Quinoa with Pomegranite & Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

We got tired of quinoa for a little while, but I admit I perked up immediately when I saw this recipe because we LOVE pomegranate seeds! I changed it around some so that it's more fruity, and added some creamy avocado on the side. Mmmmmmm!

Pomegranate Quinoa Pilaf
3-4 T Vegetable broth
1/2 medium onion, diced small
1 c quinoa
2 c vegetable broth
1 c pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 T olive oil, cold pressed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t fresh lemon zest
1 t sweetener (I used part agave and part vegetable glycerin)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2-3/4 c roasted pumpkin seeds (see below)
sliced avocado, if desired

Heat 3-4 T vegetable broth in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent and fragrant. Add the quinoa and stir to coat. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, pomegranate seeds, parsley, lemon juice, zest, and sweetener. Add the quinoa and season with salt, and pepper to taste. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over it and garnish with sliced avocado if desired.

Veggie Korma

Yes, this is another Indian food post. What can I say? We LOVE it! I spoke briefly about the benefits of turmeric here, but I wanted to continue that discussion in this post. Turmeric has an antioxidant in it called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory effects. I have a lot of friends who struggle with inflammation, and turmeric has been proven to help with this when consumed on a regular basis.

It also helps clean the blood, keeping the red blood cells from clumping, promoting their formation and increasing circulation and tissue healing. Another benefit of clean blood? Glowing skin. :)

Veggie Korma

*adapted slightly from Kimberly Snyder

5-6 T + 3 1/2 c vegetable broth (divided)

1 onion, diced

1 t minced fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can coconut milk

2 T tomato paste

sprinkle of cayenne pepper

1 1/2 t coriander, ground

1/2 t turmeric

1/2 t garam masala

1 t curry

sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 T arrowroot powder

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 cauliflower, cut into bite size florets

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 T nutritional yeast

2 T fresh lime juic

cooked quinoa or brown rice

chopped parsley, optional garnish

Heat 5-6 T broth in large saucepan. Sauce onion, ginger and garlic until soft and fragrant. Stir in coconut milk, tomato paste and remaining vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add spices and stir well. Put a cup of mixture in a bowl and whisk in the arrowroot powder until thick and free of lumps. Add back to the main pot and stir well. Allow mixture to simmer down for 45 minutes until thick and creamy.

Cook rice or quinoa.

Heat water to a boil and steam the sweet potatoes about 8-10 minutes. Remove; steam cauliflower and carrots 5-7 minutes or until they soften, but retain their firmness. 

After 45 minutes, add the nutritional yeast, lime juice and veggies to the sauce. Stir well and simmer for 5 additional minutes. Adjust seasonings if desired and serve over quinoa or brown rice. Garnish with parsley if desired. 

Pesto with Chicken Sausage and Brussel Sprouts

Next time you make pesto pasta, save some of the pesto. It freezes great! Just thaw and use in this recipe and it's DELICIOUS!

Pesto with Chicken Sausage and Brussel Sprouts
1 lb fresh brussel sprouts, ends trimmed and any yellowed/browned outer leaves removed, then sliced in half
3 T olive oil, divided
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t freshly-ground black pepper
1 lb rice pasta
4 chicken sausage links (I used the hormone-free ones from Publix)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Fresh pesto, store bought or HOMEMADE (EVEN BETTER!)
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together brussel sprouts, 2 T olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well-combined. Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread the brussels sprouts on it evenly. Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring once partway through, or until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. Remove from oven and set aside. 

Meanwhile, remove sausage from casings. Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage into crumbles. Cook until browned and very fragrant. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water (reserving 1/4 cup pasta water), and then toss together the pasta, pesto, cooked sausage and garlic, and brussels sprouts. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if needed for extra moisture. 

Serve warm, and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

Fun Summer Yummies: Homemade Pickles, Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus and Quick blender Zucchini Soup

 We don't often have years when we have cucumbers coming out of the ying-yang, but this year has been one of those years! We only have 2 plants, but one of the plants isn't really producing a whole lot. However, an average week yields about 30 crisp delicious cucumbers from this one plant. We'll take it, baby!

