First Quinoa Recipe

Have you made quinoa?  I had read about it but just tried it for the first time recently.  I think it is fabulous!  It is very similar to couscous, but cooks longer, more like rice, and is more filling than both, at least for me.  So Sunday, Bond grilled up a bunch of chicken to use this week in lunches and dinners. 

He also grilled some yummy green peppers for me and jalepenos for him. 

Then I made a big batch of Quinoa to go with the chicken and for lunches.  I wanted to make extra so I filled a pot with 4 cups of water and measured 2 cups of quinoa.  The directions say to rinse the quinoa because it can have a bitter taste.  I did this the first time I made it.  I don’t have a strainer with holes small enough and the wet quinoa sticks to everything!  I did some reading on quinoa recipes online and it seems most people only rinse it if they buy it from the bulk bin.  Since mine is prepackaged next time I will try without rinsing.  Stay tuned for an update on that…

This time I rinsed, made a huge mess of my kitchen getting the quinoa into the pot of water, and then brought it to a boil.  After it boils cover it and turn it to low or simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes (like rice!)

While I waited I cut a tomato from the farmers market to top the quinoa and grilled veggies.  

After the quinoa was cooked I added 1 ½ tablespoons each of balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil (any oil would do though).  Then I mixed it throughout the batch of quinoa. This adds a bit of flavor and makes the quinoa more moist. 

I used a half cup measuring cup to scoop the quinoa onto plates and into tuperware for leftovers.  One half cup with the added lemon, oil, and vinegar is 150 calories.  It does not look like a huge amount of food, but it really filled me up.  The pieces of chicken were really big when they were cooked so Bond cut them all in half for a more reasonable serving size, about 4 oz. or 110 calories each half.  He added them to the leftovers and our plates, along with the grilled veggies.  I topped it off with diced and slices of tomato. 

Overall a filling, low calorie, and healthy meal.  What do you do with quinoa?

Summer Salad

Another great find in my newest book, The Healthy Cook, is a spinach mandarin orange salad with a honey mustard dressing.  It is the perfect summer salad with fruit and a light dressing. 

Ingredients:

8 cups spinach

1 red onion

½ cup mandarin oranges

2 tablespoons almond slices, toasted

Put the clean spinach into a large salad bowl.  Peel the onion and slice thinly.  Separate the slices and add to the spinach.  I did not leave mine in full circles, instead I cut them up a bit more like a diced onion.  Drain the mandarin oranges and add to the salad.  When you purchase the mandarin oranges try to find ones in 100% juice instead of syrup.  Toast the almonds.  Top the salad with the almonds.

Tip to toast the almonds: place the almonds in a dry skillet or pan on medium heat.  Heat for 3 to 5 minutes moving or tossing as needed until lightly browned. 

Dressing:

1 tbl orange juice

1 tbl lemon juice

1 tbl honey

2 tbl Dijon mustard

This is my first homemade dressing and it was so easy.  Just mix all the ingredients together.  Taste and adjust as necessary.  I added a bit more honey and orange juice to mine so that it was a little sweeter.

This recipe makes 4 servings at 98 calories a serving.  I served myself one and put the other four into containers for lunches.  I added an ounce of fat free feta cheese to my salad for some extra flavor.  I am not a fan of fat free cheese normally, but in a salad I think it works.  This add 35 calories. 

What is your favorite summer salad?

The Yogurt Challenge

I have really been enjoying yogurt and granola for breakfast lately.  It is easy to grab and eat at the office, very filling, and tastes great!  I have been using Cascadian Farm granola cereals.  They have several great flavors. 

I was not sure which yogurt was best to accompany the granola.  I had some specific criteria: low in calories, protein, and quantity (enough that I would feel full).  I went with the vanilla or a similar flavor as a control and because it’s what I like with my granola.  I had several candidates…

The fat free Yoplait has been my standard go to yogurt since I was little.  It’s what my mom bought and there are so many flavors I never really tried anything else.  For breakfast purposes it does not measure up.  It does have low calories at 110 per container.  The quantity is pretty good too at 8 oz. but it doesn’t keep me feeling full long enough with only 6 g of protein. 

