BBQ Chickpea Quinoa Salad

This recipe is adapted from a BBQ Quinoa Salad recipe given to me by my friend Nicole S. No left overs made it in the fridge. It was a "Are you gonna eat that? Cause if not, I'm gonna eat it." kind of meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. cooked quinoa (about 1/2 c. dry)
• 1/2 c. grilled corn (or frozen and cooked)
• 1/2 c. black beans
• 1 can BBQ roasted chickpeas
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 4 Tb BBQ sauce
• 2 scallions, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and pour into a bowl. Add 1 Tb. olive oil and 2 1/2 to 3 Tb BBQ sauce. Mix well. Pour chickpeas on a pan (you can line it with foil for easier clean-up) and roast for 15 min. Stir, then cook 10 min. more.
2. While the chickpeas roast, cook the quinoa. Put the 1/2 c. dry quinoa and 1 c. water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer about 15 min. until quinoa has absorbed all the water.
3. Toss the quinoa, corn, beans, chickpeas, avocado, scallions, and BBQ sauce together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Quinoa Sloppy Joes

I found this recipe and adapted it from Real Mom Kitchen's cookbook. Super yummy. My sister even liked them and she is often hesitant about my kitchen experiments.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. cooked quinoa (about 1 c. uncooked plus 2 c. water)
• 1/2 c. to 3/4 c. onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
• 3 Tb brown sugar
• 2 Tb BBQ sauce (or more if you want)
• Biscuits, homemade or from the can...whatever you want to make, or you could use buns

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa by putting quinoa and water into a sauce pan. Bring to boil, then cover and reduce heat. Cook for 15-20 min. till quinoa is fluffy and water is absorbed.
2. Saute onion and red pepper 5-10 min in a tiny bit of olive oil.
3. Add the cooked quinoa, tomato soup, brown sugar, BBQ sauce. Stir to combine. Heat thoroughly, 5-10  minutes.
4. Serve on top of halved biscuits. You can eat them open faced or closed.

Mom's Oven Stew

I adapted this recipe from the Real Mom Kitchen cookbook. This is a super easy crock-pot meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups potato, diced
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 2 cups carrots, sliced
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 c. quinoa (uncooked)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on high for 3 hours, stir occasionally. Serves about 8. 

 Notes about this recipe:

1. After making it once I thought it might also be yummy to add some corn and green beans or peas to the mix as well. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet though.

Quick and Hearty Chili

I adapted this recipe from a cookbook called Vegan Diner. It is one of my top picks for veggie chili. The consistency and flavor is really similar to a hearty meat chili. Tastes delicious with cornbread or tortilla chips.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tb olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2-15.5 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-15.5 oz can tomato puree 
• 1 Tb soy sauce
• 1 scant Tb chili powder
• 1 Tb baking cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 c. cooked quinoa (this is about 1/4 c. dried, cooked in 1/2 c. water)

Directions:

1. Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot, until onion is browned. Add the red bell pepper and cook for about 3 more minutes.
2. Add the water, beans, tomato puree, soy sauce, chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil. Add the quinoa. Then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Quinoa & Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini

 (Front zucchini has no parmesan, back one does.)

I adapted this recipe from The Kitchn.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cups water
• 2 zucchini, cut in half along their length
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 2 mushrooms, chopped
• Olive oil
• About 1/4 tsp dried and crushed sage 
• About 1/4 tsp dried and crushed rosemary
• About 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper 
• 1/2 cup tofu ricotta
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Tofu ricotta ingredients:

• 1 pkg firm tofu, drained
• 1 Tbs. sugar (optional)
• 1/4 cup dairy free milk (I use rice milk)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Start by preparing your tofu ricotta. Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until creamy. Then set aside. (Whatever you don't use can be put in the fridge.) 

Preheat oven to 350° F. 

Toast quinoa in a hot pan over medium heat for about five minutes, or until it smells nutty. Then cook according to package (basically, bring water and quinoa to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer until water is absorbed...about 15-20 minutes).

While the quinoa cooks, scrape out and reserve the insides of the zucchini, leaving about half an inch of flesh inside. Put the hollowed out zucchini on a cookie sheet in the oven for about 20 minutes or until softened and tender.

Chop or shred the zucchini innards. Mince the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil. Sauté the garlic and shallots until golden, then add zucchini innards and mushrooms, along with the herbs. Sauté, stirring often, until most of the zucchini's moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender.

Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork and put in a large bowl (or if the pot you cooked it in is large enough to add the veggies and ricotta then just leave it in the pot). Add the tofu ricotta and cooked zucchini mixture. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Your stuffing is now ready.

