5 ways to enjoy Quinoa

5 ways to enjoy quinoa

Ever wonder how to use this magnificent grain?

Here are 5 scrumptious ways to delight in quinoa.

 Quinoa is a nutritious, gluten-free, pseudo-grain that is delicious. It’s also high in protein. It comes in several different colors — white, red and black — but the most common form is white. Always look for organic and NON-GMO labeling.

When I was first introduced to a new food I wondered what do I do with it? I looked on the internet and did a bunch of research.  Finding it to be very nutritious I had to try it. Here are a few recipes that not only taste great but are good for you. I’d love fellow quinoa lovers to share their ideas and recipes as well!

1. Basic quinoa: First, how to make a good basic quinoa is important. You wash the coating off the quinoa because it is bitter. Soaking it for a period helps with removing the bitterness from quinoa.

Basic Quinoa (Soaked)

2 cups of quinoa
2 cups of warm filtered water
2 tablespoons of yogurt, or whey, or  raw apple cider (live culture or acidic property)

2 cups of filtered water
1 teaspoon unrefined salt

1. In a glass or non-reactive bowl, place the quinoa, first two cups of warm filtered water and 2 tablespoons of the live cultured, acidic addition. Cover and place in a warm place for 12-24 hours. 

2.When you are ready to cook the quinoa, strain the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse well, making sure the water runs clear.  thoroughly rinse, otherwise it can be bitter.

 Add to a medium pot with the last two cups of water and salt. Bring to a boil, turn down to low, cover, and cook for about 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.

I enjoy quinoa with a dab of pastured, organic butter, and sometimes soy sauce too. It’s delicious just like that. You can also serve it instead of rice with a stir-fry.

2. IN SOUPS: Quinoa is excellent in soups. It adds a lot of flavor. Substitute quinoa instead for a tasty treat. Quinoa and chicken have a real affinity for each other. 

 Chicken and Quinoa

1 cup quinoa (soaked overnight in water, than drained and rinsed in a strainer. If you don’t soak your grains still rinse to remove a bitter substance from the grain)
2 cups of organic chicken broth
1/2-3/4 cup of white wine (amount depending on your taste and wine used)
2 cups of water
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon of salt
4-6 carrots, peeled and cubed
3 celery, sliced
1 onion, minced
2 chicken breasts or thighs
3 Tablespoons of butter (opt, for added richness and flavor)

Throw all the ingredients in a pot, cook for 4 hours. Shred the chicken when done, and stir into the stew and you are done! How simple is that?

3.  IN COLD SALADS: Quinoa is delightful hot, it’s also delicious cold. I love it in salads. Any that is leftover sprinkle it generously over your green salad the next day. If you wanted a cold quinoa salad, I really love it with Mexican flavors.

  

Mexican Quinoa Salad

1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced or put through the garlic press.
1 teaspoon sea salt

half a bunch of cilantro, washed and finely minced.
5 cups of cooked quinoa (I used red, but white would be very nice too)
Corn cut off of 2 corn on the cobs,
1 bunch of spinach

1-Mix the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, cumin, garlic and salt together in a small jar.

2- Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl.

2-Wash the spinach and cut the steams off.  Steam with a lid and about 1/4 cup of water. Steam until the spinach is wilted.  Remove from heat and drain. Run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze out any extra liquid from the spinach leaves and chop into small pieces with a knife and add to the bowl with quinoa.

3- Add olive oil to the pan , and heat until hot. Add the corn,  cook until the kernels are just cooked. Add to quinoa.

4- Add chopped cilantro,  stir to combine. Lightly toss with dressing to coast everything,  When ready to serve, toss with some more dressing and salt to taste. Enjoy!

4. AS A STUFFING: Like rice, quinoa can be used to make delicious stuffing. You could certainly use it to stuff a roasted chicken or turkey, but you can also make a stuffing side dish that’s equally delicious.

     

5. QUINOA CAKES OR PATTIES: You can form quinoa into patties and pan-fry them or bake them in the oven..

Baked Quinoa Patties

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature*
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1 cup finely chopped kale
1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (toasted) cumin
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup GLUTEN FREE bread crumbs, plus more if needed
water or a bit of flour, if needed
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter
Preheat oven to 400F / 200C.
Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, dill, kale, onion, garlic, and cumin. Stir well.
Add the baking powder and bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture
Gently stir in the feta.
At this point, you should have a mixture you can easily form into twelve 1-inch thick patties. go with the very moist side because it makes for a not-overly-dry patty, you can always add more bread crumbs, a bit at a time, to firm up the mixture, if need be. If too dry, a bit more beaten egg or water can be used to moisten the mixture. Oil a baking sheet, and arrange the patties. Bake patties for 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are brown. Flip and bake for another 5 minutes.
Enjoy hot, or allow too cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
**This can be done in a skillet. - Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add 6 patties, if they'll fit with some room between each, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply browned. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes and continue to cook until the patties are browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and cook the second sides for 7 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the skillet and cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining patties.