Have you ever made homemade pickles? You taste one and it's so hard to go back to store-bought!! And it's so easy! Here's how you do it:
10 c cold filtered water
1 c white vinegar
1/2 c Kosher salt
6ish quarts cucumbers, washed and cut into spears, slices or however you like
3 cloves garlic, sliced
6 sprigs dill
Combine first 3 ingredients and stir until salt dissolves. Place in liquid in jars, about halfway up. Add a little dill, your cucumbers until full, a little garlic and 1 more small sprig of dill. Continue filling jars until done. Allow to sit on counter for 24 hours. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes & Asparagus
Red Potatoes
Olive oil
Spices of your choice
Basil
asparagus
shredded parmesan
Scrub and cut potatoes into pieces. Season with olive oil and whatever spices you would like (salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, whatever your preferences are). Spread on prepared baking sheet (I line sheet with foil and spray with baking spray). Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes. Add asparagus cut into thirds, woody ends cut off). Bake until tender, 15-20 more minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.

 Creamy Zucchini Soup
1 oz raw cashews
1 1/2 c water
1 1/2 medium zucchini
sea salt, fresh herbs
Soak cashews in 1/2 c water for 1 hour. Place remaining water, zucchini, sea salt and fresh herbs (fresh basil is great and so is cilantro! Dill would be fun too!) to blender jar.  Add cashews (with water) to jar. Blend on high until blended through and hot.

Quinoa and Veggies

If you want the quickest of quick meals, this is for you! I just got back from a Momcation and my adorable best friend opened the doors of many possibilities, so many of the following recipes are attributed to her. Thanks, Jessie! xo!

This is quick, delicious, and you can totally be creative with it. A few ideas are listed below.

Quinoa and Veggies
Quick quinoa and rice mix (or make your own and freeze for crazy-busy nights!) I got the Seeds of Change one from Costco. It's expensive, so I think I'll make my own from now on!
Frozen veggies (Costco)
*Sauce (raw honey, coconut oil, ginger, tamari)
raw sesame seeds

Extra things: mandarin oranges, drained, slivered almonds, pineapple, cooked chicken or beef, etc, shredded coconut

Sauce options: clove of garlic, pineapple or orange juice, lime juice, shredded coconut
*My family is big so I did about 2/3 c raw honey, 1/3 c coconut oil, 1/3 c tamari, 1/2 inch ginger, cut into pieces

Blend sauce ingredients in blender...to desired taste and thickness...until smooth. Put quinoa/rice mix in large pan on medium head. Thaw your veggie in microwave and add to pan (or just add straight to the pan). Warm all and add your sauce. Mix well and sprinkle with sesame seeds. If you are adding fruit, add this last and gently stir, or just leave on top and let it warm slightly.

Cauliflower "Potato" Salad

This was a surprise for us! I saw something kind of like this on pinterest and have put off making it. Why???? We LOOOOOOVED it! In fact, the hubs said he liked it better then potato salad. Yeah. Let me know what you think!

Cauliflower "Potato" Salad
2 heads cauliflower, cut into large florets 
1/4 medium-sized red onion, diced finely
6 stalks organic celery, diced finely 
1 cucumber, diced
1 sweet pepper, diced
1-2 carrots, shredded
4 dill pickles, diced
2 t dried dill 
sea salt and black pepper, to taste 
sprouted sunflower seeds, optional (or any sprouted nut or seed!)
1 1/2 c almonaise 
2 T raw apple cider vinegar

Steam cauliflower until tender but not mushy. Rinse with cold water and allow to cool. Crumble the cauliflower into a large bowl, and add all of the ingredients except for the almonaise and vinegar. Thin the almonaise with the vinegar and stir into all of the other ingredients. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

Greek Dip

I happened upon this on pinterest, and just changed it up a little bit

Greek Dip
Favorite hummus (I love Sabra, but Costco has a Rosemary Garlic one that is WONDERFUL with this recipe)
Diced cucumbers
Diced red pepper
Sliced olives
Feta Cheese
1/8 c pine nuts
Stuff to dip! Whole wheat pita triangles, Beanito chips, veggie sticks, etc.

Spread hummus in pan. Sprinkle veggies over and stop with olives and feta. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve!

Veggie Rolls-My New Favorite Lunch

Veggie Rolls
2 Nori wrapper
Leftover brown rice
1/4 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
2 slices of smoked tempeh
1/2 carrot, sliced into thin stalks
1/4 cucumber, sliced into thin stalks
toasted sesame seeds
real sea salt

Place sesame seeds, 1 nori wrapper and sea salt to taste in blender. Pulse until nori sheet is broken down some and sesame seeds pop open. Store in airtight container.
Cook tempeh in small amount of coconut oil until brown and cooked through. Spread nori wrapper out and put a thin layer of rice on 2/3 of it, end to end. In the middle of the rice, place avocado, carrot, cucumber and tempeh. Sprinkle with sesame seeds mixture. Roll up and seal wrapper with water. Let sit for a few minutes for the wrapper to soften, and then slice into "sushi" shaped rolls. Delicious!

