Mexican Quinoa Stew

Mexican Quinoa Stew

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 
• Prep Time: 15 mins
 
• Cook Time: 25 mins
 
• Total Time: 40 minutes
 
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
• Category: Soup

★★★★★

4.9 from 42reviews

You’re going to love this Mexican quinoa stew! It’s hearty, easy to make and tastes amazing. This soup recipe is vegan and gluten free. Recipe yields 4 large or 6 more modest bowls.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil (I opted to use 1 tablespoon olive oil instead)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup quinoa (dry/uncooked)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for extra heat, optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Optional garnishes (my ideas): extra chopped cilantro, small wedges of lime, diced avocado, crumbled tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour cream…

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and jalapeños. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the water, tomatoes, beans, cumin, salt, quinoa, cilantro and cayenne pepper (if using). Season with pepper and bring the soup to a boil.
3. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Once the quinoa is tender, add more salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. You can serve this soup right away or use an immersion blender to purée a couple cups of this soup—this helps to thicken the soup while still leaving some texture (I may have overdone it a bit).
4. Divide into bowls and serve with any garnishes that you’d like. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Sweet Potato Sunrise Hash

Delicious breakfast option! Courtesy of The Healing Kitchen.

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Total time: 28 minutes

Ingredients:
8 slices of bacon, chopped
1 c. chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-in pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Directions:
1. In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon with the onion until the fat has rendered and the bacon has begun to crisp up, 3-5 minutes.

2. Add the sweet potatoes and garlic to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook without disturbing for 4-5 minutes, until the bottoms of the sweet potatoes are lightly browned. Toss and continue to cook in the same manner, tossing only every few minutes until the potatoes are crispy and cooked through.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions and the salt.

Pumpkin Chili

This recipe has lots of veggies and healing foods, mixed together into a delicious flavor. Sam even ask us to save him some for lunch because it was so delicious! Recipe courtesy of The Healing Kitchen

Serves: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hr 50 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef (we used ground turkey)
2 teaspoons ginger powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground mace
2 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 large carrots, sliced into 1/2-in rounds
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 pound sliced mushrooms
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 (15-oz) cans pumpkin puree
2 c. beef or chicken broth
2 T apple cider vinegar
sliced green onions, for serving

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until cooked through. Stir in ginger powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, and mace until the meat is evenly coated in the seasonings. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in the same saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, and salt and stir well. Cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are softened and tender.

3. Pour in the pumpkin puree and broth and stir to incorporate into the vegetables. Add the meat back to the saucepan and bring the mixtures to a boil. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer, and cook, covered with a lid for 1 1/2 hours until the vegetables are tender.

4. Stir in the vinegar and remove from the heat. The chili will be thick like a stew.

5. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Top each bowl with a  generous sprinkle of green onions.

Spring Veggie Stir Fry

• • Author: Cookie and Kate
   
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
   
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
   
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
   
  • Yield: 4 side servings
   
  • Category: Side dish
   
  • Cuisine: Chinese

★★★★★

5 from 16reviews

This vegetable stir-fry recipe comes together in no time! To turn this side dish into a complete meal, serve it with brown rice and your choice of protein.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup Fusia Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce (regular soy sauce is too salty!)
• 2 tablespoons SimplyNature Organic Wildflower Honey or maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch or corn starch
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 large clove garlic, pressed or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (scale back or omit completely if you’re sensitive to spice)
• 1 tablespoon SimplyNature Organic Coconut Oil or your cooking oil of choice
• 1 small red onion, root and tip ends removed and cut into 1/4-inch thick wedges
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into very thin rounds
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 bunch (1/2 pound) thin asparagus, tough ends removed and cut into 2-inch long pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Whisk until blended and set aside.
2. Warm the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and carrots and a pinch of salt. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until the onions have softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. (If at any point you catch a whiff of something burning while making this stir-fry, dial back the heat a bit.)
3. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring every 30 seconds, until the carrots are starting to caramelize on the edges and are easily pierced by a fork, about 3 minutes.
4. Pour in the prepared sauce and cook, while stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened to your liking, about 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat and serve as a side dish as-is, or turn it into a main dish by serving it with rice, fried eggs or tofu.

