on the menu : marinated red bell peppers w/ simple stuffing

MARINATED RED BELL PEPPERS W/ SIMPLE STUFFING

When I first started seriously cooking, I would make lots of stuffed peppers because they were in almost every cookbook, easy to make, and looked cool (ha).  After a while though, I stopped because I got bored with the concept and taste.

The other day I realized I had not made a stuffed pepper dish in, well, forever!  And so I did.  I used to just make the stuffing, stuff the peppers, and bake them.  This time I decided to marinate the peppers in advance to take care of my biggest complaint – the peppers always being kinda ‘eh, boring.’

That did the trick.  Dancing flavors, no more bland peppers, and no need to get all fancy with the stuffing.  As you know, you can pretty much stuff peppers with anything (be it rice, just vegetables, maybe you like chicken or meat in there), so that’s totally your personal preference but I highly recommend marinating the peppers first for the most flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Bell Pepper
• Marinade
  • Hungarian Paprika
  • Fennel Pollen
  • Herbes de Provence
  • Organic Ketchup
  • Lemon
  • Olive Oil
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Salt + Pepper
• Stuffing/Filling
  • Quinoa
  • Tuna
  • Red Onion
  • Peas

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients of the marinade in a bowl and whisk together.
2. Cut off the tops of your bell peppers, remove the seeds and inner linings.  Brush the marinade on your peppers (inside + out, tops too) so every inch is covered.  Place in the fridge to marinate over night for the most flavor (but less is fine too!).  Reserve the leftover marinade.
3. Once the peppers have marinated, make the stuffing/filling.  Cook quinoa according to package.
4. Finely chop up the red onion.  Drizzle some oil into a sauté pan and add the red onions.  Raise the heat to medium and cook the onions.  Season with salt + pepper.
5. Add the tuna (canned is fine – make sure you drain + rinse) to the onions.  Pour in the reserved marinade and continue to sauté.  Also add the green peas.  Season with salt + pepper as necessary.
6. Once the quinoa has cooked, give it a nice fluff, season with salt + pepper, and add the sautéed ingredients.  Mix well.
7. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F.  Roast the peppers to your liking (some like it more raw, some prefer them more charred).  Once they’ve roasted, fill them up, and serve!

on the side : tri-color quinoa w/ almonds, oranges, + grapes

TRI-COLOR QUINOA W/ ALMONDS, ORANGES + GRAPES

I feel almost silly posting a “recipe” for this dish.  It’s literally just quinoa with a few ingredients I had on hand at the end of the week.  As you know, you can add all kinds of stuff to quinoa to make it a more substantial dish.  I went a bit more sweet over savory with this one with the addition of fruit.  Feel free to add.. well.. anything you want!  lol.

Seriously though, I’ve been a huge advocate of quinoa for years thanks to its (a) health benefits, (b) versatility, (c) quick cooking-ness, (d) yumminess.  I saw this article a few months ago on the uncertain sustainability of quinoa; the future of which could depend on diversifying where this beautiful crop is grown (i.e. outside of Bolivia).  Just some ‘food for thought’ worth sharing as we start to hear more about this topic.

INGREDIENTS:

• Tri-Color Quinoa (1 cup)
• Carrot Greens (Bunch)
• Raw Sliced Almonds (Handful)
• Red Seedless Grapes (Handful)
• Orange (1)
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the quinoa according to package.
2. Roughly chop up the carrot greens and sauté in a pan with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt + pepper.  Cook until wilted.
3. In a bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with sautéed carrot greens, raw sliced almonds, red seedless grapes, and orange slices.  Season with salt + pepper (as needed) and mix well until fully combined.

on the menu : citrus quiona salad w/ raisins + almonds

CITRUS QUINOA SALAD W/ RAISINS + ALMONDS

White quinoa is a grain that tastes just as good cold as it does warm.  Some grains need to be heated to be tasty (i.e. brown rice), so this is just another reason why I gravitate toward quinoa for so many of my dishes.

I also love that quinoa acts as a sponge to everything else going on in dish.  The flavors of this dish resonate with every bite thanks to the bind of quinoa.  The rest of the ingredients are just a classic combination of flavors I love in any salad – cucumbers, raisins, almonds, oranges – the right balance of sweet, savory, and above all fresh.  Think of your favorite salad and take those flavors to a bowl of quinoa. I guarantee you’ll love what you taste!

