Moroccan Bean Stew

The warm spices of this soup make it perfect choice for a cool night.  The guys in my sweet family really enjoy the flavors from Morocco, so this soup is a good fit for us.  I have made this for non-vegans who have left asking for the recipe.  (For guests, you can serve roasted figs on top -- or plain chopped)

Moroccan Bean Stew
serves 6-8

• 1 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 3-4 cups cubed sweet potato (1 lb)
• 1 can black beans, rinse and drain
• 1 can white beans (great northern, cannellini, chickpea), rinse and drain
• 1 cup dry red lentils
• 3 cups broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 TBLS grated ginger
• 2 cups packed finely chopped kale

-- With a little water or broth, saute spices 1-2 minutes until really fragrant

-- Add chopped onion and garlic and saute 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning

-- Add potatoes, beans, lentils and broth/water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

-- Add ginger and kale and heat until wilted

Crockpot: Dump all.  High for 3 hrs. 

Red Lentil and Squash Stew

Don't you just love a good hearty stew in the middle of winter?  I do.  It's probably the #1 reason there are so many great soups and stews on here.  Some food bloggers tend toward sweets or salads or what-have-you.  I guess I tend toward meals your can serve in a bowl and scrap up with a spoon.  I feel very fortunate all three of my boys love them as much as I do!

I saw this recipe floating around on Pinterest right when fall hit -- the original recipe calls for pumpkin -- but I opted to use an acorn squash and was really pleased with the outcome.  I love the ginger and cumin combination along with the red lentils and squash.  Mmmm....love it.

Oh.  The best part of this recipe?  Crockpot, baby!  Oh yeah.

Original recipe found here.

Red Lentil & Squash Stew

serves 4-6

• 1 lb acorn (or other) squash, or pumpkin.  Peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup dry red lentils
• 2 TBLS tomato paste
• 1 TBLS fresh grated ginger
• 1 TBLS lime juice
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1/4 tsp peper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• salt to taste

-- Combine everything in a crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hrs, or high for 4 hours

Snickerdoole Blondies

Happy Novemeber first, everyone!

These little bars are amazing.  I don't know if they taste quite like snickerdooles to me, but they are tasty none-the-less, and when it's cold outside and I want a little treat, this is one of my go-to recipes.  The original recipe is very similar, I didn't want to veer too far off the beaten path and make a mess.  (Baking is not my thing!)  My boys love these and they are just so simple and so good -- I wanted to share them with you all.

Thank you Katie, over at Chocolate Covered Katie, for another spectacular recipe!  If you haven't been over there to check out her healthy desserts -- GO!  Right now.

Snickerdoole Blondies
makes 9 squares

• 1 15oz can chickpeas OR great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 TBLS peanut butter 
• 2 TBLS applesauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, ground oats, OR ground flax
• 1 TBLS cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/5 tsp salt

-- In a food processor, puree everything together until smooth and creamy

-- Spread into a parchement paper-lined 8x8 baking dish

-- Bake for about 40 minutes at 350.  It will look slightly undercooked, but it will cook as it cools a little.  If you want them almost gooey, go for the 35 minute mark.

-- Cool 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Miso Week Recipes 2 & 3: Two Sides

Continuing on with MISO WEEK, here are two sides featuring the fun ingredient of miso!  I served these both with the last recipe on the miso-week-train: a cauliflower and miso soup.  Oh, was it a dinner to be had again!

I will say up front, that we enjoyed both of these sides.  There are recipe cards for both of them now in my recipe box.  The sweet potatoes were a little over the top for me for a simple dinner.  Maybe I'm just too used to the sweetness of them on their own, but they screamed Holiday Dinner to me and so I'll probably reserve them for something like that since I don't have a good candied sweet potato recipe already.  We couldn't quite taste the miso, though, so I'm wondering how much different they would taste without.

Original recipe found here.

Sweet Potatoes with Molasses and Miso
serves 6-8 sides

• 2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, washed well and chopped (8-10 cups total)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TBLS molasses
• 1 TBLS soy sauce
• 2 TBLS maple syrup
• 1 heaping TBLS miso
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 TBLS lemon juice
• 4 TBLS water

-- Half-cook potatoes in the microwave (7-8 minutes) or roast in oven.  

