Posts Tagged ‘quinoa’
Hot Oat & Quinoa Cereal
April 16, 2013 | 
Author Memphis may be experiencing highs in the 80s and lows only in the 60s, but that doesn’t stop me from craving a warm breakfast. The great thing about this oatmeal/cereal is that you can prepare it the night before and then reheat it in the morning, complete with some great toppings. It even has some quinoa in it instead of just being all oats so it’s packed with extra protein. And by the way even if you are not a quinoa fan, it blends right in. Which got me to thinking, maybe I should try adding quinoa to granola bars?
One year ago: Blueberry Oatmeal Bagels
HOT OAT & QUINOA CEREAL
Serves 4
Ingredients:
CEREAL
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup rinsed quinoa (you can buy it pre-rinsed)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamon
4 cups water
TOPPINGS
Milk
Maple syrup
Toasted pepitas
Toasted walnuts
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, bring dried fruit, steel-cut oats, quinoa, raisins, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and water to a boil. Cover and let sit off heat overnight. (Alternatively, bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until grains are tender, 20-25 minutes.)
- Before serving, reheat cereal in saucepan, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed, until warmed through, 5-8 minutes. Serve with milk, maple syrup, pepitas, and walnuts.
Source: Bon Appetit February 2013
Posted in Breakfast, Oatmeal | 
Tags: cranberry, maple syrup, oats, pepitas, quinoa, raisins, walnuts | 
4 Comments »
Baked Quinoa Chicken Parmesan
Finally decided to get a z-pack in order to fend away this lingering sinusitis that I’ve been battling, but it hasn’t seemed to greatly increase my recovery rate. I may be wrong, but I feel as though the improvements this far are merely my own body’s accomplishments. Guess that means it could be viral, but either way it’s been a week and I’m tired of having stopped up nose and ears. So with that, let’s talk about some healthy comfort food.
If you haven’t tried quinoa yet, this this is a great place to start. As someone who has played around with quinoa a bunch, this was by far my favorite recipe using quinoa. It’s a healthier version of Chicken Parm! I’m almost mad at myself for not trying it sooner, especially after Tracey raved about it. I did note that she mentioned missing the breading on the chicken in the recipe she posted, so I decided to bread my chicken up! Obviously I do not know what it would’ve been like without it, but was very pleased with the results.
Two years ago: White Bean Chicken Chili
BAKED QUINOA CHICKEN PARMESAN
Serves 6
Ingredients:
CHICKEN
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
16 oz. chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup toasted Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
SAUCE
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I prefer petite diced)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
QUINOA
1 cup quinoa, well rinsed with cold water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
TOPPINGS
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet. Coat the rack with cooking spray and set aside. Also spray a 2-qt baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- To make the chicken: Place the buttermilk in one shallow dish, and then combine the Panko, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a second shallow dish. Add chicken pieces to the buttermilk, turning to coat. Remove and dredge in Panko mixture. Arrange chicken on prepared wire rack and spray tops with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes or until done. Set chicken aside.
- To make the sauce: Add the oil to a large saucepan set over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Add the vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Continue cooking until the vinegar is almost completely absorbed. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer as you continue with the recipe.
- To make the quinoa: Transfer the quinoa to a saucepan and add the chicken broth. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed.
- When the quinoa is almost done cooking, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the cooked quinoa and the chicken to the sauce and stir to combine. Add half of this mixture to the prepared baking dish then top with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella. Add the remaining half of the quinoa mixture and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Top with the Parmesan cheese and then the breadcrumbs.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Garnish with the parsley before serving.
Source: Chicken adapted from The New Way to Cook Light, page 219. Recipe from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures, slightly adapted from Elly Says Opa.
Pass the Cook Book Club: Guy Fieri’s Asian Fried Quinoa
Pass the Cook Book Club returns with round two! This month Kita chose Guy Fieri’s cook book titled Guy Fieri Food: Cookin’ It, Livin’ It, Lovin’ It. From the recipe selection, I decided to make his Asian Fried Quinoa. I’ve used quinoa in many different dishes, so I was excited to see how it would turn out as a substitute in fried rice. Obviously the texture was much different from rice, but the flavors were spot on and the mix of vegetables was wonderful (it was my first experience with baby bok choy as well). This dish was a great healthier alternative to traditional fried rice but it’s not a permanent substitution. Sometimes a girl just needs some rice!