INGREDIENTS:

• Cucumber (1)
• Orange (1)
• Raisins (Handful)
• Lemon (1/2)
• Honey (1 tbsp)
• Sliced Almonds (Handful)
• Quinoa (1 cup)
• Oil
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the quinoa according to package.
2. Quarter the cucumber, spoon out the seeds, and slice thinly.  Place in a salad bowl.
3. Cut up the flesh of the orange and add to the cucumber slices.
4. Also add to the bowl the raisins and sliced almonds.  Toss together.
5. Whisk together the lemon juice and honey with salt + pepper until emulsified.  Add to the salad bowl and mix with the ingredients.
6. Add the cooked quinoa to the salad bowl and toss all ingredients together.  Serve chilled or immediately.

on the side : beets + quinoa w/ ginger miso dressing

BEETS + QUINOA W/ GINGER MISO DRESSING

Sometimes you want to make a sweetly composed, soft dish.  When I think of delicacy, my mind immediately races to Japanese cuisine.  I’ve taken some Japanese flavors to form the backbone of this dish, but fused in the beets and quinoa to make it more my own.  Also in the Japanese culture, we eat a lot of rice with an array of toppings (like pickled radishes, cucumbers, sea vegetables, etc. etc.).  I’ve married that concept here by marinating the beets and pairing them with the fluffy quinoa.

And really, how often do you see a pink-hued dish?  Put this in your back pocket for when Valentine’s Day rolls around.

INGREDIENTS:

• Beets (4)
• Ginger (1-inch knob)
• Miso (1 tbsp)
• Sake (1 tsp)
• Honey (1 tbsp)
• Quinoa (1 cup)
• Salt + White Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Roast the beets in advance by wrapping them in foil and cooking them in the oven.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the grated ginger, miso paste, sake, and honey until combined.  You may wish to do this in a microwave-safe bowl so that you can put some quick heat through it to ease the whisking.
3. Quarter and slice up the beets.  Add them to the marinade you just whisked and toss to combine.
4. Allow the beets to marinade for a good 30 minutes (or longer if you have the time!).
5. Cook the quinoa according to the package.  Once cooked, fluff with a fork and season with salt + white pepper.
6. Combine the cooked quinoa with the beets and the marinade.  Mix well.  Serve warm or chilled.

on the menu : braised radishes + quinoa salad

BRAISED RADISHES + QUINOA SALAD

One of the star ingredients at any farmers market this time of year is radishes.  Pretty little radishes in all shapes, sizes, and colors!  Grab a bunch next time and after you’ve eaten a few raw (they’re a lot sweeter than you think… especially the locally grown, organic variety) try this dish.  When the radishes have time to braise in a little sugar [from the orange] and acid, the flesh becomes soft and juicy.  The braised result is palatably a sweeter, more muted version of itself which some people find more pleasant compared to eating them raw.

The other ingredients I’ve incorporated are meant to showcase the radishes.  Fennel, for instance, pairs beautifully with the orange and raisins.  The quinoa will soak in all of the flavors going on in that braising liquid, carrying flavors of the radishes throughout the entire dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• Radishes (8)
• Red Onion (1)
• Romaine Lettuce (1 bunch)
• Fennel Greens (2 tbsp chopped)
• Raisins (Small handful)
• Orange (1)
• Sherry  or Red Wine Vinegar (2 tbsp)
• Water (1/2 cup)
• Quinoa (1 cup)
• Oil
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the braised radishes in advance (at least two hours prior to starting the quinoa).
2. In a deep sauté pan or pot, drizzle in a little oil.
3. Chop up the red onion and add to the pan.  Raise the heat of the pan to a medium-low to allow the onions to become glassy.  The idea is to slowly heat the onions to maximize their sweetness.
4. Clean your radishes, remove the stems and add to the pan with the onions.
5. Finely chop up the fennel greens and toss them into the pan.  Toss in the raisins as well.
6. Add orange zest and the juice of your orange to the pan.
7. Pour in the sherry vinegar and water, season with salt + pepper.
8. Raise the heat to medium until the liquid comes to a light boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and let sit for an hour (or more!).
9. When the radishes are done braising, cook the quinoa according to package.
10. At this time, you can also do a rough chop on your romaine lettuce so you’re left with smaller bite-size pieces.
11. Combine the romaine lettuce and quinoa in a large salad bowl.  Season with salt + pepper.
12. Pour everything in your braising pan/pot into the large salad and combine with the quinoa and romaine leaves.  You can either serve immediately or let the flavors combine some more by chilling it in the fridge.

on the menu : island quinoa salad w/ avocado dressing

ISLAND QUIONA SALAD W/ AVOCADO DRESSING

If you are in search of a neutral creamy substitute to mayonnaise for your favorite creamy dressings, please give avocado a try!  Not only will you reap the health benefits that come jam-packed in these little cuties, the creative blending possibilities are endless.  I know that some of you are conscious calorie counters and maybe avoid avocados all together but I promise you these are good calories and will not do your body harm; a much better choice than those low-cal/low-fat bottled creamy dressings.  I promise.

What better way to play up this zesty avocado dressing than some tropical flavors like mango and pineapple!  This is a pop-in-your-mouth bright salad that will transport you straight to the tropics.  Considering most of us are hightailing it into the dead of summer, this meal is also a perfect solution to cooling up your palate with light, refreshing food.