Scoop the stuffing into the cooked zucchini shells. If you'd like sprinkle some fresh Parmesan on top of each then return to the oven for about 5 minutes to rewarm. (Rewarm them whether or not you add the parmesan cheese.) Serve immediately. Makes 4 stuffed zucchinis.

Sweet Tater Black Bean Burgers

(Picture from Edible Perspective.)

This recipe was suggested by Lydia W. She found it at Edible Perspective. (Take a peak over there if you like having picture steps to go along with your recipes.)

Ingredients:

• 15oz black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3c cubed sweet tater, cooked and skin on [~1.5lbs]
• 1/2c frozen or fresh corn
• 2/3c finely chopped onion [1/2 medium onion]
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2c cooked quinoa
• 6T rolled oats, partially ground
• 2T sunflower seeds
• 1/2t salt
• black pepper
• 1t cumin
• 1t oregano
• 1/4t coriander
• 1t chili powder
• 1/4t cayenne [optional]
• 1T olive oil 

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375* once you finish cooking the quinoa + potato.
2. Mash half of the beans in a bowl until paste-like.
3. Add in the rest of the beans and give a very light stir/mash to combine.
4. In a large bowl, mash the sweet tater.  Each cube should be mashed, but you don’t want it creamy.
5. Stir in the salt, pepper, oregano, coriander, chili powder, cayenne [if using] and olive oil, until combined.
6. Mix in the onion, garlic, corn, black beans, quinoa, sunflower seeds, and ground oats, until just combined.
7. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking.
8. Form into balls, between your hands and flatten into 1/2”-3/4” thick patties.  This should make 8 medium/large patties.
9. Place on a pan lined with parchment paper [or lightly greased pan] and bake on each side for 15min, flipping once, half-way through.
10. Remove from oven and serve! 

*If you want to refrigerate or freeze them, let fully cool on a cooling rack.  Place in a sealed container for the fridge, or wrap in saran, then foil, then in a bag for the freezer.  If reheating a frozen burger, let it thaw completely.  Re-heat in a greased pan, over medium heat for ~3-5min per side, until hot throughout.
*To make the ground oats – Pulse your blender on + off, until you have the consistency about half way to flour.
*Instead of ground oats, feel free to sub – millet flour, oat flour, quinoa flour, whole wheat flour, etc.
*To pan cook – Heat a pan to medium and lightly grease.  Cook on each side for 5-8min, flip + cook another 5-8min until golden brown.
*For the grill – Bake burgers for 15min on one side, flip burgers once and bake another 10min.  While baking, preheat your grill slightly above medium [~350-375*]  Grease the grates and cook burgers for ~3min per side.

Yields 8 burgers

Notes about this recipe:

1. Left out oil, sunflower seeds & corn.
2. Added some liquid smoke.

Veggie Green Sauce Enchiladas

We love green sauce enchiladas at our house, and I finally found an acceptable substitute for the chicken in the regular recipe---quinoa!

Sorry there is no picture! We always forget to take one when we eat them.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 c. quinoa
• 1 1/3 c. water
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 c. (or more) sliced olives
• 1 10-14 oz can of green enchilada sauce (I can't remember the exact oz on the can)
• salt and pepper to taste
• flour tortillas, I prefer the smaller sized ones
  

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa in the water. (Bring water and quinoa to boiling, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook until all water is absorbed--about 10-15 minutes)
2. Meanwhile saute the onion over medium heat. Then add the tomatoes, olives, and 1/4 c. plus 1-2 Tb. of the green enchilada sauce. Add the cooked quinoa. Salt and pepper to taste.
   
3. Put 1/4 c. of the enchilada sauce in a 13x9 baking dish.
   
4. Fill a tortilla with a spoonful of filling (at this point, if you are a cheese fan you can add some shredded cheese), then roll up and place the seam down on the dish. Continue with each tortilla until all the filling is used up (or you have no more room in your dish).
   
5. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on the enchiladas and use a brush to spread it until each tortilla is covered. (Cheese eaters: Sprinkle cheese on top.)
6. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. If you are interested in things getting a bit crunchy on top, the at the end of the 20 minutes pull off the foil and broil for 1-2 minutes.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I can get 6-7 large tortilla enchiladas out of this recipe or between 9-11 small tortilla enchiladas.

Quinoa Taco Salad

I made this a few weeks back and it was a hit. Replace ground beef with yummy-taco seasoned quinoa and you've got yourself one delish meal.