-- Place potatoes in 9x13 baking dish, mix all other ingredients together and pour over potatoes

-- Bake uncovered at 400 for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to make sure the sauce is coating the potato chunks

(I haven't tried it, but I think it would work well to roast the potatoes and make the sauce minus the water and just mix it all together.)

The chickpeas, too, were delicious.  And we liked that we could taste the miso along with the honey and ginger.  Amazing.  I originally started to roast them on parchment paper as opposed to my Silpat to ease the clean up process, but something happened and the liquid started to burn off a little, so I switched everything to my Silpat and continued on from there and we were fine.  Not sure why that was, but I don't think I'll ever shy away from my Silpat again, even when sticky honey is involved.

Original recipe found here.

Honey-Miso Roasted Chickpeas
serves 6 - 8 sides

• 2 14oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 TBLS miso
• 1 TBLS grated ginger

-- Mix honey, miso, and ginger together in a mid-sized bowl

-- Add chickpeas and stir until chickpeas are all coated well

-- Place on a silpat or other non-stick baking mat, and spread evenly.  Bake at 400 for 30 minutes, or until starting to crisp, stirring after 20 minutes.

(You can also do this with 1/3 cup BBQ sauce if you're not into honey-ginger combo.  Just skip the miso if you go the BBQ route!)

Moroccan Spiced "Peas"

We have a lot of family favorites in our house. And for the last 2 and half years I've been on the journey to find and create new meals to ensure we were eating healthy and tasty meals. This meant, though that I have rarely remade even our family favorites.

After so long I'm starting to slow down on the new recipes and rotate in some of our most loved dinners. This is one of them -- it's actually one of Scot absolute favorites. The dish is sweet, savory, and full of mellow spices.  It is easy to prepare, but looks nice when served!

I created this dish, actually, from a meat version that is probably buried somewhere on this blog. And buried it should stay -- the non-meat version is even better than the original in our opinion. If you need a little extra umph for the dinner, or want to make sure you're getting tons of protein in at dinner, serve this with quinoa instead of couscous.

Moroccan Spiced Peas

Serves 4-8 (depending on whether it is served alone or as a side dish) 6 cups

Serving Suggestions: Eat this with Curried Butternut Squash soup and a small side salad.

What you'll need:

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 TBSP paprika
• 1 tsp allspice
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup finely chopped dried apricots
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh parsley leaves OR ¼ cup dried
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup plain dry couscous OR 3 cups cooked quinoa or millet
• salt and pepper to taste

What you'll do:

• Heat 1 TBLS oil in a large skillet.  Once hot, sauté carrots, onion and spices until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining 1 TBSP oil, beans, fruit, parsley, and 3/4 cup broth (reserve remaining broth for next step).  Simmer uncovered for about 5-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare couscous as directed, substituting remaining broth for the water. Fluff when done.  If you are using quinoa, make it first.
• Scoop couscous onto plates and top with chickpea mixture. Alternatively, mix everything together and serve in a bowl!

Note:  This is meal is most flavorful when served shortly after it is prepared.  If you plan to reheat leftovers, we suggest storing the chickpea mixture and couscous in separate bowls to prevent the couscous from absorbing too much of the moisture.

Chickpea Medley over Barley

Do you have any dishes you really like, not only for the taste and ease, but also for the sneaky-ness of it?  This is one of mine.  It's originally from Angela over at Oh She Glows -- she just puts out the best recipes! -- and while it's good and I will probably make it again, it's not a family favorite at this time.  I think the Cilantro-Lime vinaigrette was a bit much for the little ones.  I did cook my beans from their dry state because I had the time, but this meal would come together quite quickly (and you'd need less added salt!) if you used canned beans.

I just love all the spinach that's in this.  And cilantro.  Oh, the cilantro.  If you don't like cilantro, then you won't like this meal at all -- but if you like cilantro like this girl, you'll love this simple dish.

I served the beans over barley and we really liked that, but any whole grain would work.

Happy early Labor Day, everyone!

