Colorful Quinoa Salad with Crayfish and Avocado

This is my favourite salad at the moment - I served it twice during our daughter's birthday weekend, where it was very quickly eaten by everyone. Even my dad, a typical Estonian male (read: pork and potatoes kind of guy) had two large helpings of this salad. I've been asked to make it for a friend's birthday party this coming weekend. Thinking of that, I might just bring it to my mum's birthday table in a fortnight as well - it's really delicious and light and unusual. You see, quinoa isn't widely known - or consumed - here in Estonia, and turns out it's actually really suited for our Nordic taste buds :)

Note here that the original plan was to make a cous-cous salad with shrimps and avocado, served with some creamy dressing. But the crayfish tails looked more appealing in the shop, and I had run out of cous-cous at home, so I ended up serving this delightful combination of ingredients instead.

As avocados lose their appetizing green colour with time, it's best to make this salad right before serving. This should not be a problem, as it's supereasy to make and takes almost no time whatsoever (apart from some slicing and cooking the quinoa). The quinoa can be actually still slightly warm when mixed with other ingredients.

What's your favourite way with quinoa? I've already bought another packet, you see, and would appreciate any serving suggestions!

Colourful Quinoa Salad with Crayfish and Avocado
(Kinoasalat vähisabade ja avokaadoga)
Serves ten

250 ml quinoa (a cup)
500 ml vegetable stock (2 cups)
0.5 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed avocado oil
1 lemon, juiced
500 g crayfish tails, drained (I used hand-peeled tails in brine)
3 to 4 ripe avocados
3 to 4 roasted red peppers (from the deli counter)
a large handful of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the quinoa under cold running water, using a fine mesh sieve (this is an important step, as otherwise the quinoa can be bitter). Drain.
Place the quinoa and stock (or water and Marigold bouillon powder) in a saucepan. Season with salt, then bring to the boil and simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa is soft and the water has evaporated.
Stir in the oil and half of the lemon juice. Place the quinoa into a large serving bowl.

Add the drained crayfish tails:


Halve the avocados, remove the seeds and scoop out the flesh. Cut the avocados into chunks or slices and sprinkle immediately with the rest of the lemon juice. Add to the serving bowl.
Slice the roasted red peppers, add to the serving bowl.



Add the parsley, season with pepper and salt, if necessary. Stir gently until combined. Serve.
Fold gently so all ingredients are mixed. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve.

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Beet and Quinoa Salad

I'm on a quinoa mood these days. First I gave you colourful quinoa salad with crayfish and avocado, then a vegan quinoa salad with coriander/cilantro and lime. Both have been served with a success on several occasions at our house, and I have it on good authority that my brother-in-law served the crayfish version to a grateful audience on his recent birthday party as well. Having been so successful with the first two quinoa salads, it was only natural that I decided to serve some kind of quinoa salad at the Easter Sunday brunch. It's was universally enjoyed by our over dozen guests and thus provided another great opportunity to introduce this rather unknown "grain" here in Estonia.

The recipe is very slightly adapted from a book by a New York based holistic health and nutrition councelor Marika Blossfeldt (you can read more about her practice here), who also runs an international center for the performing, visual and healing arts here in Estonia).

As it happens, the salad is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free and very pretty on top of that :)

Beetroot and Quinoa Salad
(Kinoasalat peediga)
Serves 6 to 8, or more as part of a buffet

200 g quinoa (1 cup/250 ml)
2 cups water
0.25 tsp salt
200 g cooked beetroot, grated
1 small fennel, thinly sliced and cubed
1 small bunch of scallions/spring onions, chopped
large handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 to 2 lemons, juiced
4 Tbsp olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the quinoa under cold running water, using a fine mesh sieve (this is an important step, as otherwise the quinoa can be bitter). Drain.
Place the quinoa and stock (or water and Marigold bouillon powder) in a saucepan. Season with salt, then bring to the boil and simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa is soft and the water has evaporated.
Stir in the oil and the lime juice. Place the quinoa into a large serving bowl. Stir in the grated beets, chopped basil, spring onions and fennel. Season with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and serve.

