quinoa stuffed peppers

makes: 2 large servings or ~4 side servings

loosely based on the {Incredibly Easy Gluten-Free Recipes} cookbook p. 44

{ingredients}

• 2 bell peppers, tops removed, seeded & hollowed out
• 1/2 c. uncooked quinoa
• 1 c. water
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/8 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 TB butter

{directions}
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place quinoa in fine-mesh strainer and rinse well. Bring water and 1/4 tsp salt to a boil, and stir in quinoa. Cover, reduce heat to low. Simmer 12-14 minutes or until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed (like you would with rice).

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and tomato. Cook 7-10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in quinoa, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and Italian seasoning. Add butter and stir until melted.

3. Arrange peppers in baking dish. Fill peppers with quinoa mixture. Bake 15-20 minutes or until peppers are tender (we did ours until peppers were slightly al dente still).

4. Serve warm. A main dish for a vegetarian, or if you cut the peppers in half after cooking, it would make ~4 side servings.

Lentil and Chick Pea Curry with Coconut Milk

3 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
2 medium carrots, diced
3 tbsp mild Indian curry paste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
3 cups (750ml) crushed tomatoes
2 540 ml cans coconut milk
2 cups whole green lentils, rinsed and picked through
2 cups cooked chickpeas (540ml can) rinsed 
3 tbsp honey
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup frozen peas
veggie stock (optional) 
handful of cilantro, chopped
hot sauce 
plain yogurt

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft, a minute or two.  Add the garlic and ginger, carrots, curry paste, spices and salt.  Stir well and cook for a couple of minutes.  Stir in the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, lentils, chickpeas and honey.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low so it's simmering.  Cover.  Stir every 10 minutes or so.  Should take about 40 minutes for the lentils to cook.  When they are tender, stir in the cauliflower and peas.  Cook just until cauliflower is soft. If curry is too thick, thin it with a bit of veggie stock or water.  Stir in cilantro.  Adjust seasonings with more salt, pepper, and if you like it spicy, you can add hot sauce too.  Scoop into bowls and top with plain yogurt and cilantro.  Warm Naan bread as a side.  Serves 6-8.


From Sweet Sugar Bean

Green Goop

Green Goop

Just in time for St. Patty's Day, here's a fabulous "green" healthy drink :) A good mix of sweet and tart, chock full of nutrients! Don't just a book by its cover- looks a bit crazy, but give it a try and you'll find it's quite scrumptious!

Makes: a little over 2 cups of juice

.: ingredients :.

• 3 carrots
• 1 large apple (or 2 small apples)
• 2 cups of fresh kale
• small piece of fresh ginger (about 1" square)
• 1 c. cranberry juice

.: directions :.

1) Add cranberry juice, kale, and carrots to the blender and mix into a pulp.

2) Cut up ginger and apple into small slices. Add to blender and blend into a pulp.

3) It'll be a very thick drink, but not quite so thick you'd need a spoon ;)

*Note: you could also do this recipe using a juicer- you just won't get quite all the nutritional value since you're losing a lot of the fibrous bits.

**Note:: you could pretty much use most any fruits & veggies in this recipe! After much testing, I recommend keeping the carrots/apples as a base and changing out the other ingredients :)

Just some of the nutritional value....

Vitamin A - 260+% DV (Daily Value)

Vitamin C - 170% DV

Vitamin K - 510% DV

Magnesium - 80% DV

Zinc - 50+%

Vitamin E

Fiber

Easy Sweet Potato Veg Burgers

Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers
makes 7-8 large patties

2 cans cannellini white beans, drained
1 large sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp tahini
2 tsp maple or agave syrup
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning OR Cajun seasoning (or another fave spice!)
1/4 cup wheat flour
optional: additional seasoning (whatever you have on hand - I used a few dashes cayenne, black pepper and a scoop of nutritional yeast)
salt to taste if needed

plentiful Panko crumbs
safflower oil for pan

burgers: avocado, Dijon mustard, grain buns, romaine, onion, olive oil, pepper

Directions:

1. Bake sweet potato. Peel, place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add drained beans to mixing bowl. Mash beans and potato together.
3. Mash in seasoning, flour and any additional seasoning. Your mixture will be quite soft and moist. But you should be able to form a patty. Add more flour or a scoop of breadcrumbs - or dry rice to thicken the mixture if needed.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp safflower oil in a pan over high heat.
5. Form a patty from mixture and coat in Panko crumbs. Thick coating. Then drop the patty in the pan. Repeat until the pan is filled. Cook until browned on both sides. You could also bake. If baking, use less Panko.
6. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel. Cool for a few minutes.
7. Serve on toasted bun with lotsa toppings.

