Greek Quinoa with Avocados

This is such a great quinoa salad.  It is packed with nutrient rich ingredients and full of flavor.  Perfect for the sunny spring days we've been having this week!  You could even add some diced or shredded chicken and make a meal out of it.  Either way you'll love it!

Greek Quinoa with Avocados
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
2 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 small avocados (or 1 large avocado), pitted, peeled, and sliced (or diced)
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. In a medium bowl, stir together quinoa, tomatoes, spinach, and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Mix with quinoa. Place on plates with avocado slices and quinoa (or just dice the avocado and sprinkle it over the top). Sprinkle with feta. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe Source: Fitness Magazine May 2009

Quinoa For Breakfast

Have you ever had quinoa (pronouced "kin wah") for breakfast?  Well , I recently tried it and I am LOVING a bowl of quinoa in the morning!  This is such a great way to start your day for many reasons. First, if you are a hot cereal fan quinoa is fun change from regular old oatmeal. Also, we have all heard the importance of starting your day off with some sort of protein to keep your blood sugars level and helping you keep your waistline in check:) Well, eating quinoa gives you that protein while still providing you a grain based breakfast. Quinoa is a nutritional powerhouse being a complete protein, a great source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, high in magnesium and iron and provides a significant source of calcium. Just like oatmeal, you can be creative with the toppings to suit your tastes and mood! I like to cook up a double batch in the morning using some for breakfast and saving the rest in the fridge for a quinoa salad later. This is more of a suggestion than a recipe...enjoy:)

Quinoa for Breakfast
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

Cook quinoa according to package direction. Quinoa must be rinsed before cooking to remove a bitter tasting coating. The bag I bought at Costco is prerinsed, but not all are, so check the packaging.

Cooking Quinoa

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
optional: 1/4 tsp salt

Rinse quinoa if needed. Put 1 cup in saucepan with water and salt, if using. Bring to a boil, cover with tight fitting lid and turn down to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes with the lid on. Fluff quinoa with a fork and you are ready to use it for breakfast:)

For breakfast I like to scoop desired amount into a bowl and top with almond milk (or any milk you prefer), fresh or dried fruit, nuts and sweetener (I like honey or brown sugar). If you want a more creamy texture put the quinoa and milk together and stir until desired consistency is reached.

A few topping ideas to get your started:

*Berries, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans
*Toasted coconut, peaches or mangos, honey and slivered almonds
*Apple, cinnamon,nutmeg,  maple syrup and walnuts

Be creative and have fun with this breakfast!  I would love to hear the combinations you come up with:)

Quinoa, Avocado and Grilled Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

 I realize that it is not exactly corn on the cob season, but I made this salad when it was and then forgot to share it with you.  (oops)  I came across the picture and remembered how amazingly delicious it was! If you want to make it now,  I have noticed in the freezer section you can still buy corn on the cob.  Also, I used a grill pan to cook the corn indoors, which would be perfect for this time of year!  Another option is just leaving the corn out.  There were still lots of other ingredients to make a great salad without it.  I love that quinoa is so high in protein.  It makes it a great replacement for meat in a meal.  This salad makes the perfect lunch or dinner!  Yum!  I would suggest drizzling the vinaigrette on the amount you are eating and not storing it that way.  It is better to dress it right before eating, in my opinion.  The original recipe did not have quinoa in it, and I loved it.  So you could always try it both ways!  Hope you enjoy. :)

Quinoa Avocado and Grilled Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
Submitted by Melanie~ The Sisters Cafe

2 cups of cooked Quinoa (rinsed and cooked according to package directions)
5 ears of corn, husk removed, brush with olive oil and grilled, remove corn with sharp knife
2 avocados, diced and sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning
2 cups tomatoes, red and yellow cherry variety or equivalent
1 small red onion, finely diced
¾ cups feta cheese, crumbled
1 ½ cups english cucumber, skin on and chopped small dice
2 TB of chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Add to a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cilantro Vinaigrette

6 T. Olive oil
2 T. Sherry vinegar
1 tsp. Garlic powder
2 T. Fresh cilantro, minced
½ tsp. Salt
10 Grinds of fresh ground pepper

Add all of the above ingredients in a small glass jar with a lid. Shake really well. Taste and adjust seasoning as you desire.

When ready to serve salad, add the dressing and gently toss.