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Cookie formula Using Quinoa Flour

Cookie formula Using Quinoa Flour Why do bakers and homemakers alike love using quinoa flour? Well naturally because it adds chewiness and nutty flavor to baked goodies and for some reason, the end goods seems to be truly moist. Now don't you love that as well? I do!

What I love about quinoa is its high-protein article and because of its gained popularity, people have come up with thousands of tasty recipes and quinoa-derived products like cereal and flour. It can whether be made from milled or unmilled grains and the color is regularly creamy yellow or ivory. Quinoa is gluten-free so this is exquisite for people with gluten intolerance. If you are purchasing processed quinoa products make sure it has the "gluten-free" markings otherwise it can be contaminated. I like the quinoa crispy cookies and for this recipe you will need: 1 cup quinoa flour ¾ cup quinoa flakes ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup honey ½ cup butter ½ cup almond butter ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup chopped walnuts/pecans (or any nut that you prefer) Mix together honey, brown sugar, butter, nut butter and vanilla. Make sure it turns out to be creamy. In a separate bowl, combine quinoa flour, quinoa flakes and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to the cream mixture and beat until all is well blended. Add nuts and drop rounded teaspoons of the cookie mixture about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake it for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees F. Let the cookies cool for at least 2 minutes before removing them from the sheet. Makes about 3 dozen small cookies. Enjoy! Cookie formula Using Quinoa Flour

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Colorful Quinoa Salad with Coriander and Lime

I know, I know - it hasn't even been a fortnight since I posted a recipe for a colourful quinoa salad! But trust me, this one is quite different from the quinoa-with-lobster tails-and-avocado. Yes, the quinoa and the bright colours are still here, but today's salad is vegetarian (vegan, actually, as well as gluten-free and lactose-free), and tastes just as delicious, so it's also worth sharing.

This particular salad is based on a 2005 recipe from BBC Good Food. Although there aren't many components, the lime and coriander/cilantro leaves give this one plenty of flavour, so it all but a bland salad. Definitely worth trying, if you're looking for a ways to introduce the healthy quinoa to your table.

Colourful Quinoa Salad
(Värvikirev kinoasalat laimi ja koriandriga)
Serves 6

a cup of quinoa seeds (about 200 g)
2 cups of vegetable stock (500 ml)
2 roasted red peppers (from a jar is fine), sliced
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions/spring onions, sliced
one lime, juiced and zested
a handful of fresh coriander/cilantro, chopped

Rinse the quinoa under cold running water, using a fine mesh sieve (this is an important step, as otherwise the quinoa can be bitter). Drain.
Place the quinoa and stock (or water and Marigold bouillon powder) in a saucepan. Season with salt, then bring to the boil and simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa is soft and the water has evaporated.
Stir in the oil and the lime juice. Place the quinoa into a large serving bowl. Let it cool a little, then, using your forks, stir until fluffy.
Fold in the rest of the ingredients, season and serve.

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CrockPot Quinoa Casserole

Day 209.

We eat a lot of quinoa in our house. I put it in the rice cooker and we eat it a few times a week as our starch. The kids request it for lunch quite often, and eat it with butter and shredded cheese.

Many people don't know what quinoa is. That's okay. We didn't start eating it until just this past year. Here is a quick article on what it is, exactly. I thought it was a grain (because the Trader Joe's box says so), but the article says that's actually the seed of a leafy plant. Huh.

If you've never cooked with quinoa before, this is a great recipe to try---it is full of yummy stuff, and is a light, yet comforting meal or side dish.

The Ingredients.

--1 1/2 cups quinoa
--3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable; I used chicken)
--1 T olive oil
--1/2 t salt
--1/2 t cinnamon
--1/4 sliced or chopped almonds
--1/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

--handful of baby spinach
--1 cup baby tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
--1/2 block feta cheese, crumbled

The Directions.

You are supposed to rinse quinoa. I didn't know this until I made the disastrous overnight brown rice and quinoa pudding, and read all of the comments. I still don't rinse the quinoa that comes in the orange box from Trader Joe's. If you have a different brand, or are using quinoa from bulk, rinse it in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear.