Veggie Pita and Spinach Pinwheels

 

These two meals are PERFECT for the summer: simple, quick and delicious!

Veggie Pitas
Pita bread, cut in half
Favorite Hummus or leftover cheezy sauce
Raw veggies of your choice: romaine lettuce, baby spinach, sprouts, peppers, carrots, celery, avocado, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.

Spread your spread in the pita. :) Follow with whatever veggies you want. This is a great one for kids to build their own!  Enjoy!

I think I will like this one more when I find a great-tasting whole grain tortilla.
Spinach Hummus Pinwheels
GREAT TASTING whole-grain tortilla
favorite hummus or cheezy sauce
chopped baby spinach
thinly sliced avocado
thinly sliced peppers
thinly sliced cucumbers

Spread hummus. Thinly layer veggie. Roll up and carefully cut with a knife. Serve with a fresh fruit salad (mmmmm, peaches and blueberries right now, huh???).

Bee Pollen

I ordered this book a little over a month ago, and I really enjoyed Kimberly's second installment. I've relearned a lot about different foods, as well as learned a lot of information of new information! I definitely recommend reading. It will inspire you to nourish every cell in your beautiful body. Take it a day at a time, and keep it as simple as you can. Spend time and energy on the things that matter most.

Okay, on to something that I've never even heard of as a food source: bee pollen! Here is a picture:

 
Looks interesting, huh? Bee pollen is filled with most B vitamins, so it provides stress relief, improves digestion and balances your hormones. Side note-it doesn't take much to throw your hormones out of whack: pregnancy, monthly cycle, breastfeeding, trauma, stress, etc. I've had many indications that my hormones are out of whack, so bee pollen is my new best friend.

Bee pollen is also a complete protein, contains all essential amino acids, essential fatty acids and nucleic acids. It helps control hunger and protects the nervous system against radiation. It also protects vitamins C & E, which helps protect and repair your skin. How awesome is that?!?!

I throw it in smoothies and eat it straight, only about 1/2 teaspoon. You can find it at your local health food store, from www.mountainroseherbs.com or from a local beekeeper.

Have you ever had bee pollen before?

Super Nachos-Healthified

My husband has a favorite dinner that his mother made while he was growing up. Now, I love it too, but it's not very good for you, so I combined a recipe from Simple Healthy Tasty and some of our favorite tastes, and came up with the following:

-Refried Beans (my guess is 1 large can, but I make my own. I use about 3 cups. See here)
-1 recipe of Cheezy sauce 
-1 recipe Sunflower Seed cream (mixed with 1-2 T taco seasoning)
-1 1/2-2 c frozen corn (rinse to thaw)
-1 pepper, diced (I use sweet bell peppers)
-chopped cilantro
-1 recipe of Guacamole (see below)
-1-2 c salsa or pico
-GMO tortilla chips (we just quarter corn tortillas and toast in oven)

optional ingredients: olives, other raw veggies-chopped, black beans

Spread beans and cheezy sauce and broil until cheezy sauce starts to brown. Layer everything else and serve with chips. Yum!

Guacamole
2-3 avocados
2 T lime juice
1/2 t sea salt (to taste)
optional-chopped cilantro
mash with fork or blend in blender

We like to eat this on a hot day, following a cup of ice cold green smoothie!

Red & Green Pasta

Let's talk mushrooms for a sec. I am not a huge fan of them....or so I thought. Turns out, I'm not a fan of white button mushrooms. However, I had no idea the huge variety of mushrooms there are! Lately, I've been reading about shitake (shi-TOK-ee) mushrooms. They are high in vitamin D. As I said in an earlier blog entry, vitamin D is usually absorbed from sunlight through our largest organ: the skin. During colder months, we tend to stay indoors more and don't get this important vitamin which can lead to depressed mood, seasonal depression or full-on major depressive disorder.

So, back to shitake mushrooms. Turns out, they are sometimes used medicinally! So, I went on a shitake hunt...yes, I do try things that previously I haven't liked. You should do it sometime. ;)

I found them at Whole Foods, and I immediately knew I needed to be open. The texture was totally different from button mushrooms! I actually got kind of excited! See recipe below for how I prepared it.

