Tomato Basil Quinoa

I know it has been a while since I have made a post.  #1 - our lives were crazy so I took a break from life, & #2 - I have made a lot of simple summer recipes without a recipe and need to keep better track of what I use!  I love summer for that very reason.  This is the time of year we get to eat a lot of yummy salads and pastas with garden fresh vegies and herbs.  When I think of summer, I think of quinoa.  Quinoa with fresh vegetables, herbs, light, healthy, filling, and yummy.  Even my husband likes my quinoa salads.  I was trying to use up my garden vegies and this combo came to me.  I knew it would be good, like a twist on a caprese salad, or a tomato, cucumber salad, or something like that.  I tried to measure the best I could, but please adjust according to your taste buds.  Make this soon while everything is so fresh.   Hope you like it!  So simple, so fresh, so good!

Tomato Basil Quinoa
2 c. prepared quinoa(cooked in chicken/vegie broth)
I cook my quinoa in my rice cooker according to the white rice setting.  It always comes out perfect!
2 diced tomatoes
1 diced cucumber
2 T. olive oil
1/4c. + crumbled feta cheese(this takes it up a notch)
2-4 T. freshly chopped basil
salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare the quinoa according to whatever method you prefer.  In a medium bowl, place in tomatoes and cucumbers and drizzle with olive oil and a little salt and pepper.  Add the feta cheese and then add the warm quinoa(it tastes great when the warm quinoa slightly melts the cheese, infusing everything with flavor).  Sprinkle with fresh basil and toss.  Add any more salt, pepper, or whatever ingredients you feel like.   

This is linked to Linda's Gluten free Wednesdays and Tessa's Allergy Free Wednesdays.  Check out all the great recipes, they are great resources!

Kitchari (quinoa/lentil/vegie stuff)

I know this doesn't look pretty, but it always makes me feel pretty inside.  I'm sure you've had those weeks/days/months with way too many parties and events and you eat just like a pig, and not a healthy pig.  You know when your body is just craving something healthy.  When you have a moment like that, this is the meal for you!  Or just when you need some feel good, immune boosting, detoxifying, quick, food.  A friend sent me a few recipes and I took what I wanted from each one.  I had never heard of kitchari before, but after looking into it, it really is a comfort and healing food.  This has really become one of our staples.  Don't let the long list scare you, it really is a quick meal to throw together.  If you are missing an ingredient, just leave it out.   Hope you like it!


Kitchari
5 c. chicken broth(I always use water and add my favorite Better than Bouillon organic chicken stuff)
3/4 c. quinoa
3/4 c. lentils
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 c. onion, chopped
1 c. chopped carrots
1 c. frozen spinach
1 t. curry powder
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
2 t. soy sauce, or liquid aminos
2 t. sesame oil
1 T. lime juice
1 T. fresh ginger, minced
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, minced
salt & pepper to taste
In a large pot, add:  broth, quinoa and lentils.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer.  Add in garlic, onions, and carrots.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Add in spinach and cook for another 5 min.  Add remaining ingredients and cook another 5 minutes, adding more liquid if necessary(it is more like stew than soup).  Serve warm and enjoy.  When I serve this with my teff muffins, I am really feeling healthy & ethnic!  Feel free to add the veggies or spices you like.  Like all my recipes this is just a framework to take off from.


I am linking this to Linda's Gluten-free Wednesdays and Tessa's Allergy-free Wednesdays.  Thanks for your recipe round ups!

Vegetable Beef Soup with Quinoa

My mom made this soup all growing up.  I put it off because she put barley in it and of course we can't eat barley.  I had some extra roast from dinner and decided I needed to reinvent the vegetable soup.  This is what I came up with and we loved it.  It is very filling and also healthy!  I made mine a little thicker, like stew, but just add more broth if you prefer it runnier.  Also, add the vegetables you like, leave out the ones you don't like - my choice of vegetables and numbers are just guidelines.  It has a pretty mellow flavor, so feel free to experiment and make your taste buds happy.  Have fun, you really can't ruin it. 

Vegetable Beef Soup

1 15 oz can tomatoes(blend)

6 c. water

3 T. beef bouillon

1/3 c. quinoa

Chunks of roast(cooked)

1 Onion, diced

3-4 medium potatoes, chunked

3 Carrots, sliced

2 Celery stalks, sliced

1-2 zucchini, quartered & sliced

1 handful of frozen corn

1 handful of frozen peas

1 handful of frozen beans

½ t. salt & pepper

1 t. oregano & parsley(optional)

In large pot combine tomatoes, water, bouillon, quinoa and roast.  Let simmer for 20 minutes.  Add in potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery and bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook 15 min.  Add in remaining vegetables and simmer for 10 min.  Add salt, pepper and any spices.  Add more water & bouillon if you want a brothier soup.

Linda at gluten free homemaker is doing a seasonal soup roundup this month for "Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten Free."  Check out all the yummy soups.

*If you have never used quinoa before, this is a great recipe to try it out.  It doesn't add much taste, just nutrition.

**Whenever I have a roast, I just save a few slices, chunk them up, and then throw them in the freezer.  When soup time arrives you will be ready to go!  You really don't need a lot but it adds a lot of flavor.

Orange Chicken & a Multi-grain Pilaf

We eat a lot of chicken and rice at our house, and we BBQ all year round.  This just happened to be dinner the other night (plus a vegie), so I thought I'd pass it along.  All my kids will even eat both of these.  I cook the multi-grain pilaf in a rice cooker, but it will also work on the stove.  We grilled the chicken, but you can also cook it in the oven.

Orange Chicken Marinade

½ c. orange juice

1/3 c. honey/agave

¼ c. lemon juice

¼ c. soy sauce(make sure it is gf)

2 T. fresh ginger

2 T. chopped garlic

½ t. pepper

¼ t. salt

Mix together and place in Ziploc bag with chicken breasts.  Marinate several hours or over night.  Grill.

I always pound my chicken breasts until they are fairly thin and then cut them in half.  When you do this and marinate for several hours your chicken will be extra yummy and full of flavor!  If you are going to bake them, just place the chicken in baking dish, pour a little marinade over the top and bake at 350 for 25-35 min. or until chicken is done.

Multi-Grain Pilaf

2 T. oil

¾ c. white basmati rice(or any white rice will do)

¾ c. quinoa(rinsed and drained)

3 c. chicken broth(I always use Costco's Organic Better than Bouillon + required water and then I add some extra bouillon for some great flavor)

½ c. dried cranberries

¾ c. pine nuts

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat oil and add rice and quinoa – toast.  Add broth and bring to boil.  Reduce to low and simmer 15-20min or until liquid is absorbed.  Add cranberries and nuts, fluff and serve.

**I always cook mine in my rice cooker.  I toast the grains, then according to my rice cooker's amounts, I do a cup of rice and a cup quinoa and add the required amount of broth.  It will cook as white rice.  then fluff and add remaining ingredients.   It turns out perfect every time.