Recipe Source: adapted from authenticsuburbangourmet.blogspot.com

Mango Quinoa Salad

*Sigh*  I love summer.  We had a barbecue last night with fresh watermelon, marinated chicken, roasted cabbage, and this fabulous Mango Quinoa Salad.  Everything just tasted like summer.  It is so much easier to eat healthy when tons of fruits and veggies are available and in season, don't you think?  I am such a fan of quinoa, too.  Did you know quinoa is a plant source for complete protein? That means that it has all the amino acids in the correct proportions to support human life.  I don't know of any other plant sources of complete protein, do you? Well, back to the salad... it is pretty darn good with flavorful mangos, crisp sweet red pepper, a little green onion, and my favorite herb, Cilantro!  This salad definitely stands on its own two legs, but I think it would be awesome over chicken or even with some multigrain chips!

Mango Quinoa Salad
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 cups prepared quinoa (This is 1/2 cup dry.  I like it better cooked in chicken broth)
1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 handful chopped cilantro (about 1/2 cup)
4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (I use 2T, but I really like lime!)
salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl.  Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.  In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice.  Whisk until smooth and pour on top of salad.  Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.

 

Recipe Source: Our Best Bites

 

 

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa

I love love love this quinoa dish.  It is healthy, easy, on the hearty side, and just so tasty that I almost couldn't stop eating it.  And I usually don't have an issue with overeating the side dish. :)  In fact, I usually don't crave side dishes either, but after I made this recipe the first time I immediately started craving it again.  So I made it twice in one week and even brought some to a friend who had broken her arm - poor thing!  The original recipe called for two cans of black beans, but I think I like it better with just one.  I didn't have sweet white corn the second time I made this, so I used regular corn from my freezer. I thought it was just as good.

FYI: My husband is a huge rice fan.  When I realized that he was a quinoa fan, too, I couldn't help comparing the nutritional facts between the two.  It was interesting.  I'll let you see for yourself, but I just want to add one more thing... rice doubles in bulk when it cooks, but quinoa quadruples!  So 1 cup of dry rice makes 2 cups cooked rice, and 1 cup of quinoa makes 4 cups of cooked quinoa... gotta love feeling like you get to eat more! :)

Whole Grain Quinoa (1/4 cup dry):
Calories: 170
Fat: 2.5g
Total Carbohydrates: 30g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Protein 7g
Iron 10%

Long Grain Brown Rice (1/4 cup dry):
Calories: 160
Fat: 1.5g
Total Carbohydrates: 35g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Protein 4g
Iron 4%
Thiamin 10%
Niacin 10%

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.  Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa and cover with broth.  Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans.  Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes.  Stir in cilantro.  Serve warm or chilled - it is delicious both ways!

Recipe Source: www.melskitchencafe.com

Healthy and Hearty Chicken Quinoa Stew

I made this the other day and it was right up my alley! Loved it! I felt like I was getting healthier with every spoonful:) Okay, maybe that's a stretch...then again, maybe not! It is filling and yummy and packed with "good for you" ingredients. And hello, quinoa, what a fun new ingredient. Can you believe I've never had it before?! But don't forget the last and probably most important step, to season! It gives it that last, needed touch. This recipe serves 8-10 people. My family of 4 (of which only 3 are big enough to eat this stuff) had lots of leftovers. It didn't take us long to consume every last spoonful.

Healthy and Hearty Chicken Quinoa Stew

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe Source: Picky Palate
Printable Recipe

2 T extra virgin olive oil (I always skimp on this just a little)
1 large onion, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 Cups sweet pepper, chopped
1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced
64 oz chicken broth
15 oz can diced tomatoes
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into 1" pieces (get the Yukon potatoes, it's worth the extra few dollars)
3 cups cooked quinoa
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked, shredded and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
2 T Dijon Mustard
1 T Hot Sauce (Cholula brand is good)
Kosher Salt, fresh cracked black pepper, Garlic Salt (Lawry's is good), and Parsley to taste
1 1/2 cups fresh parsley chopped

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots, peppers, and zucchini until softened. This takes about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, and potatoes. Increase heat to high just until broth starts to boil Reduce to medium high and cook potatoes for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Reduce heat to low and stir in quinoa, chicken, dijon mustard, hot sauce. Season to taste with kosher salt, pepper, garlic salt. Stir in fresh parsley and simmer until ready to serve.