Healthy Pumpkin Quinoa Cookies

I am pretty sure that I was an extremely well mannered and very grateful child. I know that I  NEVER traded my lovingly packed brown sack lunch which was made up of either  PB&J or Spam sandwiches, yes Spam, and crudités for unhealthy, sugar laden treats like Ding Dongs (which were gloriously wrapped in tin foil) and Twinkies that the other kids (who's parents obviously didn't love them) sported in their Rainbow Bright lunch boxes. Indeed, I was an unusually thoughtful and agreeable child (not to mention cute and lovable) who never, ever, EVER complained about or threw away her healthy, home made lunches. 

The End. (Nobody who reads this knows my parents right?)

My children, my own flesh and blood are tempting my patience when it comes to eating healthy, home made foods. Yes, I have succumbed to the fact that each of my 4 children go through their phases of not liking one thing or another, never at the same time mind you. And I have relented to the reality that dinner time is more akin to an ugly, major court hearing where I am the judge, lawyer, jury and henchman.  

What manages to get on my very last, frazzled nerve however is that my spawn  children begged and pleaded on their adorable little knees to pleeeease make them lunch because the school lunches were "gross" (can't disagree there). So I did. Again.

And they are complaining about it.

Again.

I roasted a 'pie' pumpkin at 400F for about 40 min. then scooped out the flesh and pureed. Your cookies will be much lighter in color then if you use canned pumpkin. Make sure you poke several holes in you pumpkin before roasting to let out steam! Otherwise it can explode, trust me. :(

 In fact, child numero dos had the nerve to tell me that he "changed his mind, the school lunches weren't so bad after all."  Punk.

I mean I have been making these cute little treats packed lovingly with a love note from Dear ol' Mom.

Pinterest pinners must not have boys.

These pumpkin cookies were a hit with the Spawn, the Kale pesto turkey wraps, not so much. Baby steps. I think I will stick to making these for breakfast cookies and after school snacks. 

Recipe Source:  Healthful Pursuit

YIELDS  24 SMALL COOKIES       PREP TIME  15 MINUTES    BAKE TIME 30 MINUTES

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup raw quinoa
• 1 cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar 
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup (130 grams) pureed pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg white 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

Add quinoa to a fine mesh stainer and rinse well. Add water and quinoa to a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few of minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

Add flour, sugar, ground flax, pumpkin spice mix and salt to a large bowl. Add 1½ cups of the cooked quinoa to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.Add pumpkin, oil, vanilla, egg white and maple syrup to a small bowl and stir well. Pour the wet mixture in with the dry mixture and stir to combine. Scoop into small balls and place on prepared baking sheet. They will not spread out, so you can keep the cookies close. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven, let cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and allowing them to cool for a couple of hours. Cookies will become firmer as they cool.

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Quinoa with Black Bean and Mango Salsa

So sweet, tangy and delicious, you'll forget it's good for you!
The vibrant colors of this salad—orange, red, black and green—signal that it's loaded with phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals. And since it features both quinoa—a “complete” protein with all the essential amino acids—and black beans, it's a vegetarian protein powerhouse.

NutritionPer serving: 422 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 74 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 15 g protein; 19 g fiber; 258 mg sodium; 642 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (210% daily value), Vitamin A (50% dv), Magnesium (22% dv), Vitamin E (20% dv).

Other blogs/sites with similar recipe
Eclectic Recipes
Eating Well

TIME  30 MINUTES    SERVES 6

Ingredients


1 cup quinoa, (see Note)


2 cups water


1/4 cup orange juice


1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (don't like cilantro? use parsley instead)


2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar


1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil


1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger ( excellent for digestive health and immunity)


1/8 teaspoon salt


Pinch of cayenne pepper


1 small mango, diced (see Tip)


1 small red bell pepper, diced


1 cup dry black beans


3 scallions, thinly sliced (the bottom third of green onions)










Preparation


1. Boil quinoa in 2 cups water for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 15 minutes.  Some quinoa comes pre-rinsed, if not make sure to rinse well in a seive to remove naturally occuring bitter saponins, a "soapy" coating on quinoa.
2.Meanwhile, whisk orange juice, cilantro, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add mango, bell pepper, beans and scallions; toss to coat.


3.When the quinoa is finished cooking, add to the mango mixture and toss to combine.




Tip:  I use dry beans instead of canned (cheaper, less sodium) and I usually make twice as much and reserve half so we can have burritos or tostados the following day!


Note: Quinoa, a delicately flavored grain, was a staple in the ancient Incas' diet. Toasting it before cooking enhances its flavor, and rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa's natural, bitter protective covering.

This post is linked to Make it with....... Monday's featured ingredient, Quinoa.