Add your recipe in the comment area. What ways do you like to use quinoa?

Zucchini

4 Favorite recipes for Zucchini

Zucchini is a wonderful vegetable to enjoy in a wide variety of ways. Here are some of my favorite recipes.

Zucchini is abundant now, for which I am grateful. zucchini could happily be eaten every day. One of the ways I enjoy it is simply sautéed and lightly salted. Other times I add red bell pepper and fresh corn off the cob and then toss with fresh basil. Yum!

Because zucchini has a fairly light flavor, it takes on other flavors well too. Adding it to curries, shredding it into certain ground beef dishes, or making it into sweet zucchini bread all work well.

Summer squash is a good source of potassium (1 cup gives you more than three times the amount of potassium in the typical potassium supplement). It also contains a fair amount of vitamin A and a punch of lutein and zeaxanthin (members of the carotenoid family) that can protect the eyes from macular degeneration and other vision problems.

Here are some Recipes:

1. Zucchini Chips

2 zucchini (medium small)
1-2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
Unrefined Salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
Freshly Ground Pepper

Directions:
1) Thinly slice your zucchini. A mandolin would be best for this job.
2) Add the slices to a small bowl and add the oil, a nice sprinkle of salt, garlic powder and a turn of freshly ground pepper. Zucchini will shrink dramatically. This also means that all seasonings will become much stronger in your finished product, so go easy on the seasoning.
3) Spread out on baking sheet.
4) Use the lowest setting on your oven. It will take a shorter amount of time, so check every 1/2 hour or so. At 175 degrees, you can expect them to be done in roughly two hours


Tips:. Play around with the seasonings. Spice it up with chili powder. Use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. Sprinkle with lemon juice or vinegar for some tang.
The zucchini chips do become more chewy as they cool down. Make sure you store them in an airtight container.
5. This makes about 1 cup of chips, so I recommend after you’ve tried it and if you like it, doing many batches at a time.

2. Simple Zucchini and Onions Makes 4 generous servings

4 medium zucchini’s or other summer squash (or a combo), washed
1 medium onion, peeled
2 tablespoons of olive oil, coconut oil, high quality lard fat of choice
Himalayan  salt and pepper

1-Slice the ends of off the summer squash and thinly slice. Cut the onion in half and thinly slice as well.

2-In a large saucepan over medium high heat, heat fat of your choice until hot. Add squash and onions and sprinkle with sea salt. Cook, stirring as needed, until the vegetables are quite soft. You can do this to taste, but we usually cook them about ten minutes.

3-Taste test and sprinkle with more salt and freshly ground pepper if desired!

Mini Zucchini Millet Muffins These are gluten free.

Yield: 16-20 muffins
As always, this recipe contains an overnight soak for better nutrition and texture.
The night before mix up the following:

2 cups of millet flour (preferably freshly ground )
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3/4 cup of warm water
1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (you can substitute well fermented kombucha, water kefir, whey, coconut kefir)

Leave covered in a warm place for 12-24 hours. Preheat the oven to 425F and line a mini muffin pan with baking cups. Then add the following to the bowl.

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 heaping cup of grated zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup of coconut oil, melted gently
1/4-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated is nice)

Whisk to combine and then fill muffin pans 3/4 full. Cook for ten minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the middle of the muffin. Remove from oven and serve right away with slivers of soft butter. Leftovers will last a few days in an airtight container.
Creamy (Creamless) Zucchini and Potato Soup
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups of chicken stock
4 medium potatoes (or 4 large red potatoes), peeled and cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme
4 medium zucchini, cubed (about 4 cups worth)
1) In a large pot, heat the olive oil over med-high heat until just hot. Add the onion and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Cook, stirring as needed to prevent browning, until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 more minute.
2) Add the stock and potatoes and thyme and bring to a low simmer. Cook, covered, for about 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender. Add the zucchini and cook for another 7-10 minutes or until the zucchini is very soft.
3) Puree using a hand blender or blend in a blender in batches, being very careful not to overfill.
Salt to taste and serve with a dab of butter, dollop of sour cream,  drizzle of cream, or drizzle of olive oil.

Curry Carrot Ginger Soup

Creamy and fiery hot, with a dose of curry adding an extra kick to this super-healthy soup.