Dump it into the crockpot. I used my 6qt Smart Pot for this dish.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix it around. Add chicken or vegetable broth, the salt, and cinnamon. Stir in almonds and cranberries.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4. The quinoa is done when you can fluff it with a fork and it is tender. The liquid should be pretty well absorbed, similar to how you know rice is done.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork, and add the baby tomatoes and feta cheese. Stir gingerly to mix. Add a large handful of baby spinach to the top of the crockpot, and close the lid. Cook on high for about 20 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted. Stir again to distribute the spinach.

Serve.

The Verdict.

We ate this for lunch yesterday, and really enjoyed it. I can see adding garbanzo beans for a bit more protein and to up the heartiness. I was quite pleased with the very mild cinnamon flavor, and loved the cooked cranberries and almonds.

The kids both liked this.

This will be made again. Very soon.

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Chicken Quinoa Stew

What?  Never heard of quinoa?  Me neither, until a couple of years ago.  I had to look it up to see what all the fuss was about.   Here’s the scoop  according to Wikipedia: 

“In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods.  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. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.” 

Oh wait….you want to know how to pronounce it too?  Well, according to my research, it can be pronounced one of two ways:    “KEEN-wah”  or   “kee-NO-wah”.  I opt for the first pronunciation, since that’s the one I hear others use the most. 

So after hearing about how wonderfully nutritious and high in protein quinoa was,  one day I passed by a big bag of it at Costco and  I couldn’t resist picking it up and trying it for myself.  Unfortunately, in my laziness, that bag just sat and sat and sat for months….until one day I came across this recipe on Picky Palate.  I decided it was time to give it a try and boy was I glad I did.  Not only is the stew delicious and nutritious, but I got to see first-hand how easy quinoa is to prepare (faster than white rice).  I absolutely loved the texture the quinoa added to the stew and I loved thinking about how good it was for us as my family gobbled it down eagerly.  Thanks to  Jenny for a great recipe!  Enjoy! 

Click here for printable recipe. 
 

The ingredients:

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2-1/2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 large zucchini, quartered and sliced
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (15-oz.) diced tomatoes
2-1/2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into 1" pieces
1-1/2 cups cooked quinoa (a grain that is cooked similarly to rice and can be found in the cereal aisle near the oats)
2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked, shredded and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp. hot sauce
Kosher Salt, fresh cracked black pepper, Garlic Salt, and parsley to taste
3/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

Directions:  Cook quinoa as directed on package. 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Sauté onion, celery, carrots, peppers, and zucchini until softened. This takes about 5 minutes.  Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Increase heat to high just until broth starts to boil.   Reduce to medium high and cook potatoes for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Reduce heat to low and stir in quinoa, shredded chicken, Dijon mustard, hot sauce.

Season to taste with kosher salt, pepper, garlic salt. Stir in fresh parsley and simmer until ready to serve.  Makes 8 servings.  Enjoy! 

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Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries and Pistachios

This is one of the great recipes that I got from the "Healthy in a Hurry, Part 1" technique class at Williams Sonoma this past weekend.  The focus was on Superfoods and how to incorporate them into your diet through delicious and speedy recipes.  They used the Vitamix to make all of the recipes except this this tasty and colorful quinoa salad.  This salad is jam packed full of nutrients!  Did you know that quinoa is a complete source of protein that contains all 9 essential amino acids??  Here is a great article on the benefits of adding quinoa to your diet.  Some people just can't get used to the taste, but it you learn to prepare it properly, you will find it delicious.  Instead of using all water to cook the quinoa, I used half chicken or beef stock and half water.  This gives it a good flavor.  The original recipe also calls for dried cherries instead of cranberries, so you can adjust according to your preferences.  Other good substitutions to this salad would be do use toasted pine nuts or walnuts instead of pistachios.  Pistachios are my favorite nut, so I love them in this recipe!  Serve alongside grilled tuna or chicken and you have a delicious meal.  Enjoy~


Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries and Pistachios
*Adapted from Williams Sonoma recipes

Ingredients:
1 cup dry quinoa
1 cups water plus 1 cup of broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)
1 small head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold water.  In a saucepan over high heat, bring the water and stock to a boil.  Add quinoa and reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer until grains are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Set aside and allow to cool.  Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and add all other ingredients.  Toss to mix and season with salt and pepper.  Serve warm or room temperature.  Store in the refrigerator. 

I love the colors in this salad.