Two years ago: Black Forest Stuffed Cupcakes
ASIAN FRIED QUINOA
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups quinoa
3 cups water or vegetable stock
3 Tbsp grape or olive oil
2 cups diced onions, about 1 ½ med onion
1/4 cup chopped shallot
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup minced ginger
1 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups shredded baby bok choy
1 cup finely diced celery
2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
1 cup diced sugar snap peas
3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Directions:
- In a large, dry, heavy bottomed skillet, toast the quinoa until lightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often. Add the water and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook until quinoa opens and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Wipe out the skillet and heat 1 ½ tbs of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until well browned and soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in the shallots, and cook for 2 minutes, then the garlic, ginger, and green onion, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes more. Add the carrots, bok choy, celery, cabbage, and snap peas and stir until just wilted. Pour in the soy sauce and combine. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cover.
- Heat remaining oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa. When heated through, pour the eggs over the quinoa until eggs have cooked. Return the vegetables to the pan. Adjust the seasoning with additional soy sauce if needed.
Source: Guy Fieri Food: Cookin’ It, Livin’ It, Lovin’ It, page 310.
Chicken-Quinoa Burgers with an Avocado-Yogurt Sauce
Today we are joining together to help raise awareness for Heart Disease. Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic lost her Mom to heart disease when her mother was 47, and Kim was 15. Each year on the day her Mom passed she shares stories and photos of her Mom. This year she joined forces with Jen of Juanita’s Cocina, whose life was also touched by heart disease when her Stepfather had a heart attack. Jen’s Stepfather is alive and well more than a decade later, and for that, Jen is thankful every day. The ladies got in touch with other bloggers to ask them to share their own stories about how heart disease has touched their lives. So today we share stories and recipes from our hearts to yours, in memory and honor of Momzie, Kim’s Mom. We hope you will share your stories with us today as well.
- Spicy Oven Fries by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Healthy Snacking with Radish Dip by Juanita’s Cocina
- Arugula, Walnut Pesto by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
- Farro, Apple & Pecan Salad by It’s Yummilicious
- Chicken-Quinoa Burgers with an Avocado Yogurt Sauce by The Spiffy Cookie
- Pasta House Wilted Salad by Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
- Gooey Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars by The Cooking Actress
- Dark Chocolate Covered Walnuts by All Day I Dream About Food
- Mini Pear Walnut Crisps with Blood Orange Caramel Sauce by Chocolate Moosey
- Kung Pao Chicken Tacos by The Dutch Baker’s Daughter
- Honey Soy Glazed Salmon by Curry and Comfort
- Apple Walnut Spinach Salad by Magnolia Days
- Broiled Salmon Gyros with Cucumber Feta Yogurt Dip by Damn Delicious
- Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Make-Ahead Chocolate Oatmeal by Crumb
- Hoisin Flounder by Taking on Magazines
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Veggie Nachos by Dine & Dish
- Cheesy Quinoa and Asparagus Bake by Hungry Couple
- Ahi Tuna Salad by Noshing with the Nolands
- Canapes of Apricot, Goat Cheese, Almonds and Rosemary by Cook the Story
- Thai Chicken Soup by From Cupcakes to Caviar
- Italian Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf by Rachel Cooks
- Black Bean Quesadillas by Pastry Chef Online
- Sautéed Rataouille with Quinoa by Whipped
- Polenta Rounds with Apples and Cheddar by Diethood
I have been lucky enough to not have heart disease affect my life, but my gene pool doesn’t lack in other diseases so I can definitely relate to Kim’s loss and also being thankful for those that remain in good health. And staying in good health can benefit from eating the right foods.
This recipe contains a few great foods that may help lower the risk of heart disease. Whole grains such as qunioa are high in fiber which helps lower “bad” LDLs. Avocados can also help lower “bad” LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body. Yogurt actually may help against gum disease, but if left unchecked can elevate the risk for heart disease. I have also seen sweet potatoes and red bell peppers listed in a top 25 heart-healthy foods list due to their beta-carotene (a carotenoid).
And the best part about these burgers? They are really stinking delicious.
One year ago: Maple, Walnut, and Flaxseed Pancake Doughnuts
Two years ago: Spicy Cheetos Crusted Chicken
CHICKEN-QUINOA BURGERS WITH AN AVOCADO-YOGURT SAUCE
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked black quinoa (I used regular)
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup cilantro leaves, divided in half
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garlic salt
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 avocado
3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
Juice from a lime (about 2 Tbsp)
4 whole wheat buns, toasted
1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Directions:
- Cook the quinoa in boiling water for about 15 minutes, until it pops into little spirals. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cooked quinoa, red bell pepper, half the cilantro, chili powder, cumin, ground coriander, garlic salt, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix with your hands, and then form four patties. You can chill these in the fridge if you want, or go ahead and cook them.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the patties and sear until browned on both sides and cooked all the way through, 10 – 12 minutes total. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the avocado, yogurt, remaining cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of salt.