Ingredients:

-1 cup quinoa, uncooked
-2 1/2-3 1/2 Tb of a packet of taco seasoning (FYI, most packets have about 4 Tb in them)
-2 cups of water
-romaine lettuce, washed and cut for the salad
-2-3 tomatoes, diced
-1 can of black olives, sliced if you want to
-1-2 avocados, sliced
-salsa
-tortilla chips
-other optional toppings include cilantro, sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, etc.

Directions:

1. Put the quinoa, taco seasoning, and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover, and let cook for about 15 minutes (or until it's looking cooked and fluffy). Remove from heat when done.
2. Meanwhile, cut up all the fresh vegetables for the salad.
3. THAT'S IT! Let everyone dish up how they like (some prefer to do lettuce first, then other toppings....others don't like to mix it all together).

Variations on the recipe:
-Try adding black beans or kidney beans to the quinoa after you've cooked it (or serve on the side).
-Try adding 1 cup of frozen corn to the quinoa right as it's finished cooking, mix well, and put the lid on to help warm the corn.
-Cook 1-2 tsp of minced garlic with the quinoa.

Quinoa Cumcumber Mint Salad

This recipe was recommended to me by Leslie G. She found it at a blog called What The Vegt?! I made one or two changes. This is a great side salad. I served it up with baked yams, fruit, and wheat bread.

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled
• 1 cucumber, diced
  
• 1/4 of a red onion, chopped
  
• 1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 c. fresh mint, chopped (fresh mint is strong, so if you want a milder flavor put less...if you are in love with mint, put a tad more)

Dressing:

• 1/8-1/4 c. olive oil (oil goes a long way, so you probably don't need a full 1/4 c.)
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pepper to taste

Directions:

If possible cook your quinoa an hour or two before you need to do the rest of your preparations, so it has time to cool. If not, after it is cooked transfer it to a dish and put it in the fridge or freezer for a bit.

Place your quinoa, cucumber chunks, chopped onion, parsley, and mint in a medium sized bowl.

In a small bowl mix the dressing ingredients together. Pour on top of quinoa mixture and stir until coated well.

Crispy Quinoa Cakes

I found this recipe at Vegetarian Times. Super super delish. My hubby gave it 2 big thumbs up. The website recommends serving them with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, although I didn't try it.
Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbs. tahini or nut butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. red or white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup finely grated sweet potato
• 1/2 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts, optional
• 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese, optional
• 2 Tbs. finely diced onion
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine egg, flour, tahini, and vinegar in bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients, then mash together until mixture is firm enough to shape into cakes. Shape mixture into 1/4-cup patties with wet hands. Bake on prepared baking sheet 25 minutes, turning once, or until cakes are browned.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I used margarine instead of tahini or nut butter.
2. I used water instead of red or white wine vinegar.
3. I only used 1 cup of quinoa because I felt like 1 1/2 was a lot and I wanted the other flavors to stand out.
4. I did not use the cheese or nuts, but I imagine adding both is probably delish.
5. I tried to flip one of them 1/2 way through the cook time, but it just crumbled so I didn't flip the others.
6. I greased my pan before putting the quinoa cakes on it.
7. I believe that the best part of these cakes was the sun dried tomatoes (but that could be because I LOVE sun dried tomatoes). I used some homemade ones with rosemary and other herbs.

I served this up with a veggie and fruit side, along with some wheat bread.

Quinoa Stew

I found this recipe at Whole Food Mommies.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. quinoa (can use 1 c. as well, for a chunkier stew)
• 1 c. water (2 c. if using 1 c. quinoa)
• 2 c. chopped onions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tb. olive oil or less
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 carrot, cut on the diagonal into 1/4 inch think slices
• 1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 c. cubed zucchini
• 2 c. undrained chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
• 1 c. water or vegetable stock
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• Pinch of cayenne (or more to taste)
• 2 tsp. fresh oregano (1 tsp. dried)
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Using a fine sieve, rinse the quinoa well. Place it in a pot with the water and cook, coverd, on medium low heat for about 15 minutes, until soft. Set aside.

While the quinoa cooks, saute the onions and garlic in a deep pot in oil for 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add celery and carrots. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and stock.

Stir in the cumin, chili powder, ground coriander, cayenne, oregano, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Stir cooked quinoa into the stew and add salt to taste.

Notes about this recipe:

1. The picture posted with this recipe shows that avocado was also added. I tried adding some to mine when I made it and I thought that was an excellent choice. Oh how I love avocados!