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Chargrilled turkey with quinoa tabbouleh & tahini dressing recipe

The Grilled Recipes kitchen invites you to try Chargrilled turkey with quinoa tabbouleh & tahini dressing Recipe. Enjoy our collection of quick & easy grilled recipes and learn how to make Chargrilled turkey with quinoa tabbouleh & tahini dressing.

This superhealthy supper is packed full of vibrant and fresh ingredients

Easy
Serves 4
Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Low-fat, Super healthy

Ingredients

200g quinoa
½ cucumber , cut into 1cm chunks
175g cherry tomatoes , halved
3 spring onions , finely sliced
handful parsley , roughly chopped
handful coriander , roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil , plus 1 tsp
juice 1 lemon
4 turkey steaks

FOR THE TAHINI DRESSING

1½ tbsp tahini paste
1½ tbsp low-fat yogurt
juice ½ lemon
½ garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp clear honey

Method

Tip the quinoa into a saucepan and pour over 600ml water. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Turn down and simmer until the water has evaporated (just as you'd cook rice) - about 20 mins. Take off the lid and leave to cool while you prepare the turkey and salad.

Tip the cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions and herbs into a large mixing bowl. Pour over 1 tbsp olive oil and lemon juice, season well and mix everything together.

Heat a griddle pan and, when smoking hot, rub the turkey steaks with 1 tsp olive oil. Cook for about 5 mins on each side, depending on thickness. Stir together all the dressing ingredients along with 3 tbsp water. Toss the quinoa together with the salad and arrange on plates. Cut the turkey into thick slices, pile up on the quinoa and drizzle over the dressing.

Try

Tahini

Tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds, is often used in Middle Eastern cooking. You'll find it in specialist shops and larger supermarkets.

Nutrition per serving

401 kcalories, protein 46g, carbohydrate 31g, fat 11 g, saturated fat 2g, fibre 1g, sugar 6g, salt 0.24 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2009.

More Grilled Recipes: 

Grilled salmon with curly kale & a Noilly Prat sauce
Herb tabbouleh with grilled halloumi
Grilled Lamb Porterhouse with Fig-Cascabel Sauce
Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary, Salt, and Tapanade Aioli
Gorgonzola Crusted Grilled Lamb Chops
Pat's Garlic Grilled Lamb Chops

Save and share Chargrilled turkey with quinoa tabbouleh & tahini dressing recipe

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Herbed Vegetable Quinoa

1 c. washed and rinsed organic quinoa
2 c. water
handful walnuts
1 c. fresh kale
1 medium organic carrot, sliced
1/4 head red cabbage, sliced
1 small jalapeno, sliced
1 small organic apple, chopped
sea salt and pepper
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Seasonings:
oregano
parsley
rosemary
thyme
garlic powder
fresh lavender (optional-great for fragrance)

Thoroughly wash and rinse quinoa and cook according to package directions (I brought it to a boil in the water then turned it down to simmer for about 12 minutes). Once quinoa is finished, add olive oil, seasonings and fresh veggies. Toss everything together and serve either warm or cold (I think this is best warm). If you have leftover quinoa just add it to soups, stews, or make some quinoa burgers (I will put up a recipe for this soon!) Or, if you have a sweet tooth try the quinoa carrot cake- one of my first creations!

Interesting useless facts about quinoa: it is an ancient staple of the native Americans and is actually a fruit (I didn't know that- I thought it was a "grain")! It is high protein, low fat, and offers a good vegetarian source of protein- well, not as good as beans, but it adds a nice variety.

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Roast Duck with Apple Chestnut Quinoa Stuffing

This recipe which is close cousin of a Mushroom Quinoa Stuffing that I make. For the holidays, I plan on stuffing this into a duck. I accomodated for approximately 1 cup of homemade stock in the nutritional info. As always, the nutritional data is close but might not be exact.

If you are not planning on stuffing this into the cavity of a bird, you may wish to cook the quinoa in chicken or vegetable stock for enhanced flavor.