Red & Green Pasta

1 lb pasta (I used brown rice spaghetti, broken into quarters)

2 c diced shitake mushrooms

chopped onions

1/2 c raw sunflower seeds

4 garlic cloves, minced

whole wheat flour

2 c finely chopped broccoli

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, or blend 28 oz fresh tomatoes

2 T extra virgin olive oil

sea salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

fresh or dried basil

a sprinkle of fennel

1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese

Cook pasta. While it is cooking, saute mushrooms, sunflower seeds, onions and garlic in oil. Add some flour to thicken. Add broccoli and tomatoes, then season with salt and pepper, basil and fennel. Drain pasta and toss into saute pan. Mix together and sprinkle with cheese.

The result? Shitake mushrooms are on the chewy side...but chewy in a good way! I really liked them and will buy them again. Don't be put off by the price. They were $10/lb at Whole Foods, but I got about 2 cups worth and only paid a few dollars.

Chilaquiles

Thanks to Simple, Healthy, Tasty for this one. Delicious!!! Our kids lapped it up.

Chilaquiles

Coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

1-2 colored bell peppers, chopped

chili powder

cumin

Mexican seasoning

1-2 cans of kidney beans and/or black beans (we cook in large batches and freeze in 3 c bags)

corn

salsa

olives, sliced

Green and/or Purple Cabbage, finely sliced

tomatoes, chopped

fresh cilantro, chopped

Lime slices, optional

Saute onions and peppers in coconut oil. Add spices to taste. Add beans and corn (and additional veggies as you like). Lastly, add tortilla chips, salsa and olives. Stir until coated and warm.

Place large handfuls of raw sliced cabbage on your plates and top it with the filling from the pan and then add the cilantro and tomatoes. Squeeze lime juice on top and pour ranch dressing and cheezy sauce on it. (I add almond milk to the cheezy sauce to make it a little more runny).

Ranch Dressing

1 cup of Sunflower Seed Sour Cream (recipe below, Note: This can be left out if you are in a hurry or just want it more simple! It's not quite as rich, thick, and creamy, but still really good)

1 cup almonaise

3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1-2 T Ranch Dressing Mix (see below)

Mix all ingredients until nice and smooth. It will be dip like consistency and great for carrot sticks etc. To make more dressing like consistency add some water or rice milk. Also it will thicken a bit in the fridge so keep that in mind. 

 

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

1/4 cup basil
1 cup dill
1 cup parsley
1/2 Tablespoon garlic granules
1/4 cup onion powder
1 Tablespoon Real Salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Combine ingredients in a jar stir or shake until well combined.  Use about 1-2 Tablespoons per 2 cups of dressing.

Sunflower Seed Sour Cream

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 cup water

4+ Tablespoons lemon juice

1 garlic clove pressed or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

Place ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Tostadas & Homemade Refried Bean recipe

Tostadas

I found a few recipes on pinterest and kind of threw them together, and this is what I came up with. This is a quick meal if you've made the beans in advance. The beans freeze well, so make lots and freeze in smaller portions.

Fat-free Refried Beans

2 lb. dry pinto beans (about 5 c.)

½-¾ large onion, roughly chopped

8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tbsp. cumin

½ Tbsp. dried oregano

Sprinkle of cayenne pepper

12 c. water

4 tsp. salt

In large crock pot, place all ingredients except salt.  Cook on high 5-6 hours, until beans are very tender.  Ladle out 4 c. cooking liquid; reserve.  Stir in salt.  Mash beans with back of spoon or potato masher.  Add reserved liquid as needed for proper consistency.  Can be frozen in an air-tight container.  Yield:  about 12 cups.

To assemble the tostadas you'll need organic corn tortillas, refried beans, cheese or cheezy sauce, chopped lettuce, chopped veggies, chopped cilantro, salsa if desired.

Toast tortillas in oven set at 400 until browned. Smear on the beans and let the kids take off.

Be as simple or creative as you want. My kids LOVE making their own. We especially love mixing the beans with cheezy sauce and chopped cilantro, and then topping with lots of veggies. Enjoy!

Indian Green Dahl

I've sure had a hard time finding great tasting healthy recipes lately, but here's a few fun ones we've enjoyed lately! Thanks to Green Smoothie Girl for the recipe.