2. I served this with tortilla chips.

Quinoa with Basalmic Roasted Mushrooms

This recipe was referred to me by Maghann B. She found it at Whole Foods Market, but hadn't had a chance to try it out. I finally got to make it and it was yummy! The almonds gave it a delicious crunch.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 pear, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 2 pounds portobello mushrooms, stemmed and gills scraped out
• 1 cup red or white quinoa
• 3 cups tightly packed fresh spinach, chopped
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Put vinegar, mustard, pear and garlic in a blender with 1/3 cup water and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Cut mushrooms into chunks and combine in a large mixing bowl with 1/4 cup of the pear balsamic dressing. Spread mushrooms in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, stirring occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

While mushrooms roast, prepare quinoa. In a medium pot, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Stir in quinoa, cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and set aside, covered, 10 minutes more. Uncover and fluff quinoa with a fork.

Combine mushrooms, quinoa, spinach, green onions, almonds, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup more pear balsamic dressing in a large, wide serving bowl. Stir to mix well. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I used regular mushrooms instead of portobellos. I only had 8 oz, but wished I had used 16 oz because they were tasty!
2. My pear wasn't incredibly ripe so the pear flavor was really faint. For stronger flavor use a fairly ripe pear.
3. If you serve it as a main dish I would suggest something like yams and a yummy wheat bread to go with it, plus some fruit.

Cilantro Lime Quinoa

I found this recipe at Whole Food Mommies.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. quinoa, cooked according to package
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped finely
• 1 Tb. olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.

Notes about this recipe:

1. Be sure to get your cilantro leaves off the stem before chopping finely.
2. I cooked my quinoa in 1/2 vegetable broth and 1/2 water, to give it more flavor. You could completely replace the water with veggie broth if you wanted, or just stick to the water.
   
3. I used it as a taco filler, along with sauted veggies & black beans with fajita seasoning. (See picture below.)
   

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

This recipe comes from Our Best Bites, and they adapted it from America's Test Kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 4 very large or 6 medium sweet peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
• 1 Tbs salt
• 1/2 C white rice (or brown if you want to take the time to cook it), quinoa also works
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 – 1 jalapeno, minced (or you could sub a small 3oz can of mild green chilies)
• 1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/2-1 tsp chipotle chili powder (you can start with 1/2 and add more to taste)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
• 1 1/4 C jack or pepperjack cheese, divided
• 3-4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
• tortilla chips, just a handful and more for serving if desired.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Add rice to boiling water and cook until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno (or chilies) and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, beans, green onions, chipotle chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Place peppers in a baking dish. Remove skillet from heat and add rice, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, and cilantro. Stir to combine well and give it a taste. Add additional salt, pepper, and chipotle powder to your liking. Then evenly divide mixture between peppers.

Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese (or more if you can fit it on there :) and crushed tortilla chips.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I used quinoa instead of rice. To cook it I used the water that the bell peppers were boiled in, but I measured it out (I only needed 1 cup for 1/2 c. of quinoa) to make sure I didn't have to drain my quinoa, like the directions say to do.
2. I used 3 oz. of canned mild green chilis, instead of jalapeno pepper and I only used 1/2 tsp of the chipotle chili powder. This combo still had kick but not so bad that you can't eat it. If you aren't one for spice you may want to nix the mild green chilis or do less than 1/2 tsp of chili powder.
   
3. I used kidney beans instead of black beans and it was super yummy. I'm sure black beans are great too.
4. Don't start preheating your oven until you start making the filling (sauteing onions, etc).
   
5. We didn't use the tortilla chips and it was still superb.
6. I only used 4 peppers, and then just saved the extra filling for leftovers (tastes awesome as a burrito filling!). If buying that many peppers is too expensive for you, you could just chop one up and add it to the filling. Serve it up some kind of bread and fruit sides. Saves money and time!
   

This recipe was a huge hit! Both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed eating it for dinner.

Quinoa Taco Salad

This recipe comes from Good Life Eats.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• half a red bell pepper, chopped
• half a green bell pepper, chopped
• half a yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1-2 teaspoons chili powder, depending heat preferences
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1 -15 ounce can black beans, drained
• 3/4 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 2 limes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 6-8 ounces baby spinach
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/3 cup cheddar or feta cheese
• 1 avocado, diced

Directions:

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, swirl a bit of olive oil in a saute pan. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, until translucent and tender. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne and peppers and saute an additional 2 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in the black beans, tomatoes, and the juice of 1 lime. Stir in quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill.