STUFFING INGREDIENTS:

3 Shallots, approximately 3 tablespoons chopped
1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
2 oz (approx. ¼ cup) White Wine (I used Rose)
3 ¼ cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water, (see note at top)
1 ¼ cups quinoa, uncooked
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ½ tsp. thyme leaves)
2 medium rome or golden delicious apples
½ kamut flakes (also called rolled kamut grain; optional)*
4 ounces chestnuts, steamed and coarsely chopped**
¼ tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 large egg, beaten slightly
2 egg whites from large eggs, beaten slightly

1 5-6 pound duck

Kamut flakes optional. I forgot to use them during Christmas dinner and it came out great!

**Chesnuts can be purchased steamed and in pouches at well-stocked groceries. I purchased mine from Trader Joe's.


DIRECTIONS:

1 – In a saucepan over med-high heat, sauté shallots in olive oil until translucent and they begin to caramelize.

2 – Add wine to pan, scraping bottom of pan slightly to release any of the caramelized bits.

3 – Add quinoa to pan and either stock or water to equal 3 ¼ cups. Add thyme and bring to boil; cover with lid. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer for 12 minutes or until all of the cooking liquid is absorbed. Allow to cool to warm.

4 – While quinoa cooks, use a cheese grater to shred apple, skin and all, discarding the core.

5 – Place kamut flakes in food processor and grind into a coarse meal. I chose kamut flakes because of their high nutrient value. If you do not have kamut, 1/3 c. finely ground corn meal could be used as a substation.

6 – After quinoa has had some time to cool, discard thyme stems and put grain into a large bowl. Mix shredded apple, chestnuts, kamut meal, salt, pepper and eggs together with quinoa.

7 – To prepare bird, place in roasting pan and allow to sit at room temperature for twenty minutes.

8 – Stuff into cavity of bird or into baking dish that has been wiped lightly with olive oil or a nonstick spray to prevent sticking.

9 – Pierce skin of duck with fork or knife (do not pierce skin) to allow the fat to run away from the meat while the bird cooks. Bake duck in 300 degree oven for three hours, then raise temperature to 425. Cook for about 20 minutes or until skin is golden and crispy.

10 – Allow meat to rest for 15-20 minutes prior to cutting to prevent it from losing too much moisture. Remove stuffing from the cavity to serve.


Stuffing makes twelve 1/3 cup servings. Nutrtitional info for stuffing, below:

**Nutritional data calculated per ingredients use and deemed close but not necessarily exact.**

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Quinoa tabbouleh

The Quinoa tabbouleh recipe Whole grain quinoa makes a tasty and healthy summer salad. Be sure to rinse it well in a fine sieve before cooking.

INgredIeNts:
1 cup quinoa
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 small red onion, chopped
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2oz (60g) feta cheese
1⁄2 cup pitted and coarsely chopped Kalamata olives

method
1 Rinse the quinoa well in a fine mesh sieve. Drain and place it in a medium heavy-bottomed pan. Stir constantly over a medium heat about 3 minutes, until the grains separate and begin to brown.

2 Add 2 1⁄4 cups water and 1⁄2 tsp salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

3 Add the cucumber, onion, parsley, and mint to the quinoa. Whisk together the oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour over the quinoa and mix.

4 Sprinkle with the feta cheese and olives. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Quinoa tabbouleh recipe

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Fruity Apricot Quinoa [Vegan]

1 c. dry (rinsed) quinoa
2 c. water
6 unsulfured apricots
6 unsulfured dark apricots
1/4 c. raw cranberries
1 c. hot chunky salsa (without corn syrup)
sea salt and pepper
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
garlic powder
1/4 c. shredded organic unsulfured coconut
1/2 c. lite coconut milk

Basic Quinoa Cooking Directions (from package):
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly to remove any powdery residue. To do this, place the grain in a fine strainer and hold under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain well.

Combine the water and rinsed quinoa in a medium saucepan. Add the seasonings and extra virgin olive oil and bring to a boil. Once the quinoa has come to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the grains are translucent and the germ has spiraled out from each grain.

In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add the lite coconut milk (if desired, it makes it nice and creamy but it is not necessary). Also add the salsa, fresh cranberries and pepitas (raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds), and sea salt. I chopped the apricots into quarters using kitchen shears and added them to the quinoa in the last minute or two of cooking.

Once the quinoa is finished, add the shredded coconut and serve with a dash of sea salt. This went well with our [pre]Thanksgiving meal of Caribbean Pineapple Pepper Turkey Breast, turnips, Sundried Tomato Spicy Blue Corn Crisps and salsa dippers. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and are as blessed as we are with loving family and friends!

