Anya's Quinoa with Marinated Roasted Vegetables and Corn Muffins

• 

  
  

  - cut up a variety of veggies (baby carrots, butternut squash, yellow zucchini, green zucchini, bell pepper) into small pieces

  - toss with one pureed lemon with just a tiny bit of the peel left on along with about 5 or 6 garlic cloves, olive oil and sea salt and pepper and dried basil. Essentially, make a marinade for the veggies and the vegetables with it prior to roasting.

  - Roast for 30-45 min. at 425 degrees

  - Mix with cooked quinoa or rice

  
  

  Alternate recipe here: http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2012/11/rainbow-roasted-veggies-with-quinoa.html

  
  

  Gluten Free Corn Muffins:

  http://glutenfreeeasily.com/corn-muffins/

Fluffy LIttle Almond Flour Pancakes (Gluten Free)

Fluffy Little Almond Flour Pancakes

**Susan's Note: My almost 2-year old son has a gluten sensitivity, so we have been converting many of our normal pasta and other recipes to gluten-free recipes.  My husband and I also swore off pancakes 2 years ago, after we made a batch of Buckwheat pancakes (from Bob's Red Mill mix?) and went into a coma an hour later - tired and shaky!  These pancakes were delicious and kept our hunger away until lunchtime.

Fluffy Little Almond Flour Pancakes (GF, DF Option)

Yield: 20 silver dollar size pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 large pastured eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup organic cultured buttermilk (or *pure coconut milk)
• 1 tbsp pastured butter (or coconut oil), melted
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat griddle over medium heat.
2. In a small bowl combine the blanched almond flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Next, separate the egg whites from the yolks. Place the egg whites in a medium bowl; set aside.
4. Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk in the melted butter (or coconut oil). (Be sure the melted butter/oil has cooled to touch before adding, otherwise you may end up with some cooked egg-yolk bits.) Next, whisk in the milk, maple syrup and vanilla.
5. Then, add the dry mixture to the egg yolk mixture, whisking well to thoroughly combine, making sure there are no lumps in the batter.
6. Using a clean large wire whisk, whisk the egg whites rapidly until very foamy (about two minutes).
7. Then, use the whisk to fold the whipped egg whites into the batter; by gently turning the batter over and over again, until well combined.
8. Grease preheated griddle with butter (or coconut oil).
9. Ladle a spoonful of batter onto the griddle to form a silver dollar size pancake (about 3” in diameter).
10. Cook for a few minutes, until pancakes begin to dry out at edges and the bottoms are a golden brown. It’s important to keep a careful eye on them as almond flour pancakes burn easily. (I like to take a little peek under one of the pancakes to check, before flipping.)
11. Carefully flip and cook another few minutes until done, but not over-browned.
12. Serve hot off the griddle with cultured butter, pure maple syrup and a medley of fresh berries.

Notes

Fabulous Fruity Pancakes: To make fabulous fruity pancakes, do not add fruit directly into the pancake batter. Instead, once you ladle out the batter onto the hot griddle, add a small amount of fresh whole blueberries (or other diced fruit of your choice) to the top of each pancake prior to flipping. This ensures that the pancakes cook through evenly. It's also best to use fresh fruit, since frozen fruit tends to be excessively moist and may result in a soggy pancake.

*If using coconut milk, for best results, be sure to use full fat coconut milk, not "lite" coconut milk, or coconut milk beverages. (Natural Value brand canned unsweetened coconut milk is BPA-free and does not contain guar guar gum or other fillers.

Time Saving Tip: Make a double batch and allow extra pancakes to cool on wire rack. Then place cooled pancakes on baking sheets and place baking sheets in freezer. Once pancakes are frozen, remove from baking sheet and place frozen pancakes in freezer-safe container. Store in freezer for up to one month. No need to thaw, simply reheat frozen pancakes in toaster oven (at 275 degrees) for a quick, healthy breakfast.

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche (Martha Stewart)

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
(Martha Stewart)

***Susan's Note:  For some reason, I have always been afraid of making quiche.  I thought it was too exotic.  It is SUPER EASY and will now become my go-to meal for friends who have had a baby or for easy pre-made breakfasts at home.  This recipe is delicious.  I substitute different veggies, like red bell pepper, mushrooms, or frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry).  I do not use heavy cream - whole milk is fatty enough, thanks!!   Also, I use a premade frozen crust and pre-bake it.  Who has time to make the crust?  I understand quiche can be frozen quite easily, though I have never done it. ****

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, for rolling
• 1 homemade or store-bought single-crust pie dough
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cups medium diced yellow onion (from 1 large onion)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 pound broccoli florets, steamed until crisp-tender
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar (4 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface and roll out dough to a 12-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, fold overhang under, and crimp edge. Place a sheet of parchment paper over dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edge is dry and light golden, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and cream. Add onion, broccoli florets, and cheese and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk to combine, pour into crust, and bake until center of quiche is just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
   

Cook's Note

To store, refrigerate cooled quiche, tightly covered, up to 3 days. To reheat quiche, cover with foil and place in a 325 degrees oven until warmed, about 15 minutes.