**Michelle's note:  I usually add chicken and often use the Costco bag of stir fry vegetables in place of fresh veggies to save time

Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 
• Prep Time: 45 mins
 
• Cook Time: 60 mins
 
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
 
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings
 
• Category: Entree
 
• Cuisine: Mexican

★★★★★

4.9 from 61reviews

This roasted veggie enchilada casserole recipe is a hearty, vegetable-packed dinner loaded with fresh Mexican flavors! It’s a great gluten-free main dish. Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

Roasted veggies

• 1/2 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1″ squares
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into wedges about 1/2″ wide
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Remaining ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (18 ounces) red salsa, either homemade or jarred*
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• 9 to 10 corn tortillas**, halved
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
• 2 big handfuls (about 2 ounces) baby spinach leaves
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To roast the veggies (this can be done up to 2 days in advance): Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the vegetables from sticking.
2. On one pan, combine the cauliflower and sweet potato. On the other pan, combine the bell peppers and onion. Drizzle half of the olive oil over one pan, and the other half over the other pan. Same with the cumin.
3. Sprinkle both pans lightly with salt and pepper, then toss each one until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil and spices, adding another light drizzle of olive oil if necessary. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer across each pan. Bake until the vegetables are tender and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the veggies and swapping the pans halfway.
4. When you’re ready to assemble, reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9″ square baker. Stir the cilantro into the salsa.
5. To assemble, spread 1/2 cup salsa evenly over the bottom of the baking pan. Add a single layer of halved tortilla pieces, arranging them so they completely cover the salsa.
6. Top with 1/2 of the beans, 1/3 of the vegetables, 1/2 of the of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese.
7. Make a second layer of tortillas (I pressed down on the mixture a little here to make room for the next layers). Top with 1/2 of the remaining salsa, all of the remaining beans, 1/2 of the remaining vegetables, all of the remaining spinach, and 1/2 of the remaining cheese.
8. Make a third layer of tortillas (again, I pressed down to make more room). Top with the remaining salsa, vegetables, and cheese.
9. Cover the pan with parchment paper (I tent mine in the middle and wrap the edges around the handles) or aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes, or until heated through.
10. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, to give it time to set and reach a palatable temperature. Before serving, sprinkle the top lightly with additional chopped cilantro.

NOTES

Recipe adapted from Perry’s Plate.
*SALSA SUGGESTIONS: I recommend a mild to medium salsa here, depending on your heat preferences.
STORAGE SUGGESTIONS: This casserole keeps well, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.
CHANGE IT UP: You could change up the vegetables used here as long as you use about the same volume. You could also add another can of beans to up the protein content.

Dal Makhani

**Edited** You don't have to start this overnight. I have been doing the "Night Before" steps first thing in the morning and then adding the rest to the crockpot at lunch, and it turns out great. Just keep the crockpot on high for the first step, and sometimes I keep it on high the whole time depending on how quickly the water is absorbing.


This is a recipe my friend, Josh, made for us and we all loved it. It's very easy (just dump everything in a crockpot), but you have to plan ahead and start it the night before. I make some substitutions based on what I have easy access to, so I'll list the original recipe as well as my modifications.

The Night Before:
Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low overnight.

4 c. water
1 c. Urad Dal (this is a kind of lentils. I have used regular lentils instead and it tastes great)
1/2 c. red kidney beans (if you are using dried beans, boil them first for 10 min.; I use canned)
2 T Channa Dal (another kind of lentil. I just add two more T of regular lentils)
2 T Ghee (which is clarified butter... I just use butter)
1 1/2 t. salt
2 T Ginger Garlic Paste (Can buy it in the store or just mince up equal parts of garlic and ginger)
Kashmiri Chili Powder (this is spicy Indian chili powder. I got some at an Indian market, but you could just use regular chili powder and add hot sauce when you serve it to spice it up)

4-6 Hours before Serving:
Add these ingredients. If it looks really thick, you may need to add another cup or water or so to keep it from sticking to your crockpot.

1 c. tomato paste
2 T. fenugreek leaves (I leave these out because I have never been able to find them)
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. anchoor (green mango powder. I bought this at an Indian market, but you could probably find it at a spice store like Penzey's).
1 t. coriander
1/2 t. black salt (which is surprisingly not black... it's pink. You can also use regular salt)
1/2 t. onion powder
2-3 T. butter

Before serving:
Add a pinch of garam masala (optional) and 1/2 c. milk

Serve over rice with naan on the side.

Paleo Tomato Basil Beef Goulash with Eggplant

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 shallots, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1" cubes
• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
• ⅓ cup fresh basil, diced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¾ cup coconut cream (thick cream at the top of canned coconut milk)

Instructions

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
• Add the shallots and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, until fragrant
• Add the ground beef and cook to brown
• In a separate saucepan, heat the other tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add the diced eggplant. Cook until soft, around 5 minutes
• Once the beef is browned, drain any excess grease add the diced tomatoes (with juice), basil, and salt. Stir to combine then add the coconut cream, tomato paste, and eggplant
• Serve immediately and garnish with more fresh basil

SLOW COOKER TACO CHICKEN BOWLS

INGREDIENTS
1½ lbs. chicken breasts
16 oz. jar salsa
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. can black beans
½ lb. frozen corn
1 Tbsp chili powder
½ Tbsp cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Freshly cracked pepper
6 cups cooked rice
8 oz. shredded cheddar
3 green onions, sliced (or fresh cilantro)

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 5 quart or larger slow cooker. Drain the black beans and add them to the slow cooker along with the salsa and corn. Add ¼ cup water, plus the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, some freshly cracked pepper (about 10-15 cranks of a pepper mill).