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Asian Quinoa Chicken Stir-Fry

Since I'm usually in a hurry, I tend to stick with recipes that someone else has already figured out for me.  Lately, though,  I've been trying to be a little more creative in the kitchen by branching out and making recipes that are my own.  It's been a rather slow process for me and I don't think I'll be going on Chopped anytime soon, but I am excited to share one of my first original kitchen successes with you today!  

This recipe started off as an Asian inspired salad, but through  a couple of months of tweaking and lots of family critiquing (some nice and some not-so-nice),  it's become a tasty sweet-and-sour stir-fry that the whole family enjoys.   In addition to really liking the flavor,  I also enjoyed how it all came together with the tender chicken, crisp-tender veggies, and the quinoa!    

The actual cooking part of the recipe goes pretty quickly, so to save time at the dinner rush, I would recommend chopping all the chicken and veggies earlier in the day.    You could even mix the sauce together beforehand to make it really quick and easy.   Enjoy! 

Click here for printable recipe.

Asian Quinoa Chicken Stir-Fry
recipe by recipes


The ingredients:

3 cups water
1-1/2 cups quinoa
3 Tbs. rice vinegar
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plum sauce (found in the Asian section of grocery store)
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
2 bell peppers, chopped
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces.
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
honey roasted peanuts (optional)

Directions:  In a saucepan, combine water and quinoa and heat until boiling.  Turn heat to low, cover with a tight fitting lid, and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until water is absorbed and white filaments appear on the quinoa grain.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, plum sauce, and brown sugar.  Set aside. 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and saute cubed chicken breast until lightly browned--- about 5 minutes.  Add chopped peppers, green onions, and sugar snap peas and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.  Pour  sauce over chicken mixture and cook until thickened slightly--about 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in cooked quinoa. 

Serve warm topped with  honey roasted peanuts if desired.  Makes 6-8 servings.   Enjoy!

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Mango Quinoa Salad (with Grilled Chicken)

It's early on a gorgeous Thursday morning.  The sun is shining and the kids are all starting to pop out of bed while I sit here, typing up this wonderful, super-healthy dish straight from the recipe archives of The Biggest Loser.    I'm reminiscing (from just two days ago) about how much we all enjoyed the hearty flavor and texture of this superfood dish and how perfectly the fresh hot grilled chicken complemented the savory and sweet combination of flavors.....perfect for a Memorial Day barbecue!    It got me to wondering..... if I added a few black beans and mango slices to the plate of Mom's Breakfast Cake I have in front of me, could I count that as healthy too? 

Source:  Biggest Loser and Our Best Bites

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa at room temperature, or chilled* (you can usually find quinoa near the rice in the grocery store)
1 can (15.5-ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar (we only used 2 tablespoons and thought it was perfect)

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbs. lime juice
1 Tbs. sugar (optional)
salt, pepper--to taste
Grilled chicken (if using as a main dish)

Directions: 
* You can cook the quinoa in plain water or in vegetable/chicken broth.  By itself we prefer the quinoa cooked in water, but the broth cooked quinoa was fabulous in the salad. 

Place quinoa in a large bowl.   Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.   In a small bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, and sugar. Whisk until smooth and pour on top of salad.  Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.  For main dish, serve at room temperature with hot grilled chicken.  For a side dish, serve chilled.  Makes 4-6 servings.  Enjoy! 

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VeganMoFo 2011 #31: 'Quick Fix Vegan'

It is the 31st of October... the end of MoFo. I can't believe I managed to make a post every day! There was a lot of planning involved. I am so far behind in my reading, though, so don't be surprised if you find me commenting on your posts over the next several weeks post-MoFo. I'm going to end my cookbook reviews with a look at the most recent cookbook to join my home. (Actually, Vegan Pie In The Sky arrived during the week, but I haven't had time to even think of making anything from that yet).

Quick-Fix Vegan
Robin Robertson, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011



I love cooking and baking, I love spending the time putting together menus or decorating cupcakes. However, my lifestyle does not always allow for the time I would like to spend in the kitchen, sometimes a 30 minute meal is in order! This is where Quick-Fix Vegan steps in, providing a wealth of speedy recipes for when you are short on time.