Note: yes this patty does fall kind of apart as you eat it. But that is OK because it tastes yummy. 


Recipe from Lunch Box Bunch

Root Vegetable Fries

I used turnip, carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes, and it turned out super tasty.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs root vegetables, washed and chopped into matchsticks
• 1/8 – 1/4 cup peanut or olive oil
• generous shakes of sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place vegetables on two rimmed baking sheets. Toss with oil to coat, then spread the veggies out into a single layer. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Using a spatula, flip the veggies a few times as they bake, about 40-60 minutes depending on how crispy and brown you like them. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve while hot.

Recipe from Dramatic Pancake

Slow Cooker Enchiladas

Tried these the other night with no meat, and they were tasty and filling.  I used whole wheat tortillas (4 - 12inch), and I added a dash of cayenne and a little cilantro.  I also switched the yellow onion to red onion.

Serves 4-6

1/2 yellow onion, diced small
1/2 bell pepper, diced small (any color)
1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cheese, shredded and divided - we like monterey jack
2 16-ounce jars of your favorite salsa
12 6"-8" tortillas, flour or cornOptional: 1 cup leftover meat - chicken, pork, hamburger, or shredded beef

In a medium bowl, mix together the onion, pepper, black beans, corn, spices, meat (if using), and just 1/2 cup of the cheese. Pour about a cup of salsa (half a jar) into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread it around evenly.

Scoop about 1/3 cup into one of the tortillas, roll it up, and nestle it into the bottom of the crock pot. Repeat with the half of the remaining filling, rolling tortillas until the entire bottom of of the crock pot is filled. Spread another cup of salsa over this layer and sprinkle it with another 1/2 cup of cheese.

Continue with the remaining filling and tortillas to create a second layer. Top with another cup of salsa, but reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese for later. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2-4 hours. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the leftover cheese over the top and let it melt.

Serve the enchiladas with the remaining salsa. Leftovers will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Additional Notes:

• You can cook the enchiladas for longer (6-8 hours on LOW), but we found that the tortillas in the middle start to get mushy while the ones touching the sides of the cooker get crispy. Still tasty, though!

• To cook these enchiladas in the oven, layer the rolled tortillas in a 9x13 baking pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes.

• We haven't tried it, but we so reason why this recipe couldn't be doubled if your slow cooker is big enough. Just continue creating layers in the slow cooker and bake as usual.

 From The Kitchn

Red Lentil Burgers w/ Aioli

I mostly followed this recipe from Cooking Light September 2000, and it turned out delicious.  We also topped the burger with caramelized onions and avocado.  

Ingredients

• 
  Aioli:
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise 
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• Burgers:
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup dried red lentils
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided 
• Cooking spray 
• 1 cup diced onion 
• 1/2 cup finely diced carrot 
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped 
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms 
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
• 3 tablespoons Madeira (optional)
• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• 2 large egg whites 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• Remaining ingredients:
• 6 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns 
• Arugula or curly lettuce leaves 
• 6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato 
• 6 (1/8-inch-thick) slices onion 

Preparation

1. To prepare aioli, combine first 3 ingredients; cover and refrigerate.
2. To prepare burgers, combine water, lentils, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Drain; set aside.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and 3 garlic cloves; sauté for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, mushrooms, marjoram, and pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Place onion mixture in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add the lentils, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and egg whites. Cover and chill 30 minutes (to help firm up the mixture).
4. Divide the lentil mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add lentil patties, and cook for 5 minutes on each side.
5. Line the bottom half of each hamburger bun with an arugula or lettuce leaf, and top each bun half with a burger, 2 teaspoons aioli, 1 tomato slice, 1 onion slice, and the top half of the bun.