Sticking with Yoplait, I tried their version of Greek extra protein honey vanilla flavor.  It has the highest calorie count and protein at 150 calories and 14 grams per serving.  This means it also had the highest amount of sugar at 18 grams.  This one definitely kept me full, but it tasted the worst.

Moving away from Yoplait with a very bad taste in my mouth, I decided to try the Archer Farms brand, Target’s store brand.  It was acceptable at best.  I tried the honey almond flavor.  It was the lowest in calories at 80 calories in a 6 oz. serving, and had 6g of protein.  It also had the lowest sugar content at 9 grams.  I really did not enjoy the taste much and I was hungry again just a short time later.

Another drawback to the Yoplait, Archer Farms, and Yoplait Greek, was the artificial sweetener.  I am very sensitive to them, tasting it in just about any food, and pretty much every drink.  I get headaches from a lot of beverages and overall do not like the way food or drink taste when artificial sweetener is used. 

The winner is obvious at this point…

Dannon’s Greek yogurt (soon to be Dannon’s Othos).  I purchased the vanilla flavor. It is only 6 oz. per container but really fills me up with the high protein content, 12 g per serving.  It fits into my calorie budget at 110 calories per serving.  The sugars are pretty high at 16 grams, but nothing is perfect.  The best part is there is no artificial sweetener, and it tastes great!

What is your favorite yogurt?

Couscous with Beans and Veggies

I usually have a go to ingredient that I use over and over.  It changes every once in a while when I find something new.  Right now my ingredient of choice is Tri Color Couscous. It’s infused with spinach and tomato, plus it is really pretty with the three colors. 

So when I needed to throw something together  for dinner that was quick and easy I went for my main ingredient and built around it.  Here is what I came up with…

Ingredients

1 - 2 cups Couscous

Baby Spinach

Diced Garlic to taste

1 ½  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil/divided

Splash of lemon juice

1 can Black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tomato

Make couscous according to directions.  I made a lot of couscous because it’s great to have for lunches during the week.  2 cups of couscous makes about 4 cups fixed.  I put the extra in separate containers for lunch with chicken, fish, or veggies for work lunches.

Drain and rinse the black beans.  Put them in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat.  Careful not to let them burn to the bottom of the pan. 

Put ¾ tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet with the garlic and brown slightly.  Then add as much spinach as you want. Cook the spinach until it is slightly wilting.  Add additional olive oil as necessary.  Then add a splash of lemon juice.

Mix it all together.  Serve.  

I served mine topped with a sliced tomato.

Bond added some salsa to his.  This would also be great with a bit of grated cheese.

What are your favorite go to ingredients?

Tilapia with Stop Light Peppers

This is another great recipe that the cookbook my sister gave me in May with the 300 calorie dinners.

I made some changes to the recipe in the book.  The recipe is for halibut with red and yellow peppers.  I used tilapia and red, yellow, and green peppers.  I also added diced garlic.

Ingredients:
1 pound tilapia filets
1 1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup diced onion
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 tablespoon diced garlic

Makes 4 servings @ 175 calories per serving.

First I did all the chopping, dicing, and slicing....

Then combine 1 cup of the broth, the onion, garlic, and lemon peel in a large nonstick skillet.  Bring to a boil.

 Add fish and top with the sliced bell pepper strips.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer about 8 minutes or until fish begins to flake when tested with fork.

While it simmered I mixed the remaining 1/4 broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a separate bowl until it was blended.  When the fish is done transfer the fish and peppers to a plate using a slotted spoon.  Stir the cornstarch mixture into the remaining liquid in the skillet.  cook and stir over medium high heat until boiling and thickening.  Then add the green onions.