Caramelized Onion and Broccoli Soup

Caramelized Onion and Broccoli Soup
(Ladies Home Journal 2013)

***Susan's Note:  I used broken lasagna noodles for the pasta, as that was all I had, and grated Babybel cheese on top.  This is delicious, like a French Onion Soup with broccoli.****

Prep   20 minsStart to Finish   50 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound dry pasta, such as ditalini
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 head broccoli, cut into very small florets
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups beef broth
• Swiss cheese slices
• Cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water until tender. Drain and set aside. In a 6-qt pot or Dutch oven melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5 min. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 min.

2. Increase heat to high and stir in sherry; cook 1 min. Add broccoli, bay leaves, salt, broth, and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook until broccoli is just tender, about 10 min. Add pasta and pepper to taste; spoon into bowls, then top each bowl with a slice of cheese.

Anna's Perfect Green Soup (Readers' Digest)

Anna's Perfect Green Soup
(From Readers' Digest)

2 Tbs. Extra-virgin Olive Oil, plus more for garnish	1lb. Greens: Green Chard, Kale, Mustard Greens, or Beet Greens
2 Yellow Onions, chopped	14 c. Gently packed spinach (about 12oz.)
1 tsp. Salt, divided, big pinch of Cayenne Pepper	4 c. Vegetable Broth
1/4 c. Arborio Rice	1 Tbs. Lemon Juice, or more to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onions and 1/4 tsp. salt; cook, stirring, until onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add 2 tbs. water, and cover. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are greatly reduced and have a caramel color, 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 3 c. water, remaining 3/4 tsp. salt, and rice in soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boel. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Trim ribs and tough stems from the greens and spinach; discard. Coarsely chop greens and spinach.

When rice has cooked 15 min. stir in greens. Return to a simmer; cover and cook 10 min. When onions are caramelized, stir a little greens' simmering liquid into them; immediately add them to rice along with spinach, broth, and cayenne. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook until spinach is tender but still bright green, about 5 min. more.

Puree soup in pot with immersion blender until perfectly smooth, or in regular blender in batches. Stir in lemon juice and garnish with olive oil.

Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables

***Susan's Note:  Quinoa is a seed full of protein, easy to cook (although messy if a toddler eats it).  After my friend Anya made this for me when I had my second baby, I tried it for myself and found it delicious!  My husband likes it with a little added oriental sauce from a jar (like General Tso's or Duck Sauce - just watch the MSG).   There are many variations including a cold salad here and a modified version of this recipe here.**

QUINOA Directions

You will need about 2 cups of liquid (water, vegetable broth or chicken broth) per 1 cup of quinoa.

1. Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer if possible.

2. Put quinoa and cooking liquid in a medium pot and bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat and remove from heat.

ROASTED VEGGIE DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Chop a variety of veggies - whatever you wish.  I used baby carrots, onions, red bell pepper, yams, and yellow and green zucchini.  You want enough to be spread on a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet / jelly roll pan.

3.  In a blender, puree the following as a marinade for the veggies:
     5-6 garlic cloves
     5 tablespoons olive oil
     1-2 lemons and a little bit of the lemon rind from one lemon
     sea salt and pepper to taste

4. Toss veggies in a large Ziploc bag with this marinade and then spread on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or coated with olive oil.

5. Bake at 425 degrees for at least 35 minutes.  Check on tenderness of veggies and add time if necessary.

Mix with quinoa and enjoy!

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.

Green Lentils & Bacon

Green Lentils & Bacon

Ingredients
1 Tbsp Wegmans Pure Olive Oil
2 pieces Food You Feel Good About Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon, chopped
1 pkg (8 oz) Food You Feel Good About Mirepoix
1 carton (32 fl oz) Food You Feel Good About Thai Culinary Stock
1/2 of a 16 oz pkg Food You Feel Good About Organic Green Lentils
1 Tbsp Wegmans Basting Oil
Salt and pepper


You'll Need: Braising pan
Directions:

Heat olive oil in pan on MEDIUM-LOW 1-2 min. Add bacon; cook 5 min.

Add mirepoix; cook, stirring, 5-7 min, until soft but not browned. Add stock; bring to simmer.

Stir in lentils; mix well. Cover. Simmer gently 50-60 min, until liquid has been absorbed and lentils are tender.