Curry Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 nub fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 or 6 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• Dash cumin
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 4 lemon wedges
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Sprigs parsley, optional garnish
• Dollop sour cream, optional

Time estimates

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes 

Directions

1. Melt 1 tablespoon oil and butter in large pot. Add onion and ginger. Cook until onion is tender, 5 or 6 minutes. Add potato, 1/2 cup of broth and salt. Bring to low boil. Stir occasionally until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Add carrots and remaining broth. Cover and simmer. Cook until ingredients are tender, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat.
2. In separate saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add milk and bring to low boil. Add curry, cumin and cayenne seasoning. Stir about 1 minute until ingredients turn gold. Remove from heat.
3. Stir curry sauce into soup. . Remove from heat.
4. Carefully transfer contents of pot to blender. Process until smooth, in two batches if necessary. Return to pot. Heat until simmer.
5. Take of stove. Let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes, to let flavors meld. Reheat, add lemon wedge and serve hot.

Serves 4

Roasted Garlic Soup

Roasted garlic bulbs caramelized in their own juices will ooze a rich elixir making this soup an excellent option for dinner. 

Roasted Garlic Soup

Ingredients

• 5 bulbs garlic, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Dash sea salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, torn
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk
• 4 wedges lemon
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Time estimates

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. With sharp knife remove tops from 4 garlic bulbs. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet. Cook 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cooling.
3. Mince remaining garlic. Heat butter in large pot. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until tender. Add sage. Sauté, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth. Cover and simmer.
4. Using thumb and forefingers squeeze roasted garlic from its jackets into small bowl. Using heel of a spoon, mash garlic against edge of bowl into paste.
5. Add garlic paste, milk and remaining broth to pot
6. Carefully transfer contents of pot to blender. Process until smooth. Return to pot.
7. Bring to low boil. Serve with wedge of lemon and sprig of fresh thyme.

Serves 4

Gluten-Free Easy Mini Manicotti

1 tablespoon olive oil or oil of choice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic minced or ¼ teaspoon gluten-free asafoetida powder
1 small onion, finely chopped, or 1 small green pepper, chopped (5 ounces)
1 zucchini, chopped into ½-inch pieces (1½ cup or 8 ounces)
1 cup (7.5 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and rinsed
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese or dairy-free ricotta cheese substitute 1 (10-ounce) package of 12 gluten-free rice lasagna noodles (not ‘oven ready’ or ‘no boil’)
1 (32-ounce) jar pasta sauce or 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce 
¼ cup Parmesan or mozzarella cheese or dairy-free cheese substitute, optional for topping

1. Heat oil in a skillet and add spices, garlic and onion. Add chopped zucchini and cook until tender.

2. Toss in spinach and cook with zucchini for 10 minutes on high heat, hot enough to keep mixture dry. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. When mixture is cool, stir in ricotta cheese to blend well. Set aside.

4. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles as directed on package or just until you are able to cut with a knife. Drain and run under cold water.

5. Separate noodles and lay flat on a clean dish towel. (If they aren’t separated, they will stick together.) Cut each noodle in half cross-wise, creating 24 square pieces.

6. Pour half the pasta sauce into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish or covered casserole.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

8. Drop 1 heaping tablespoon ricotta mixture onto a pasta square. Roll the pasta up and place it in the sauce in the baking dish. Repeat, placing pasta rolls in neat rows. When all are rolled and placed in pan, cover them with remaining tomato sauce.

9. Sprinkle manicotti with grated or thinly sliced cheese, if using. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven. Uncover during the final 2 minutes to brown cheese, if using. Makes 24 mini-manicotti.

Each Serving Contains 397 calories, 12g total fat, 56 carbs, 5 g fiber, 1 g protein

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Black Bean Corn Chili

3 cups water
2¾ cups black beans, soaked in water overnight, then drained
10 ounces fresh or frozen corn
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes or homemade tomato sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil or oil of choice
add ½ cup chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic, chopped, and sauté in oil until translucent.
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2-4 fresh tomatoes, chopped, optional
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon honey
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1½ tablespoons chili powder  more to taste
1. Pour 3 cups water into a large saucepan and add beans. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook until tender.
2. Add frozen corn and diced tomatoes. Simmer on low heat.
3. In a frying pan, heat oil until it sizzles. Throw in celery and cook until celery is translucent. Add green pepper and chopped tomatoes, if desired. Add lemon juice to maintain color of tomatoes. Reduce heat to low simmer and cook until green peppers are soft. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, combine molasses, honey, salt, apple cider vinegar, and chili powder Mix well and add to pot of beans. Stir in celery, green pepper and chopped tomatoes until ingredients are combined.

 Each serving contains 438 calories, 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg

cholesterol, 127mg sodium, 78g carbohydrate, 17g fiber, 22g protein.