It is recommended to serve with couscous to keep it at 300 calories.  I served with tri-color couscous, its this great tomato, spinach couscous!

1/2 cup of couscous @ 160 calories brings the total to 335 calories total.
I also diced a tomato to go with this light summer time dinner.

How would you serve this tilapia?

Chocolate Bananas

This is the dessert I made to go with Paper Salmon for a small group dinner we hosted.  They were really simple and a big hit!

Ingredients for 8 servings @ 290 calories per serving

4 bananas halved

1 jar of Hot Fudge topping

1 cup of granola

8 craft sticks

Peel the bananas and slice in half.  Insert a craft stick into each banana half and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Place into the freezer for 2 hours or until hard.

Place granola into ziplock back and roll with rolling pin to crush granola.  Then place granola on a shallow plate.  Heat the chocolate jar until liquid and place on a second shallow plate.

Roll the banana in the chocolate topping using a spatula to completely cover, then roll in the granola and place back on pan.

Freeze for another 2 hours or until hard.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

They make a great summer time treat, cold and fruity!
What is your favorite summer time treat?

Paper Salmon

Bond and I participate in Foyer Groups at our church.  It is a small dinner group that changes members twice a year so you get to meet and socialize with new people.  Each person or couple takes a turn hosting.

A new group just started and we hosted the first dinner over the weekend.  The host makes the main dish and then the other people bring sides, salads, and dessert.  I made a delicious and healthy Salmon baked in parchment paper.

Ingredients per serving @ 170 calories
4 oz. Salmon Filet
Fresh Green Beans
1 Tablespoon Capers
Lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Square of parchment paper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place salmon filet in the center of parchment paper, add green beans, capers, lemon zest.  Drizzle olive oil over fish.

Fold the parchment paper in on the sids and twist the ends like a piece of candy.  Place the pouches on a tray and bake for about 20 minutes.  They go in like this....

And come out like this....

You can serve directly in the pouches!

It was great with the potatoes and caesar salad brought by out guests.  The fourth couple couldn't make it so I put together a dessert too, a Chocolate Banana treat!

Ingredients for 8 servings @ 290 calories per serving
4 bananas halved
1 jar of Hot Fudge topping
1 cup of granola
8 craft sticks

Peel the bananas and slice in half.  Insert a craft stick into each banana half and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Place into the freezer for 2 hours or until hard.

Place granola into ziplock back and roll with rolling pin to crush granola.  Then place granola on a shallow plate.  Heat the chocolate jar until liquid and place on a second shallow plate.  Roll the banana in the chocolate topping using a spatula to completely cover, then roll in the granola and place back on pan.

Freeze for another 2 hours or until hard.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.  These were a big hit!

What would you add to the Salmon? Or Chocolate Bananas to make it your own??

Egg Salad Sandwich

Bond and I had a great Saturday.  We ran a few errands this morning, including getting father's day cards.  Then we just hung around the house, got a few things done, but mostly relaxed!  On lazy summer days and the occasional weekday lunch I love light meals.  This wonderful summertime egg salad recipe was another one from the great book my sister game me...

I really like this book it was a great find, thanks Laura!

Egg Salad Ingredients:
6 hard cooked eggs
3 tablespoons reduced-fat miracle whip
1/2 cup dices green onion
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Serving size 1/2 cup @ 82 calories; yields 4 servings

I adjusted the ingredients for my own taste so feel free to adjust for yours.  For example, I used miracle whip instead of mayonnaise because I like it better.

Tip for hard-cooked eggs, place the eggs in a single layer in pan and add cold water to cover the eggs by about an inch.  Bring to a boil over high heat then cover and remove the pan from the heat letting stand 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes pour off the water, cover the eggs with cold water and allow to cool before peeling.