The book is paperback, it is illustrated throughout with some pretty green photos of produce, but no photos of the actual recipes. There are no menu suggestions here, I guess because it is a quick meal cookbook! Chapters include:

*Introduction
*Getting Started
*Starters and Snacks
*Stovetop Suppers
*Pasta Express
*Soups in Short Order
*Speedy Sandwiches
*Snappy Salads
*Easy Make-Ahead Bakes
*Sauces and Condiments
*(Almost) Effortless Desserts
*Metric Conversions and Equivalents

I have been cooking with this book through October. It has been a very busy month for me, so it provided a great chance to try out this book. I'm going to share with you all that I have made!

Hummamole


What happens with hummus and guacamole love each other very much. Delicious. Also, even though it has avocado in it, it didn't go brown over several hours. 4 stars.

Red Bean-Chipotle Dip


This stuff takes less than five minutes, and is seriously delicious. I only used one chipotle, which gave it a nice smoky kick. I think if you left out the water in this recipe, it would make a great almost-instant refried-bean style tasting filling for tacos and burritos. Yum! 5 stars.

Tofu 'Scampi' with Spinach


I think I erred in this recipe. I didn't have dulse flakes, but I had kelp powder, which ended up being quite gritty. I suspect dulse flakes would impart the flavour of the sea without the grittiness of the powder. I made some great leftovers with this, by adding a splash of soy sauce and dipping the tofu chunks into mayo. Yum! 3-4 stars.

Tropical Quinoa and Black Beans


This was a great dinner to make on a warm, spring evening. The flavours of black bean and mango go so well together! You could the quinoa separate and then mix it into the rest. I didn't add all the quinoa, I added about three large serving-spoonfuls (and saved the rest of the quinoa for snacking on later). I served this with roasted asparagus. This is also great at room temperature for lunch the next day! 4 stars.

Coconut Curry Chickpeas and Cauliflower


The first thing I made from here, who can resist a nice curry! I roasted some zucchini to go on the side here, but it would also be great just added in to the vegetable mix. 4 stars.

Chipotle Corn and Quinoa with Pintos


This is a magical dish, that I cannot recommend enough. Another great room temperature lunch the next day. 5 stars.

Ziti with Roasted Cauliflower and Tomatoes


The first time I made this, I accidentally deleted the photo, so I had to make it again. Such a shame to have to eat delicious pasta with roasted cauliflower and grape tomatoes in a yummy white wine sauce with raisins and capers twice. Or maybe it was a blessing in disguise, because this s one of my favourite pasta dishes. The thought of it makes my taste buds yearn! 5 stars.

Linguine with Artichoke and White Bean Alfredo


I made this with 8oz, rather than 12oz, of linguine and had enough for three big servings. I love how the artichokes and the white beans blend up into a thick, yummy, protein-rich sauce. 4 stars.

Rotini with Creamy Avocado-Herb Sauce


I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but I had a bag of avocados to use up so I took the plunge, and I was very well rewarded. While the sauce is creamy, it is incredibly fresh tasting thanks to a combination of herbs and lemon juice. I only used 10oz of pasta, not 12. This is something eat up fairly quickly so the sauce doesn't go brown, though I did take some leftovers for lunch the next day and it was just as amazing. 5 stars.

Lemon-Cashew Cream Sauce



Some sauces are lucky to make it into a recipe, because they are so good you just want to eat it with a spoon. This is one of those sauces! It takes almost no time to make, and you will be rewarded with one of the best sauces I have ever had. I eventually managed to put the spoon down long enough to mix it up with some pasta, white beans, peas and roasted zucchini slices for a great dinner. 5 stars.

What is the newest cookbook to join your collection?

Cute Kitty Photo of the Post


OK, this is a terrible photo. But it is the only photo in the world that has all four cats in the same picture. Gizmo is sitting on the arm of the chair, you can see Sahara jumping off the sofa in a red blur (which is why the photo is so fuzzy, I rushed to take it before she left), Possum is sitting on my mum's lap, and you can just see Dim Sim's ears poking out from where she is sitting on the sofa.

Even though today is officially the last day of October in Australia, I will still be making a final MoFo post to wrap things up tomorrow, which will still be the 31st of October in the US.

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