INGREDIENTS:

• Quinoa (1 1/2 cup)
• Poblano Pepper (1)
• Red Onion (2 tbsp diced)
• Beets (4 small)
• Tomatoes (2)
• Mango (1)
• Pear (1)
• Pineapple Salsa* (1/4 cup)
• Avocado (1)
• Lime (1/2)
• Brown Rice Vinegar (2 tsp)
• Dijon Mustard (1 tsp)
• Maple Syrup (1/2 tsp)
• Cilantro (Few sprigs)
• Water (1/4 cup)
• Macadamia Nut Oil
• Salt + Pepper

*Freshly made at your local store OR homemade!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the quinoa according to package.  I infuse the broth with a little olive oil, salt + pepper.
2. Prep the beets in advance so they are fully cooked and chilled by the time you add them to your salad.  Slice the cooked beets and marinade in a bowl with pineapple salsa, salt + pepper.  Set aside to chill in the fridge.
3. Quarter, and finely slice up the poblano pepper.  Place in a salad bowl.
4. Chop up the tomatoes,  mango and pear.  Add to the salad bowl and toss together.
5. Finely julienne the red onion.  Add to the salad bowl.
6. Take the freshly cooked quinoa and transfer to the salad bowl.  Cover the vegetables and fruit completely, and pat the quinoa down to create a sealer within the salad bowl.  This will help the peppers and onions to heat through a bit, and the flavors to infuse in general.
7. Meanwhile, place into a blender the lime juice, brown rice vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, water, macadamia nut oil, cilantro, avocado, and salt + pepper.  Purée until smooth.  Add more water if necessary to create a really smooth, creamy dressing.
8. Add the marinaded beets to the salad and combine with the quinoa, vegetables, fruit so everything is well combined.  Season with salt + pepper.

on the menu : autumn zucchini pots

AUTUMN ZUCCHINI POTS

The other day at a local farmers market, I found these cuties.  I love finding beautiful, hidden gems like these at the farm stand.  And don’t these squash just scream fall?  I envision this would make a great appetizer or side dish as well, but with such a hearty filling – the squash can stand its own.  Aside from the fun and interactive presentation, the aromatic spice of the sausage/quinoa sauté within the freshly sweet zucchini paired with a cooling cucumber salad is anything but a simple afterthought.  I think through every layer of the flavor and ensure each entity is tasty alone but even more gratifying together.

INGREDIENTS:

• Ball Zucchini Squash
• Chicken Sausage
• Onion
• Red Bell Pepper
• Quinoa
• Cannellini Beans
• Garlic
• Curry Powder
• Chili Powder
• Turmeric
• Greek Yogurt
• Lemon
• Cucumber
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook quinoa according to box.  Infuse the cooking liquid with garlic, curry powder, turmeric, chili powder, olive oil, salt + pepper.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F.
3. Chop the red bell pepper, onion, and garlic.
4. In a sauté pan, drizzle olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Remove the casing from the sausage and shred with your fingers as you add to the pan.
5. Using a wooden spatula, break up the sausage as it cooks in the pan.  Add the chopped veggies to the pan and season with salt + pepper.
6. Meanwhile, cut off the “hat” of the ball zucchini squash and create a concave filling area by scooping out the flesh and seeds.  Scoop out some of the flesh from the “hat” as well.  Reserve some of the flesh.
7. Chop up the flesh and add to the sauté pan.  Add the cooked quinoa to the sauté pan, stir together, and remove from the heat.
8. Place the zucchini and hats on a baking sheet.  Brush the zucchini with olive oil, inside and out.  Season with salt + pepper.  Fill the zucchini with sausage/quinoa filling (you will have leftover filling).
9. Bake the zucchini pots in an oven for roughly 30 minutes.
10. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans.  Sauté in a small pan with lemon zest, olive oil, bit of cumin, salt+ pepper.  When they’ve roasted a bit, add to the leftover filling.  Leave the sausage/quinoa sauté going over a simmer.
11. Finally, halve and de-seed a small cucumber.  In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt with lemon zest, lemon juice, salt + pepper and add the cucumber.  Cover and pop into the fridge.
12. Plating:  Serve the zucchini pots, hat on, over sausage/quinoa sauté and a side of the chilled cucumber yogurt salad.

on the menu : dressed up quinoa salad

DRESSED UP QUINOA SALAD

Some people love salad.  Some people admittedly could do without it.  I’ve always been a lover.  Not even for the obvious health benefits, but I find a true satiable beauty in raw food.  Now if you’re going to serve a salad, I say put on its best outfit and bring it out for a night on the town.  Salads – and vegetables for that – deserve to be stars too, right?  All you need for a tasty salad is fresh, organic (and local if possible) produce.  Minimal dressing.  Pretty presentation.  Explore, innovate, enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Avocado
• Tomato
• Carrot
• Quinoa
• Lemon
• Broth
• Vinaigrette
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook quinoa according to box.  I used broth for the cooking liquid, added olive oil, lemon zest, salt + pepper.
2. Meanwhile, chop up your romaine lettuce, tomato, carrot, and avocado.
3. Dress the salad with a vinaigrette of your choice.  You can whisk up your own or use one in your fridge.  I would go with a citrusy blend (a bit on the sweet side).
4. Plating:  Serve the quinoa surrounded by salad veggies.  Top with a lemon slice.