Season with basting oil, salt, and pepper.

Quinoa Avocado Salad

***Susan's Note: I made this with white quinoa and I couldn't find the lemon vinaigrette at Wegmans! So I made my own: lemon juice, Wegmans basting oil, and a little honey. We enjoyed this but I like my Wheat Berry Salad recipe better.

Red Quinoa-Avocado Salad
Serves: 10 | Active Time: 20 mins | Total Time: 1 hour(s) 5 mins
Wegmans Winter 2011

Ingredients

1 pkg (7 oz) Food You Feel Good About Red Quinoa (Grocery Dept), cooked per pkg directions, chilled
1 pkg (12 oz) Food You Feel Good About Just Picked and Quickly Frozen Super-Sweet Corn, thawed
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
2 plum tomatoes, 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, cubed small
1/2 cup Food You Feel Good About Lemon Vinaigrette (Produce Dept)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
Add cooked quinoa, corn, cilantro, green onions, and tomatoes to mixing bowl. Fold in avocados and dressing; mix until well-combined. Season with salt and pepper; serve.

Mozzarella, Raspberry and Brown Sugar Panini (Giada de Laurentis)

Mozzarella, Raspberry and Brown Sugar Panini


***Susan's Note: Both Ben and I love this, we have been making it over and over lately. We use our indoor George Foreman Grill.


Yield: Makes 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 panini)

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices bakery-style white bread
1/2 cup raspberry jam
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and patted dry
Salt (optional)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Preparation
1. Preheat panini press or grill pan.

2. Using a pastry brush, brush oil on both sides of bread. Spread jam evenly over 1 side of each slice of bread; sprinkle with rosemary. Cut mozzarella into 8 slices; place 2 slices of cheese on each of 4 bread slices. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over cheese, if desired; top with remaining 4 slices of bread, jam side down. Sprinkle tops with brown sugar.

3. Grill panini in a panini press until cheese has melted and bread is golden and crispy (about 3 minutes). If you do not have a panini press or indoor grill, use a ridged grill pan: Put sandwiches in pan (in batches, if necessary); place a weight, such as a brick wrapped in aluminum foil or a heavy cast-iron skillet, on top to press them down. Brown the first side (about 2-3 minutes), flip the sandwich, replace the weight, and brown the other side (about 2-3 minutes) to finish melting the cheese. Cut paninis in half; serve.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
269
Fat:
14g (sat 5g,mono 7g,poly 1g)
Cholesterol:
23mg
Protein:
7g
Carbohydrate:
29g
Fiber:
1g
Iron:
1mg
Sodium:
188mg
Calcium:
41mg
Adapted from Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis.

, Health, DECEMBER 2010

Orecchiette Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Walnuts

Orecchiette with Roasted Broccoli and Walnuts

From Real Simple February 2009
See another good Orecchiette recipe here.

**Susan's note: A yummy weeknight dinner.

Serves 4
Total Time 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS
12 oz orecchiette or other short pasta (3 cups)
1 bunch broccoli (1 1/2 lbs), cut into small florets
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 TBS unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parm (1 oz)

Heat oven to 400. Cook pasta according to package. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccoli, walnuts, oil, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Roast, tossing once, until the broccoli is tender, 18-20 minutes.

Toss pasta with broccoli mixture, butter, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water (Add more water if the pasta seems dry). Sprinkle with the Parm before serving.

Burritos with Squash and Goat Cheese

***SUSAN'S NOTE: I made these tonight and hubby really loved them. I used fresh baby spinach instead of frozen. We used 8 inch low carb tortillas to make them even more healthy, and I ran out of goat cheese and used cream cheese for his instead - yum! Sean and Sarah, if you're reading, this one's for you!


Burritos with Squash and Goat Cheese

Tailor the flavor of these burritos by picking a salsa that pleases your palate. Choose a chipotle variety for smokiness or a spicy tomatillo one for heat.

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Ingredients

Serves 4

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 package (10 ounces) frozen cooked winter squash, thawed
* 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 package (10 ounces) frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 4 flour tortillas (10-inch)
* 5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
* 1/2 cup store-bought salsa, plus more for serving

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, and cumin; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in beans and spinach. Cook until warmed through, 4 to 6 minutes; season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. Stack tortillas, and wrap in a double layer of damp paper towels; microwave until hot, about 2 minutes. Place tortillas on a work surface. Spoon goat cheese, then salsa in a line down center of each tortilla.
4. Spoon bean mixture on top of salsa. Fold side of tortilla closest to you over filling, then fold right and left sides in toward center; tightly roll up burrito. Cut burritos in half, and serve with more salsa.