Chickpea Medley over Barley 
serves 6-8

• 2 cups dry chickpeas, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained, OR 4 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 5 oz package spinach
• 1 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, stems cut off
• 3/4 cup red onion
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups pearled barley + 4 3/4 cups water/broth mixture for cooking.

-- Cook chickpeas (that had been soaking) by placing them in a large pot, covering them well with water, bringing them to a boil, reducing the heat and simmering, uncovered for 40 minutes until fork tender.  (If you forget to soak the beans or just don't have the time, use canned!)

-- Cook barley in a rice cooker or on the stove according to directions

-- In a food processor, puree the spinach and cilantro together.  (May need to do this in batches depending on the size of your processor.  I have a 7-cup and it all fit in just fine.  Amazing, right?)

-- When beans are done cooking, drain and rinse them off.  In a large bowl, combine the beans with the green puree and chopped onion.

-- Whisk the remaining ingredients together and drizzle over the beans.  Stir well and let chill for at least an hour, and the longer the better in my opinion!

-- Serve over barley, or other grain, and season with salt and pepper!

Falafel Burgers + Sweet and Sour Slaw

With summer coming to a close, we're squeezing as many burger nights as we can!  We have burgers in the other seasons, too, don't get me wrong.  A good thing is a good thing, right?  But there's just something about burgers on a warm night out on the back deck that makes them taste just that much better.

I saw this recipe for a Falafel Burger and knew I had to try it.  Scot loves falafel and while I haven't perfected making them at home (they always break apart!) I figured I'd give the burger route a try since I do pretty well at getting those to stick and not crumble.  And now that we know we like this recipe, I may actually try to make them into falafel -- put them in a pita and find some tzatziki sauce.  Mmmm...oh yes, this is a winning recipe!

The original recipe has a recipe for a Tahini sauce that's good -- Scot's not a fan of Tahini in general so I need to find a good dairy-free Tzatziki sauce to go with these burgers, but that's ok.  I think I can manage.

The burgers got two thumbs up from my gang and they are on our new burger rotation!  I served them with a fabulous Sweet and Sour Coleslaw (recipe below -- don't miss it!) and we all loved it. Original recipe can be found here. I am actually going to throw out my other coleslaw recipes and use only this one from now on.

Falafel Burgers
makes 8 (1/3 cup) burgers

• 1 TBLS minced garlic
• 1 cup packed cilantro, stems cut off
• 1/2 cup scallions, roughly chopped
• 2 cans of chickpeas, some liquid reserved to the side, the beans rinsed and drained
• 1 cup rolled oats, quick or old-fashioned
• 2 TBLS lemon juice
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 8 buns, pitas, or tortillas
• favorite burger toppings: tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, grilled onions or peppers, etc
• tahini or tzatziki sauce, if desired, to make it more "authentic"

-- Puree the garlic, cilantro and scallions in a food processor until smooth

-- Add the remaining burger ingredients and pulse until blended well but NOT paste.  The mixture needs to stick well together and be fairly uniform in appearance.  If not sticking very well, add some of the chickpea liquid in 1 TBLS at a time until desired consistency is reached.

-- Using a 1/3 cup measuring scoop, form 8 patties.  Lay on a baking sheet or plates and chill for at least 30 minutes.

-- Dry pan-fry, using a non-stick skillet, over medium heat 5-7 minutes each side.

Sweet and Sour Coleslaw
feeds 8

• 4 cups thinly sliced or shredded cabbage.  I used 1/2 red and 1/2 regular and highly suggest it!
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced length-wise and then cut in half to make 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup julliened or thinly cut carrots
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup loose chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

-- Put all salad ingredients in a bowl and toss.

-- Mix the vinegar with the sugar and stir until dissolved.  Drizzle over the salad and toss some more to adequately coat

The China Study Cookbook Review + 2 RECIPES

I’d been hearing praises for The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD for quite some time, took the plunge and ordered the book last summer (after checking it out several times from the library, only to leave it nearly untouched on the bedside stand), and finally got around to reading it this spring.  It’s quite difficult for me to find the time to read these days, but I am sure glad I made an effort to squeeze this one in!  I have been so impressed with Dr. Campbell’s research and findings, especially regarding the effects of dietary protein on cancer growth, that when I heard he would be releasing a new book (Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition) and a companion cookbook (The China Study Cookbook), I pre-ordered both.  