During the 15 minutes dice the 1/2 cup green onions.  Then add to them the pickle relish, celery seed, and a dash of salt and/or pepper if you like.  Place the miracle whip in a separate bowl.  When the eggs are ready peel the shell and separate the yolks.  Add two yolks to the miracle whip and mix well.  Discard or save the other 4 yolks (I put mine into tupperware for snacks later in the week).  Next dice the 6 egg whites and stir into mixture.  Last stir in the onion, relish, spice mixture.

Eat the eggs salad however you like.  In a pita, on bread, in a tortilla or by itself!  I like to toast some whole wheat bread, add some spinach and a tomato slice.  How will you eat your egg salad?

What is your favorite light summer meal??

Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Bond and I enjoy hosting friends and family.  We recently had a small dinner party, 8 people and one of our guests was a vegetarian.   Most of my recipes have meat so I searched recipe websites, books, and some of my favorite blogs for a recipe.   I found the winning recipe on www.HealthyTippingPoint.com, one of my favorite blogs.  I made a few small changes for my own personal likes and it was a big hit, everyone wanted the recipe so here it is...

Ingredients and Nutrition info:
4 cups cubed sweet potatoes @ 180 calories per cup
Black beans rinsed and drained 1/2 cup @ 105 calories
Pinto beans rinsed and drained 1/2 cup @ 80 calories
Fresh baby spinach about 1/2 cup per tortilla @ 10 calories
1 jar salsa verde (1 tablespoon @ 5 calories)
5 large whole wheat tortillas @ 200 calories each

Serves 5 enchiladas @ about 450 calories (3/4 cup potato, 1/4 cup of each bean, 1 tortilla, about 3 tablespoons salsa, and 1/2 cup spinach)

Boil the cubed sweet potato for about 15 minutes or until tender.  Then drain and place in food processor.  Process until smooth.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put about 1/5 of the sweet potatoes into a tortilla and top with desired amount of black and pinto beans, and spinach.  Roll the tortilla and place in to pan.  Repeat until pan is full (should hold about 5 enchiladas).  Top the pan with the jar of salsa verde and bake in oven for 15 minutes.   Remove and serve with any desired toppings.  I like to add an ounce or two of shredded cheese and 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream.

Bond takes his with extra salsa.

The original recipe I found processed spinach and pinto beans with the potatoes.  I added black beans and decided not to process them.  What would you add?

Roasted Red Pepper Picante Chicken

It has been a long time since my last post, but with good reason! My little sister graduated from Loyola in Chicago. So Bond and I made the trip. We love visiting Chicago, but this was not our normal trip. I actually drove up on Wednesday in my old car, a ford focus. I gave the car to my sister as her graduation gift. My mom and mother-in-law road with me, making it was a nice little girls road trip. Bond, his dad, and 2 buddies flew up and met us on Friday.

It was a busy weekend! One road trip, a graduation, two Cubs vs Giants baseball games, a late night movie, drinks, and a lot of eating later I had a great time, and no energy. By the time I flew home Sunday all I wanted was a nap!

I usually do my weekly shopping as part of my Sunday routine, but when I finally got home I was completely unmotivated so I relied on a staple recipe. After a full day at the office on Monday I did get myself together to grocery shop. This was mostly due to the great new cookbook my sister gave me in Chicago.





So here is the first recipe I used, with a few modifications of course...




Ingredients
1 lb chicken tenders cut in bite sized pieces
12 oz whole wheat egg noodles
1 cup picante sauce
1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/3 cup of water
1 tsp ground cumin
Makes 4 servings @ 415 calories per serving

Directions
Cook egg noodles according to package directions minus salt, oil, or butter
Heat a medium sauce pan with cooking spray on medium high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.  Then add the picante sauce, roasted red peppers, water, and cumin.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heath to low-medium for about 10 minutes.  Sauce will thicken (but not a lot).  Then serve over pasta.

Bond's portion is below...




I added a little over 1/2 oz. of grated cheddar jack cheese to my portion.  This added about 65 calories to my total, but was so worth it!





How do you get inspired to try new recipes?  Cookbooks, internet, blogs??

- Posted using my iPad 2