Give the ingredients a brief stir to distribute the spices. Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

After 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be very tender and will shred easily). Taste the chicken mixture and add salt if needed.

To build the bowls, place one cup of rice in the bottom of a bowl and top with 1 cup of the shredded chicken mixture. Top with a little cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of sliced green onions or cilantro.

Warm Couscous Salad With Salmon and Mustard-Dill Dressing

Ingredients:

2 (8-ounce) salmon filets, preferably wild
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
6 ounces pearled couscous
3 cups homemade vegetable stock or store-bought low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup picked dill, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves, chopped in half if large, or left whole if baby

DIRECTIONS

1. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a 12-inch stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add salmon, skin-side down, and immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, pressing down gently with a spatula to ensure contact, until the skin is rendered and crisp, about 6 minutes. If skin shows resistance when attempting to lift with a spatula, allow it to continue to cook until it lifts easily.

2. Flip salmon and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120°F for medium rare or 130°F for medium, about 1 minute longer. Transfer salmon to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool. Once cooled, flake salmon using your hands; discard skin.

3. Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shallot and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add couscous and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, stirring to combine, and adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is tender. Strain any excess liquid.

4. In a large serving bowl, mix together mustard and lemon juice. Stir in couscous, along with dill and spinach, stirring to fluff the couscous and wilt the spinach. Stir in flaked salmon and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with dill and serve right away.

Recipe from Serious Eats

Red lentil & squash dahl

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Approx 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm (prepared weight)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomato
5 c. chicken stock
1 heaped tbsp mango chutney
2.25 c. uncooked red lentils
naan bread, to serve

Method

Put the oil and the onion in a saucepan, and cook for 5 mins. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further 1 min, then stir in the spices and butternut squash. Combine everything together. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock and chutney, and season well. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer for about 10 mins. Add the lentils and simmer for another 20 mins until the lentils and squash are tender. Stir in the coriander and serve with warmed naan bread.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, February 2014
BBC GoodFood Magazine

Italian Beef Sandwiches (crockpot)

These are a recent find. Delicious and easy crockpot recipe. Serves 6. Originally found on iowagirleats.com

3 lb roast with visible fat trimmed and cut into large chunks
1 envelope of Zesty Italian dressing mix
8 oz. pepperoncini pepper slices plus a splash of juice (Patrick and I loved the hot peppers, but the boys preferred the mild ones. We bought spicy peppers to throw on top of our sandwiches.)
8 oz. Giardiniera (chicago-style italian sandwich mix). I've never been able to find this so I leave it out.
14.5 oz. beef broth
provolone cheese slices
hoagie buns

Place all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 9 hours or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred meat and put back in crock pot for 1 hour on low.

Split buns length-wise. Top with shredded meat, cheese and additional peppers if you want.

Breakfast Sandwiches

These are very easy and can be prepped ahead of time. Great for a special breakfast or to feed a lot of people for a brunch. We made them for our Easter sunrise service, and they were a huge hit.

1 pkg Hawaiian rolls (or other similar rolls)
2 c. shredded cheese.
7-8 eggs, scrambled
6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and diced (could also sub cooked, ground sausage)
2 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut the rolls through the middle and arrange the bottom halves in a 9x11 pan. Layer cheese, scrambled eggs and diced cooked bacon. Add the top halves of the rolls. (At this point, you can cover and refrigerate overnight if needed).

Before cooking, spread melted butter on the tops of the rolls. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 10 min. covered. Then remove cover and bake an additional 2 minutes.

Date Energy Balls

Originally found on detoxinista. Perfect bite-sized energy boosters for all of us pregnant/nursing mommas. Vegan and Paleo.

2 c. walnuts or other nuts/seeds
1 c. shredded coconut
2 c. soft, pitted dates
2 T. coconut oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla

In food processor, process walnuts and coconut until crumbly. Add in dates, coconut oil, vanilla and sea salt and process until a sticky and uniform batter is formed. Make Tablespoon sized balls, and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for at least an hour to set. Store in sealed container in fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for a longer shelf life.