Quinoa with Carrots, Celery, and Pecans

Have you tried quinoa (pronounced 'keen-wa')? It is very similar to rice and it is packed with protein and super healthy for you! Don't be afraid to try it. You might like it! You can make it for a side dish or just add a ton of veggies and call it a meal. This dish is served warm and I adapted it from a recipe that had mushrooms in it. I'll attach both recipes. Hope you enjoy. I'm on a hunt for more quinoa recipes because it is so easy to make and very filling and healthy!

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, pre-rinsed or rinsed
1 2/3 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp EVOO, divided
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 small carrots sliced
2 celery stalks chopped (or 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced)
3/4 tsp dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1/3 c chopped pecans, toasted if desired
1/4 c chopped parsley

Directions:
1. Combine quinoa and chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down to low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and thyme and cook until the carrots are just tender, 5-7 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil, along with celery (or mushrooms) and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until vegetable are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
 

3. Add cooked quinoa to vegetables and stir in pecans and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or warm.

 

Recipe found seriouseats.com

Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits

Have you ever had a fruit and yogurt parfait from McDonalds? I had the pleasure of having one a few weeks ago for breakfast and have been hooked every since. I then tried to recreate this dish to have at home. It wasn't hard at all!

Ingredients
low fat vanilla yogurt (I like Dannon Light and Fit)
1/4 c of granola
cut up fresh strawberries, blueberries and blackberries

Directions
Mix together and enjoy!

Fresh Salsa

I came across the FANTASTIC fresh salsa recipe on a blog I follow, Unexpected Delights.

Ingredients

1 28oz can whole tomatoes

2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (I like Rotel)

¼ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped cilantro (add more if you like cilantro! I did!!)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar

¼ tsp cumin

1 jalapeño sliced (I did 2 for a spicy kick!)

Half a lime (squeeze the juice)

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in to a food processor (do not drain the
tomatoes) blend and serve!

Recipe courtesy of Kerry Amato via Unexpected Delights

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

Another Pinterest inspired dish that will leave your taste buds so happy! This spicy rigatoni was not your usual rigatoni recipe with its peas and crushed red pepper.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 Tbs crushed red pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs chopped garlic
• 6 oz chicken, sliced
• 3/4 cup. Marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
• 2 tsp butter
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1 lb Rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions
• additional 1/2 t crushed red pepper (for garnish)

Directions:

1. In a sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper and garlic and sauté just long enough for garlic to caramelize and red pepper to release flavor into the oil. Add sliced chicken and sauté briefly to coat in spices and garlic.

2. Add Marinara Sauce first and then Alfredo Sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°. Turn off flame, add butter and peas and incorporate into sauce.

3. Drop cooked pasta in boiling water for 3 seconds. Let drain for 15 seconds. Toss with the sauce. Place pasta and sauce in pasta bowl, reserving the majority of the chicken to be placed on top of the pasta. Using a rubber spatula, scrape any remaining sauce from the pan to the pasta. Garnish with crushed red pepper and serve.

Tastebook's Notes:Instead of buying alfredo and marinara sauce separately, Bertolli makes a Parm Rosa sauce you can use instead. Use 1 1/2 cups of it when the recipe tells you to add the marinara and alfredo sauces.

Source: Buca Di Beppo

Recipe from http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2423433-Spicy-Chicken-Rigatoni

Quinoa Salad with cherries, snap peas, and walnuts

Have you tried quinoa? It is very healthy for you and high in protein! Thanks to my friend Mary for sharing this recipe. I first had it at her lake house this summer and finally made it this week. It is a good, healthy side to any dinner dish. I served with kielbasa but would also serve with chicken.

Ingredients:
1 c quinoa
2 c of water or vegetable broth (I used water)
3/4 c snap peas, diced
4 scallions, diced, green part only
1/4 c walnuts, chopped

1/4 dried cherries

Vinaigrette:
4 TBSP canola oil
3 TBSP rice vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 TBSP reduced sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Prepare quinoa by rinsing in cold water. Add quinoa to water (or broth) in sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Let cool in refrigerator.
For vinaigrette: combine ingredients in a jar and shake. Chill in refrigerator.

When quinoa and vinaigrette have chilled, combine all ingredients and chill for several hours before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Mary Rodgers

"Poorman's" Italian Wedding Soup

Thanks to my friend, Erin, for this tasty dish! She always has the best and healthiest lunches at work. I've been wanting to try this soup for awhile now and finally got the ingredients from Trader Joe's. That is where she got the recipe for the soup too.

Ingredients:
1 bag of frozen turkey meatballs (Trader Joe's)
1 box Israeli couscous from TJ's in the rice aisle
Chicken broth
1 bag of frozen or fresh spinach
chopped carrots
chopped celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
olive oil

Directions:
1. Brown couscous according to box instructions in olive oil. Set aside.
2. Saute carrots, onion, and celery (as much or as little as you like) in a sauce pan with garlic and some olive oil. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, add chicken broth, meatballs, couscous, spinach and sauteed veggies. Cook until warm.

FYI: over time, couscous soaks up liquid. Just add more water if you need to the 2nd day if having left overs!

Recipe courtesy of Erin Olsen