Upon its arrival, I discovered that the The China Study Cookbook is actually written by Dr. Campbell’s daughter, Leanne Campbell, PhD, who has successfully raised her two boys on a plant-based diet.  One thing I really appreciate about this cookbook is that it was written by a very busy mom, so many of the recipes are practical, quick-fixes.  I also love that she has so many meals that can be prepped ahead for quick, easy, lunchbox-friendly entrees and sandwiches throughout the week!  Quick lunches are something I found to be lacking in my own personal recipe collection, so this cookbook has filled a void.  The other aspect I have enjoyed is the author’s creative use of both tofu & chickpeas--aversions to these ingredients exist among certain members of my household, so it was exciting to find recipes that pass the oh-so-tricky O’Rourke table taste-test!  I’ve dog-eared many recipes to try, but so far, here are the winners in our household:

• Cucumber Dill Dip
• Greek Salad with Nuts
• Delicious Eggless Sandwiches
• Spinache Chickpea Burgers (Which are, according to my dear cooked-spinach-and-chickpea-hating husband, “The closest thing to a real burger!”)
• Ocean Chickpea Sandwiches (My darling, chickpea-despising daughter actually thinks these are tuna sandwiches, and jumps for joy when she hears they are on the menu!  Personally, I think the salad is more akin to an egg-salad, due to the texture and flavor...regardless, I must say that it has become one of my favorites!  A curious but skeptical, meat-loving co-worker even tried a bite and requested the recipe to prepare for her family.)  Two special notes on this one:  
• I use 4 TBLS Vegenaise, in place of the 5 TBLS homemade, tofu-based mayo the recipe calls for, simply for convenience & waste prevention (the Green Garden Mayo recipe makes a ton, and I just don’t use it often enough to justify the quantity).  Vegenaise raises the fat content a bit, but I think it’s worth it.  
• Don’t skip the kelp powder, it’s worth seeking out!  I really feel this ingredient is what gives the recipe it’s edge.  I found it at Whole Foods with the other spices and salt-substitutes.  
• Pecan Ball Subs
• Zucchini Crabless Cakes (I was somewhat leery about these due to the tofu & zucchini content--again, due to weird food aversions in our household--but was pleasantly surprised, as they went over quite well!  These patties also refrigerate nicely for leftovers, which is a plus.)

AND, for the GRAND FINALE, our very FAVORITES...

• Thai Wraps
• Amazingly Delicious Date Fruit Pie

We hope these two recipes that we’re sharing will spark your interest, and encourage you to order the book so you can give the others a try!

Happy eating!

~Brittany

When Brittany introduced me to this cookbook I was skeptical of yet another cookbook.  She told me, though, to try their two favorite meals to see what I thought.

Let me tell ya what -- I can't wait to try more!

These Thai wraps are a new favorite in our house, too.  As in, I made them the first time and we liked them so much, I figured out how to make them the next night without using tofu (we were out)!  So there is a soy-free version of these and it's totally up to personal preference.  Scot liked the tofu version better for the subtle flavor of the tofu, and I liked the chickpea version better for texture and the fact it wasn't as drippy.  I also sliced some red cabbage up and added it in the wrap with the lettuce and that lent a nice extra crunch.

Oh, did I mention you can make these in about 15 minutes?  Yeah.  Another reason they're a new favorite, fabulous flavor aside.

Thai Wraps
serves 4

• 1 12oz pk extra firm tofu, drained OR 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup good peanut butter
• 2-3 TBLS soy sauce or Tamari
• 1 TBLS lime juice
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro OR 1 heavy TBLS dry
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 4 tortillas
• lettuce and sliced red cabbage

-- Crumble tofu with fork in a mid-sized mixing bowl.  If using chickpeas, use a pastry-cutter.

-- Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and spices in a small bowl and whisk until blended well.  Pour into bowl and mix well.

-- Add everything else and stir until combined.

-- Spread onto tortillas and top with lettuce and red cabbage.

