or quarters before placing in the food processor.  Use the chopping blade.
  
• Add water, broth, lentils, washed beans, washed lentils, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, parsnips, Kombu seaweed and spices.  Bring to a boil.  
• Boil for a few minutes and skim off any bubbles that accumulate at the top.  This will makes the beans and lentils easier to digest.  
• Reduce to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.  Add lemon juice towards the end of cooking.
  
• Remove Kombu seaweed and discard.
• Garnish with croutons and cilantro.
• Serve with a simple green salad.

(This will likely make your house smell while cooking (Indian spices are pungent), but trust me, it tastes really good!)

~Namaste~

Half-Bowl? Three-Quarters Bowl? Semi-Bowl?

For those of you from Portland (Oregon),  you have probably heard of Whole Bowl (an amazing food cart that serves up a healthy lunch for only $5.00).

It was a favorite lunch spot for me, but since I left Portland,  I have not stopped craving the stuff.  I came up with a home variation that is pretty close.  It's at least good enough to tide me over until I am back in Portland again!

Ingredients:

Base:

1. 1 cup dried or canned black beans (if dried soak overnight in the fridge)
2. 1 cup short or long grain brown rice (soak for at least 30 minutes to help with digestion of nutrients)
3. Taco seasoning or cumin, paprika, garlic powder, chili pepper and black pepper
4. 1-2 inch piece of Kombu seaweed (this will go in with the beans while they cook)

Toppings:

1. Salsa
2. Cilantro
3. Shredded cheddar cheese
4. Black olives
5. Sour cream (not pictured on mine, because I don't like it)
   
6. Avocado (ditto)
   
7. Sweet Chili Sauce (this could contain gluten, so eliminate if making gluten free)
   

Secret Sauce (my lazy version):

1. 1/4 cup regular hummus
2. 1 Tbs nutritional yeast (this is a great ingredient for vegans to include in their diets because of the B vitamins it contains)
   
3. 1/8 tsp garlic powder
4. 1-2 Tbs lemon juice
5. 1/8 tsp curry powder 

"Yummy Sauce" (from what I have been told this is very close to the sauce Whole Bowl uses)*:

 SERVES 8 , 4 cups

• 1/2 cup canola oil (preferably cold pressed)
• 1/2 cup almonds (for a creamier sauce, use almond flour)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast (available at Whole Foods grocery stores)
• 1/2 cup chickpeas or garbanzo beans, cooked
• 1/4 cup soybeans, cooked (not green edamame beans)
• 1/2 cup filtered water (important for flavor)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh is best)
• 1-2 garlic cloves (small to medium size)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro

1. In a blender or food processor blend almonds beans and oil.
2. Add all other ingredients and puree until creamy smooth.
3. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for one hour.
4. Don't cover to tight, remember the yeast.

*Yummy Sauce recipe from http://www.recipezaar.com/Yummy-Sauce-297251

Directions:

•  Soak beans overnight in a bowl of water in the refrigerator.  Keeping the beans cool, helps to stop fermentation.  You can change the water a couple of times while the beans are soaking.  This helps eliminate some of the oligosaccharides which are hard for our systems to digest.  
• After soaking the beans overnight add about 4 cups of fresh water to a pot on the stove with the beans.  Add a piece of Kombu seaweed to the pot.  After cooking, you can remove this like a bay leaf, or cut it up to include in your beans.  I pulled mine out (it doesn't look too pretty).
• Simmer beans for 1-2 hours.  I cooked mine for a little over an hour.
• While the beans cook, start the rice.  You can follow the directions on the package.  Add taco seasonings (1/4 of packet, or the spices listed above).
• Once the beans are finished drain and add back to the pot.  Add salt, pepper and salsa to the beans.  You can add additional cumin or other seasonings.
• While the rice and beans cook, prepare the toppings and secret sauce.  If following my version, just mix the ingredients in a small bowl.
• Once the rice and beans are finished.  Place a scoop of rice in your bowl, then layer with beans, top with secret sauce, cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, olives, cilantro and sweet chili sauce.

~It's not Whole Bowl, but it's pretty dang close! ~

*to make this vegan, don't add cheddar cheese or sour cream.