Roughly cut baby spinach into strips like you would shred iceberg lettuce for tacos. Remove about 1 cup of cilantro leaves from the bunch, rinse and pat dry, and toss with the spinach. Divide spinach and cilantro mixture evenly among 4 salad plates. Top each plate with a scoop of the quinoa salad. Top each salad with your choice of cheese and diced avocado. Cut the remaining lime into slices to garnish the plates.

Notes about this recipe:

1. My refrigerator is crazy and is freezing half of my poor vegetables, so my spinach and my cilantro were gross. Instead of eating it on the spinach I ate mine in a tortilla and my husband ate his with tortilla chips. Both ways tasted great.

Mexican Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

This recipe (and photo) is from Good Life Eats, from a guest blogger Allison of Some the Wiser.
 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, and diced
• 3 tablespoons minced green onion
• 1 cup sliced black olives
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes for garnish
• salt
• freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Combine quinoa with a large pinch of salt and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until until the grain is tender. If there is some water remaining, carefully strain the quinoa. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and dice into 1/2 inch or smaller pieces. Cover with water in a medium saucepan, add a pinch of salt, and bring to boil. Cook until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain well and cool slightly.
Toss together the potatoes, quinoa, bell pepper, onion, olive, avocado, and cilantro. Whisk the oil, lime juice, and chili powder together then toss the salad with the mixture. Taste and adjust salt and pepper seasonings. Garnish with cilantro and grape tomatoes. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Note: If you have a baby, six months or older, at home, this makes delicious baby food too! Reserve a small portion of cooked quinoa and cooked sweet potatoes. Puree with one or two tablespoons of milk and serve.
Notes about this recipe:
1. I would get the sweet potatoes started first, and then start the quinoa.
2. I personally LOVE avocados and the black olives and cilantro were yummy too, so next time I'm adding in a 2nd avocado, increasing the black olives to 1 1/4 c, and increasing the cilantro to 1/2 c.
3. I used regular chili powder and I couldn't even taste it. Next time I will be adding about a 1/2 tsp. to see if that takes it up a notch on the flavor scale.
4. We ate this on flour tortillas instead and I thought it was delish this way. I'm sure the chips are good too.
5. I opted for diced fresh tomato instead of the cherry tomatoes. Next time I think I'll make pico de gallo for added flavor.
6. Both my hubby and I felt it needed a little extra something, but we couldn't put our finger on it. So when you make it, let me know what you think and what you would add.

FYI: Quinoa

Each week I will be posting an FYI on different foods.

This week: Quinoa

(Uncooked quinoa picture courtesy of Wikipedia)

What is it?

• Quinoa (pronounced kee-n-wa) "is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds" and originated in South America. (Wikipedia)
  
• There are different varieties, but the most common are white quinoa, red quinoa, and black quinoa. (http://chetday.com/quinoa.html)

Why should I eat it?

• It "contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein. 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." (Wikipedia)

What should I know about using it?

• Specific directions for cooking are on the package, but you basically cook it in water as you would rice.
  
• "As it cooks, the outer germ around each grain twists outward forming a little white, spiral tail, which is attached to the kernel. The grain itself is soft and delicate and the tail is crunchy which creates an interesting texture combination and pleasant "crunch" when eating the grain. Quinoa has a fluffy consistency and a mild, delicate, slightly nutty flavor that borders on bland." (http://chetday.com/quinoa.html)
• "Due to the relatively high oil and fat content of quinoa, the grains and flour should be stored in glass jars in the refrigerator. Use the grains within a year and flour within 3 months." (http://chetday.com/quinoa.html)
• Some suggest that you rinse the quinoa before using it, but in my research I have found that it is rinsed before packaging. I haven't found anything saying it is bad if you don't rinse it before using it.
• Cooking it in a broth helps reduce the bland flavor.

Quinoa and Black Beans

This recipe was submitted by Sarah. It's a recipe from her mother's friend.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 c. vegetable or chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. frozen corn (not canned)
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Directions:

Cook onion and garlic in oil until slightly browned. Mix in quinoa and broth. Season with cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes. Add corn and beans. Cook 5 more minutes. Stir in cilantro.

Notes about the recipe:
It can be used as a side or as a meatless filling for tacos/burritos...tastes great with guacamole.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

This recipe comes from allrecipe.com

Prep Time: 15 Min Cook Time: 15 Min Ready In: 30 Min

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 2 bunches green onions, diced
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving Calories: 354 | Total Fat: 16.6g | Cholesterol: 0mg