Friday, August 17, 2012

Quinoa with Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Pesto

Quinoa with Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Pesto

From Real Simple September 2012


***Susan's Note:  My husband and I have been jumping on the kale bandwagon with this recipe.  It's delicious.  Even when, as my husband says, "it looks kinda gross" when reheating, when you taste it, it redeems itself in every way.  Do not omit the pesto or the walnuts - they make the recipe.  We have used both jarred pesto from Wegmans, or fresh refrigerated pesto from the dairy / sauce section.  If you find it difficult to cut raw sweet potatoes, as I do, go ahead and par-cook them in the microwave wrapped in saran wrap for a few minutes, then cool and cut.  

Serves 8| Hands-On Time: 30m| Total Time: 35m

Ingredients:
2  cups  quinoa, rinsed
1/2  cup  olive oil
3  small sweet potatoes (about 11/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
1  medium red onion, sliced
2  bunches kale (1 1/4 pounds), thick stems removed and leaves cut into bite-size pieces (about 14 cups)
pesto and toasted walnuts, for serving

Directions
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown and soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the onion to the pot and cook, tossing occasionally, until the sweet potatoes and onion are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add as much kale to the pot as will fit and cook, tossing frequently and adding more kale when there is room, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Reserve half the quinoa and vegetables for tomorrow’s dinner. Serve the remaining vegetables over the remaining quinoa, topped with the pesto and walnuts.
Reheat and serve: Microwave the quinoa and vegetables in a microwave-safe dish covered with a damp paper towel on high for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing halfway through.



Nutritional Information

  • Per ServingServing Size: 1 serving of quinoa dish, plus 1 tablespoon pesto and 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts
  • Calories 528
  • Fat 32g
  • Sat Fat 5g
  • Cholesterol 5mg
  • Sodium 416mg
  • Protein 14g
  • Carbohydrate 52g
  • Sugar 5g
  • Fiber 7g
  • Iron 7mg
  • Calcium 254mg


Provencal Summer Vegetable Bake

Provencal Summer Vegetable Bake
Family Circle Aug 2012





What you Need: 
  • 2 medium sweet onions
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, halved lengthwise
  • 3 large summer squash (combination of zucchini and yellow squash), ends trimmed
  • 1/2 pound russet potatoes
  • 3 plum tomatoes
  • 4 ounces goat cheese 

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees . Peel and halve onions; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a largesaute pan over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in beans, 1/2 teaspoon of the herbes de Provence and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Pour mixture into bottom of a 9 x 13 oven-safe casserole.
2. Meanwhile, cut eggplant, squash, potatoes and tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. (To speed things up, use a food processor fitted with a slicing blade or a mandoline.) Toss vegetables with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Arrange vegetables on top of onion-bean mixture in 1 layer; pack tightly.
3. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and crumble cheese on top. Bake 15 more minutes. Cool slightly and slice into 4 servings.