This little dessert is fabulous.  It's easy to make, and while the picture shows it being very messy -- and finely chopped strawberries will be! -- it doesn't have to be a messy dessert.  The original recipe called for 5 different types of fruit equaling about 4 cups.  Strawberries were on sale, so I did just the berries.  I also tried my crust in a spring-form pan -- oops -- next time, I'll use a pie dish as directed if I have anything that could spill over.

I do think, though, that a simple bag of frozen/thawed mixed berries would be delish on this crust.  Pretty much anything would be great on this crust.  A thin layer of vanilla cream would be divine between the crust and fruit.  Just sayin'.

Date & Fruit Pie

serves 8

• 1 packed cup chopped Medjool dates
• 1 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• sliced fruit, equally about 4 cups.  Ideas: strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, mangos, kiwis

-- Blend all crust ingredients in a food processor until a paste forms

-- Press firmly into a pie plate and chill until ready to add fruit.  Once ready, arrange fruit and chill at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.

Mediterranean Barley Salad

I created this salad last summer when I wanted something made with barley (had a diabetic visiting) and other delicious vegetables. I went with a Mediterranean flare and it worked. After several tweaks along the way, I think I have it the way I want it.

The salad is extremely versatile-- you can use it as a main dish or a side.  Eat it warm, room temp, or chilled.  Eat it in a bowl, in a pita, or on a plate.  It's quick and easy and tastes so fresh you'll be wishing you had an unlimited supply of it in your fridge (although, I will say, it does tend to taste better the next day).  

Bring it to your next picnic or BBQ and see how fast it disappears. This dish keeps for a couple days, so it's very easy to make ahead. It's also easy to prepare in steps.

We love eating this with a good green salad and a bowl-full of chilled purred vegetable soup.

Mediterranean Barley Salad

Serves 4-6 (7 cups)

Active time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Serving Suggestions: Serve with a summer gazpacho and garden salad.

What you'll need:

• 1 cup pearled barley + 2 1/2 cups broth OR water
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 TBLS balsamic vinegar
• 2 TBLS olive oil  OR garbanzo liquid
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (about 20 leaves) OR 2 TBLS dry
• 3/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 6 oz can pitted black olives, drained and sliced in half
• 1 jarred red pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• salt and pepper to taste
• Feta cheese crumbles (optional)

What you'll do:

• Cook barley.
• Meanwhile, puree garlic, vinegar, olive oil and tomatoes in a food processor to form a dressing.
• When barley is done, transfer to a bowl and stir in dressing.
• Stir in all other ingredients until evenly combined.
• Sprinkle individual servings with feta if desired.

Time tip:

Cook barley ahead of time

Chop and dice everything while barley is cooking

Cilantro-Lime Chickpea Summer Salad

I just love cold salads in the summer.  They're refreshing and cleansing and easy to whip up.  You can put them in a bowl and eat them with a spoon or fork at your dinner table or in the park on a blanket.  This salad was especially easy to make.  I used white corn this time and wish I had gone with yellow sweet corn -- not only would the pictures have been more fun to look at, but the sweetness of the corn would have really balanced everything else out.

This makes a ton, but thankfully it keeps well, too.  Serve this in a bowl, in a pita, or on a tortilla -- you can't go wrong any way you choose.

If you like cold salads in the summer, too, just wait -- we have a post planned with not one, but FIVE quick-to-fix summer salads coming up!

Don't you love the suspense?  At least for now you have this one to tide you over until then.

Got the recipe over here, and I'm so glad I did!

Chickpea Summer Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
serves 6-8 (makes about 12 cups)

• 1 lb corn (thawed if frozen)
• 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained**
• 1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 red onion, diced (about a cup)
• 1/4-1/3 c olive oil **you can also sub in some of the chickpea liquid for the half the oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, about a full cup loose
• 1/4 c lime juice
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/2 tsp pepper

-- Puree (or whisk as long as you chop the cilantro very fine) the oil, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and pepper until smooth and wonderfully green!

-- Combine the remaining ingredients in the largest mixing or serving bowl you can find.

-- Pour dressing over top and stir until well incorporated.

-- Let sit for at least 15 minutes before eating, but it's best after it's had time to chill.