- Smear a little of the avocado sauce on the bottom half of the onion bun. Top with a chicken-quinoa patty, more avocado sauce then some crumbled cotija cheese. Serve with sweet potato fries (or tots in my case).
Source: Bev Cooks
Posted in Chicken, Entree, Sandwiches | Tags: avocado, chicken, cilantro, cotija cheese, Greek yogurt, lime juice, quinoa, red bell pepper | 40 Comments »
Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Parfaits
Weekday breakfasts are always a challenge, as many of you have heard me complain about before. Everyday I say I am going to put forth more effort than just tipping the top of a cereal box over a bowl, but most of the time it fails and I end up cooing breakfast for dinner instead. But these parfaits may provide that extra motivation to turn the heat on in the morning. This is a relatively quick parfait to make as you can have the crumble baking, the apples simmering, and the quinoa cooking all at the same time. They are also great prepared a head of time (such as the night before), just assemble when ready to eat. An even better thing about this parfait, is that even non-quinoa lovers will enjoy it. The quinoa is flavored with cinnamon and then hidden between layers of syrupy apples, tangy vanilla Greek yogurt, and crunchy oat crumbles. It’s a protein sneak attack!
One year ago: Beef with Barley Soup
CINNAMON APPLE QUINOA PARFAITS
Serves 4
Ingredients:
OAT CRUMBLE
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp finely chopped walnuts (optional)
CINNAMON APPLE COMPOTE
4 apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp sugar
1-2 Tbsp water + more, if needed
OTHER
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt (such as 0% vanilla Chobani)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine all ingredients for the crumble in a small bowl. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients for the apple compote, mixing well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Partially cover and cook until apples are softened and liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Add more water if needed in the cooking process. Take off heat and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package directions. Stir in cinnamon. Set aside to cool.
- To assemble, spoon 1/4 cup yogurt in bottom of a bowl, 1/4 cup quinoa, 1/4 cup cinnamon apple compote into each of 4 bowls. Repeat the layering and top with oat crumble.
Source: Prevention RD
Gluten-Free Jumbo Chocolate Pomegranate Quinoa Cookie
The edits for my poster came back – no catastrophic changes! I am so excited to send it off to be printed. It’s going to be huge – 8×4 feet! Might have to roll up in it like a blanket when I’m done presenting it haha. This is likely to be my very last conference as a graduate student so hopefully it goes well. But until then, let’s talk cookies.
When gifting baked goods, I never send them off without sampling my work. Don’t want to give away icky cookies now do we? But while making this particular cookie, it didn’t occur to me that by not portioning out just a tiny teaspoon for a mini cookie, I lacked any ability for quality control. I have never used uncooked quinoa in place of old-fashioned oats in cookies before, and I could only hope they would cooperate. Why the quinoa? Because I was lazy and didn’t want to go to the store for gluten-free oats.
Nervously, this cookie went sent off to my friend Christina for her birthday and I was already preparing excuses in case it didn’t turn out well. But a few days later I get a call from her, thanking me for such a huge delicious cookie. And I knew she wasn’t lying cause I could hear here eating it while she was on the phone with me! I now have the confidence to try adding quinoa to regular cookies in the future.
One year ago: Baked Crazy Feta
GLUTEN-FREE JUMBO CHOCOLATE POMEGRANATE QUINOA COOKIE
Makes 1 jumbo or 4 regular cookies
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp beaten egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
5 Tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp uncooked quinoa
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup dark chocolate covered pomegranate seeds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir the butter and sugars together until creamed. Add the egg and vanilla and mix.
- Stir in flour, quinoa, cocoa, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cinnamon and stir until fully incorporated. Add in pomegranate seeds and stir.
- Place the dough in the center of the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, until the edges are browned.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Source: Adapted from Bake Your Day, originally adapted from Picky Palate.
Posted in Cookies, Desserts | Tags: cocoa, dark chocolate, gluten free, pomegranate, quinoa | 3 Comments »
Pizza Quinoa Casserole
It’s Secret Recipe Club time, woohoo! This month I had Nora’s Natural Noshing. In light of the insanity of my last post featuring a roundup of peanut butter and chocolate deliciousness, you would think I would have to share another peanut butter and chocolate recipe today. I did consider making her bite-size peanut butter layer cups, and would’ve even been a healthier option compared to the majority or recipes I shared on Saturday. But I figured I have an entire football season ahead of me to fill with peanut butter and chocolate, so let’s try something else today.