Indian Green Dahl

2 C green split peas 
1 1⁄2 C brown rice
water
6 cloves garlic
2 t dulse flakes
1 1⁄2 t sea salt
1 t turmeric
2 t cumin
sprinkle or two of red pepper flakes
1/2 C chopped cilantro 

In separate saucepans, rinse the split peas and brown rice well and then drain. Cover each with fresh water and allow to soak several hours, then drain well. 

Add 3 C of water to the rice and 4 C of water to the split peas, bring each to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Add all the seasonings except the cilantro to split peas/lentils and mash with a spoon or potato masher. 

Serve the dahl over the brown rice and sprinkle with the cilantro.

Spaghetti Squash

 This meal is simple, filling and delicious. First, make this spaghetti sauce recipe. Let it simmer as long as you can; 2 hours is GREAT! I didn't have the mushrooms on hand, so I just threw in whatever was in the fridge. It was perfect.

Next, preheat the oven to 350. Cut open squash and remove seeds. Turn cut side open on a baking sheet and prick with a knife or fork. Bake for 60-90 minutes, until tender. Then let it cool for a bit and fill with sauce. The kids LOVED the spaghetti-like texture of the squash and the richness of the sauce. My 2 bottomless pit kids had a hard time finishing 1/2 squash.

Quick Red Lentil Soup

Quick Red Lentil Soup

• 1 1/3 c red lentils, picked through and rinsed well
• 7 cups vegetable broth
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 can tomato paste
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 3/4 t fine sea salt, or to taste
• Lemon wedges and chopped mint for serving (optional)

In a large pot, combine lentils, broth, onion, carrot, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cayenne and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables and very tender and lentils begin to fall apart, about 25 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and carefully blend about half the soup in a blender, but use caution when blending hot liquids: blend only in small batches, hold the lid down firmly with a kitchen towel, and begin blending on low speed. Serve with lemon wedges and mint if desired. 

My kiddos ate this UP, and wanted it in their lunch the following day. It was delicious and satisfying on a chilly night.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Stuffed Acorn Squash
2 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise (seeds removed)
1-2 T coconut oil
1/2 t sea salt
1 1/2 c cooked wild rice (I used the sprouted quinoa/wild rice mix from Costco)
2 oz mozzerella cheese, shredded
1/2 c raw walnuts, chopped
1/3 c raisins, chopped
1 1/2 t olive oil
1/4 t sea salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the squash halves, cut side up, on the sheet. Brush with some coconut oil and sprinkle with 1/2 t sea salt. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven.

In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Place some of mixture in each squash half. Turn oven to broil and place in oven. Broil for 2-3 min or until cheese is melted and slightly browned on top.

(We have a large family and doubled this recipe. Everyone LOVED it!)

Southwest Quinoa Soup

Southwest Quinoa Soup
14-15 c vegetable broth
3 c quinoa, rinsed well and drained
3 T taco seasoning (make your own!)
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 T turmeric
1 T cumin
2 Bay leaves
 1 can of red enchilada sauce (or 1 can tomato sauce mixed with a teaspoon of taco seasoning)
 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed (or 3 cups)
2 c frozen corn
1 large can diced tomatoes
1-2 t sea salt (to taste)
1 lime
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 sliced avocado


In a LARGE pot combine the first 14 ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until carrots are tender (about 15-20 minutes).

Ladle into bowls, then add fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, avocado slices.
Delicious!

Turmeric Quinoa with Vegetables

We really love the flavors in Indian food: curry and turmeric. What I didn't know is that turmeric is very high in minerals and has high antioxidant properties as well! It protects us from free-radical damage and helps clean up metabolic waste, as well as supports our liver. We love the smell, the color and the flavor.

Turmeric Quinoa with Vegetables
***soak quinoa overnight if you have time. Drain and rinse well before using.

3 c water
1 1/2 c quinoa, dry (prior to soaking)
2-3 T coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t sea salt
1 1/2 T curry
1 t turmeric
2 bell peppers (I like red & orange)
4 c broccoli and cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 carrot, shredded

Bring water to a boil and reduce heat. Add quinoa and simmer until the water is absorbed and grains are soft. Drain quinoa and set aside in a bowl. Heat oil in large skillet and add onions & garlic. Saute for a few minutes, adding salt, curry and turmeric. Add the other vegetables and saute lightly for 6-9 minutes or until they become softened, but not overcooked. Add the quinoa to skillet and stir everything together. Add salt to taste, or more curry if you like a lot of curry. Serve after a big salad. Delicious!