Avocado Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas

This is another favorite quinoa dish in our house, especially during the summer months.  If you like guacamole, then you are sure to love this hearty salad.  It's like guac, on steroids, with quinoa thrown in the mix.  You'll want to scoop it with chips, or with with spoon from the serving bowl.  Be careful to not give out taster bites before you're ready to eat or you may be taking an empty bowl to the table!

This is a perfect dish for a summer night with a bowl of gazpacho on the side, or just one of many "hearty sides" that make up a dinner.  Take it to a picnic and enjoy all the mmmms as people relish the goodness.  We haven't tried it, but I think it would be fabulous in a pita for a summer picnic dinner!

Adapted from this recipe.

Avocado Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas
serves 4-6 (8 cups)

• 3/4 cup dry quinoa _ 2 cups broth
• 2 cups packed spinach
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained **
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 avocados, diced (about 2 cups)

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• zest of one lemon
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 2 tsp olive oil, OR **chickpea liquid
• 1 tsp agave or honey
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

-- Make quinoa in the broth, once done, turn out into a large bowl to let cool

-- Pulse spinach and cinatro in a food processor unti small bits.  Add to quinoa bowl.

-- Add onion and chickpeas to bowl and stir.  

-- Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over quinoa, stirring well

-- Gently stir in tomatoes and avocados until everything is combined

-- Let sit/chill at least 15 minutes before serving

Pesto Quinoa with Corn and Tomatoes

This was such a great quinoa salad.  For people new to quinoa, this is a great starter.  It's simple and easy, and if the usually nutty flavor of quinoa turns you off, you can't taste it in this dish.  The pesto flavor balanced out the other sweetness of the corn and tomatoes so well.  With the added bonus of the chickpeas, it was a protein-packed main dish.

You could easily serve this as a side, or bring it to a picnic or potluck.  Omit the chickpeas if you'd like, too. My husband said it worked as a main dish, but it would work better as a hearty side.  From my perspective, it was a great, light, refreshing main dish on a hot summer night.  So, take note.  It's chick-food.  If you serve it to your man, have sweet potato fries and gazpacho and a chocked-full-of-veggies salad to go with it.

Got the idea over here and tweaked it.

Pesto Quinoa with Corn and Tomatoes
serves 4 main, 6-8 sides

• 1 14/ c dry quinoa + 2 1/2 c water
• 3/4 c pre-made pesto
• 1 1/2 c corn
• 1 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (for main dish)
• salt and pepper to taste

-- Cook quinoa in water and turn out into a large bowl to cool.  

-- Once cooled slightly, stir in pesto

-- Add all remaining ingredient and gently stir

-- Eat immediately, or chill until ready to serve

Super "C" Salad

The weekend is almost here and what better way to celebrate than with a fabulous fun salad with a lot of "C"'s in it!

I had a salad very similar to this back in Ohio at one of the local market's "Salad Bar".  It was set up like Whole Foods and I was with a friend and we had fun pursuing the "super salads", seeing which ingredient pairings we liked best.  There was a salad that caught my eye, but it had walnuts in it, and since I prefer breathing to gasping for breath, I passed and picked the salad with couscous and cauliflower.  I didn't notice much else initially.  It looked interesting, was a combination I'd never had, and wow was I surprised.  I couldn't get enough.  With each bite I was finding more and more depth to this "salad".  It was a super-salad, indeed!

So this is my recreation as best as I can get.  The original had whole chunks of fennel in it, and I had no idea what their recipe for the dressing was, but this is pretty close to an exact replication as far as I can remember.  Even if it's not, my taste-buds are happy when I make it.

As the name I've given it indicates, most all the main ingredients have a common denominator.  Couscous.  Chickpeas.  Cauliflower.  Celery. California golden raisins. Clementines. Except for the red onion and the dressing, everything starts with the letter C!

Serve this as a main dish with a side green salad, or serve it as a side salad.  Or, bring it to the picnic you're planning for the weekend.  It's good chilled or at room temperature.

Super "C" Salad  
serves 4 (2 cup portions) main dishes, or 6-8 sides

• 2 cups cooked Israeli couscous (I used whole wheat)
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups small/chopped cauliflower florets
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup packed CA golden raisins
• 3 clementines/cuties (or 1 small orange), segmented and cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 TBLS olive oil
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 3/4 tsp curry
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 3/4 tsp tarragon
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste

-- Once couscous is cooked, turn out into a bowl to cool off.  Once cool, add chickpeas, cauliflower, celery, raisins, clementine slices, and onion.  Mix well.