Quinoa is not yet a staple in my diet, but I do use it occasionally. Most recently have enjoyed mixing in candied walnuts and blueberries for breakfast. So when I saw this recipe on Natural Noshing, I had to give it a try.
Although I didn’t think this casserole quite tasted like pizza, it was a great tasting side to accompany the chicken asiago sausage I had as the main dish. If I had added pepperoni, Italian sausage, and green peppers, it probably would have tasted more like pizza and even been able to be a main course by itself. Or maybe add chicken and have it be a chicken Parmesan casserole – there are many options and is definitely something I would make again!
PIZZA QUINOA CASSEROLE
Serves 4 as a side
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa cooked in 2 cups water or about 3-1/2 cups cooked quinoa
6 oz. tomato paste
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, diced
2 Tbsp water
1-1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp fennel seed (used caraway seed because I did not have fennel)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 salt
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
Directions:
- Rinse quinoa well and combine with water in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover and turn down to low and simmer for 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed, the quinoa is tender and completely cooked. Remove from the heat and leave covered in the pot for 5 minutes while assembling other ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease four 1 cup ramekins, two 2 cup dishes or a larger casserole dish, depending on how you want to bake and serve this.
- In a medium bowl, combine the tomato paste with the garlic and onion, water and olive oil. Mix well. Add tomatoes and all the seasonings. Mix well again before adding the quinoa. Once the mixture is completely mixed, taste for seasonings and add more salt as needed. Then divide evenly among the dishes for baking, sprinkle with cheese and place in the oven.
- Bake 30-35 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly or until the quinoa on top is golden and crispy. If desired, sprinkle with more fresh basil or parsley and serve.
Source: Natural Noshing
Posted in Side Dish | Tags: basil, gluten free, mozzarella, onions, quinoa, tomatoes | 17 Comments »
Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa and Avocado Cream Sauce
Today is most unfortunate because I must return to Memphis after a very eventful weekend. Does anyone want to have dinner ready for me upon my return? I would totally be okay with something simple such as this dish. You heard correct, this long titled meal is actually easy to make.
Oh and the flavors in this dish: lime, avocado, cayenne, cilantro and some creaminess brought to you by Greek yogurt. Amazing-ness. And it’s even gluten-free. Just looking out for all my friends out there 
.
By the way, Luke pictures from my visit are on their way tomorrow!
BLACKED CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO LIME QUINOA AND AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 limes, zested and juiced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 avocado
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt (I used Chobani 0% plain)
Directions:
- Combine all the dry seasonings in a small bowl. Mix them together and then season both sides of each chicken breast.
- Add the teaspoon of olive oil to a medium pan or skillet. Heat the olive oil for a minute over medium/high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook for seven minutes on each side with the lid on.
- Add the chicken broth and quinoa to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium/low heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for10-15 minutes with the lid on, until all the broth has been absorbed.
- After the chicken breasts have cooked all the way through, remove them from the pan and let them rest for seven minutes before slicing them.
- Remove the warm quinoa from the heat. Toss in the lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Mix to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the flesh from an avocado along with two tablespoons of Greek yogurt in a small bowl and mash together until until smooth.
- Serve the sliced chicken breast on top of the quinoa with avocado sauce.
Source: Adapted slightly from Sarcastic Cooking.
Posted in Chicken, Dressing Sauces & Condiments, Entree | Tags: avocado, chicken, cilantro, Greek yogurt, limes, quinoa | 9 Comments »
Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts
Every time I come back from a vacation, where I haven’t worked out for over a week, and return to my normal schedule of working out 6 days a week my appetite goes through the roof! I’m already an eating machine (I’ve been called a garbage disposal on more than one occasion), but I have been insatiable since the holidays. For work, I pack two snacks in addition to my lunch and that barely tides me over. Then I come home and before my workout I have a snack, then while preparing dinner I have another. And my dessert consumption makes it seem as if it is still Christmas Day. My fast metabolism can’t save me forever…
I found this on SELF magazine’s website, while in search of a filling, healthy meal for dinner. Which was perfect because I had a couple boxes of quinoa that I have been meaning to find other uses for. And anything I can cook in my rice cooker makes dinner that much easier.
I love love LOVE the addition of toasted pine nuts in this dish! It could stand on it’s own but also pairs up perfectly with Salmon Florentine.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, 2 minutes
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
- Add quinoa and broth to rice cooker. Cover and let cook until quinoa absorbs liquid, about 15 minute. (Or bring quinoa and broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cover; and simmer.)
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, about 6 minutes.
- When quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in onion, pine nuts and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Source: Adapted from Ellie Krieger on SELF