-- Mix remaining ingredients (minus salt and pepper) in a small bowl and whisk until combined.  Pour over salad and stir to incorporate evenly. 

-- Taste and season as desired.  Serve immediately, or if possible, after the salad has had time to sit a little.

Lemony Chickpea Bake

If you have about an hour to make dinner, this is a sure-hit-recipe.  It takes less than 10 minutes of prep, which is about the time it takes for the oven to preheat, and then it cooks for 40 minutes and comes out tasting amazing!  I'm still trying to figure out how such simple ingredients produce such a lovely tasting dish, but it's true!

Thanks to the food processor, things are quite easy.

The lemon flavor in the dish is not over-powering at all.  If any one flavor is present, I'm not sure what I would say.  The wonderful herbs?  Combined with the lemon and chickpeas?  It really is a great pairing.

I think I've talked before about how it can be hard at times to not cook all-in-one dinners.  One-pot meals, if you will.  Stews and soups.  So this, in my mind, is like a delightfully seasoned chicken breast.  It's the "protein" on the plate.  It was originally supposed to be a loaf, but when I turned it out (even after letting it sit for the 20 minutes) it broke and was not pretty.  What I realized is that I didn't cook it long enough, but I'm glad I didn't or else it would have been dry.  So from now on, I'm just baking it as a bake, not a loaf.

I served this with Cider Glazed Carrots, green beans, and a salad.  I'm also going to try and bake it with some corn thrown in to see how that tastes and let you know. (Turns out it's really good!  Scot prefers it without the corn, but I really liked the complimenting flavors.)

Slightly adapted from this recipe.

Lemon Chickpea Bake

Serves 4-6

• 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 red onion, rough chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 TBLS herbs de province
• 1 tsp lemon pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups frozen/thawed corn (opt)

-- Set aside in a mixing bowl 3/4 cup chickpeas, put the rest of the chickpeas in a food processor

-- Put onion, garlic and spices in the food processor and pulse until crumbly and bottom just starts to "cream".  Remove to the mixing bowl

-- Add oats (and corn if using) and mix well, smushing everything together

-- Put mixture into a greased loaf pan (or 8x8 if using the corn) and pat down firmly.

-- Bake, uncovered, 40 minutes at 400.  Let cool 10-15 minutes before scooping out (don't over bake or it will be dry!  You want it almost flaky, but still moist.)

Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad

Do you know what you're bringing to that Memorial Day picnic this weekend?  Here's an idea for you!

This is our new favorite quinoa salad.  Don't get me wrong, I love quinoa in other salads -- and in soups -- but this is hands-down one of the best tasting, freshest quinoa salads I've ever had, and definitely the favorite that has come from my kitchen.

And what better way to kick off summer? (Even though it doesn't officially start for another 3 weeks!)  This was easy to make.  It may not look it, but once the quinoa is cooked and cooled, it took about 15 minutes to put it all together.

This will be a summer favorite for sure -- I hope it's one of yours, too.

Original recipe is here.

Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad

Serves 6 (more if using as a side dish)

• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed well for a couple minutes, cooked with 2 cups water
• 1/4 c peanut butter
• 3 TBLS soy sauce or tamari
• 1-2 TBLS lime juice
• 1 TBLS honey or agave
• 1 TBLS red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
• 2 cups shelled edamame or 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 1/2 cups chopped/sliced carrots (can do this in the food processor to speed things up!)
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced small
• 1/2 cup cashew halves or peanuts
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions

-- Cook the quinoa.  For an easy dinner, make sure this step is done earlier in the day!  When done, turn the quinoa out into a large bowl, fluff with a fork, and let cool.

-- Whisk the dressing ingredients together (peanut butter through ginger), warming in the microwave if necessary to allow ingredients to combine smoothly.  Pour onto the quinoa and mix in well.

-- Chop and shred the appropriate ingredients and add to the bowl when done.  Mix everything together and serve, OR, save back the green onions and cashews and use them as garnish!

-- Serve at room temperature or chilled!