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Granola-Quinoa Fruit Bars - GF

These were great. More like a soft granola bar with just the right amount of peanut butter. Great after school snack or grab and go breakfast! Can you tell we like those around here? It's so much cheaper and healthier to make your own snacks in bulk like this. I always double my recipes and freeze some if necessary, but they usually get gobbled up within the week. These are gluten free and full of good-for-you things. Quinoa is a super healthy whole grain, it's actually a complete protein all by itself. It has a slightly nutty taste making it perfect in granola bars.


adapted from 101 CookBooks

TIME   5 minutes active, 25 minutes baking    Makes about 15 bars

You Will Need:

1 cup dried date pieces or 10 dates, diced
1 cup water, more or less
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

1/2 cup Agave Nectar or Honey

1/2 cup old fashioned oats ( I use Coach's Oats)

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup dried fruit, chopped (I used craisins, apricots, blueberries and strawberries)

1/4 cup flaxmeal (ground flaxseed)

parchament paper or 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

*you could also use peanut oil, almond oil, walnut oil or grapeseed oil. I would stay away from Canola, vegetable and olive oils since any oil will absorb into your food and thus aquire their taste.

Putting it all together:

Lightly coat inside of an 8x8 baking dish with oil or line with parchment paper making sure parchment comes above all sides of the dish. Preheat oven to 350 F.
 In a saucepan over low heat, heat peanut butter, water, quinoa, oats, fruit, pistachios and flax. With a big, sturdy wooden spoon, stir to completely mix. If the mixture is too thick, add more water. If it is too thin, add more peanut butter.

 Remove from heat and press into baking dish using spoon. Bake for 20-25 minutes if desired, or just chill for an hour for more sticky bars and to make theese Raw (make sure to chill for an hour even after you bake them). Remove from pan and slice into bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.













This post is linked to 'Make it with Monday's' featured ingredient, Quinoa.

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Nutty Greek Quinoa Toss

It's amazing how easily one can gain a few pounds when your metabolism takes a nose dive in your late thirties. I mean honestly, can't a girl go on a nice relaxing cruise and sit around all day long on the back of a ship's deck looking out at the cold, serene Alaskan waters with her feet up on a wicker chair and be surrounded constantly with pastries, cheeses and berry filled crepes at all hours of the day without gaining 8 stupid pounds?

Apparently not. *Sigh.






Well, if that weren't a bad enough set back on my never ending fight against belly bulge then the 12 hour road trip we took this last weekend to Utah with 4 kids certainly put the nail on the diet coffin. While we did bring along apples and healthy trail mix, they went so well with Twizzlers and chocolate covered raisins that we decided to buy some cookies to top it off. Perfectly reasonable right?


Now, how to lose those 10 pounds gained in 2 short weeks after I've been fighting to lose 20 since who the hell knows when?    *Double sigh, big fat pout.

Here's the back of the ship where my sweetie and I  loved to sit and relax..... and snack.... a lot.

Can you blame us? I mean really. Look at the view. And the weather was just so unbelievably cool and perfect compared to the miserable heat we are used to here in Phoenix.

We didn't spend  ALL  of our time on our butts stuffing our mouths.
We had some pretty amazing adventures too.
Here we are zip lining through the 200 foot tall trees in Ketchikan, AK.  

Me and my baby sister Rachel.

Did I mention that due to the glaciers that swept over the land many years ago, the soil is only 4-6" deep?
Did you catch that? That's INCHES, not feet.


We were swinging from super tall trees that are hanging on for their dear lives in soil that is too shallow to plant carrots in!


Smart.

And we took one frieking amazing, hold onto your hats fast bike ride 32 mies from Canada back to Skagway, AK. This was by far the highlight of my trip! The scenery was breath taking. 

So, how to fit back into my pants?


It's a good thing I discovered quinoa some time ago and shortly after figured out how to make it unbelievable delicious.

It's the feta. No, it's the toasted pine nuts. NO! It's the white balsamic vinaigrette.

O.K., all of these things plus the squeeze of lemon, freshness of the parsley and zip of the sweet peppers make this quinoa toss very addictive and satisfyng. My tummy thanks me.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 big handful grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 big handful sweet peppers minced
1 big handful parsley, minced
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinaigrette
freshly cracked white pepper
squeeze fresh lemon juice



Put quinoa into a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly to remove natural 'soapy' film.  Cook according to package directions, usually 1:1 parts quinoa-water, bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
If you please, toast pine nuts on a dry cast iron skillet until golden brown to bring out flavor.
Using a small food processor or knife, finely dice sweet peppers, garlic and parsley.
In a large bowl, toss together still warm quinoa, feta, peppers, parsley, pine nuts and tomatoes.
Drizzle in oil and vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Add lemon and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or chilled.

For dinner, we prefer the warm version where the feta is just slightly creamy and the flavors melt together.

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Sweet Ginger Peach Tea Quinoa with Jalepeno, Peaches and Pecans #RecipeRedux

Is there anything better than a freshly made glass of ice cold tea on a hot day? Not really IMHO. One of my favorite go to teas is Ginger Peach Tea from Republic of Tea. It's subtle peach flavor is perfect for sipping on the patio on a hot summer day. We have paaalenty of those sort of days here in the Valley of the Sun.

Have you ever thought of using tea in your cooking or baking? To tell you the truth I hadn't ever really considered it as an option except for maybe this Green Tea Soup and this Miso Green Tea and Ginger Zucchini Noodle Soup. When the Recipe Redux team challenged us to come up with a recipe starring tea I had to rack my brain, then scour some of my favorite magazines for help.

I came across some surprising recipes using tea many of which I've bookmarked to make later. Some of my favorite's and most interesting are these Tea Smoked Chicken in a Wok by Jeanette's Healthy Living. Cooking Light's Green Tea Honey Cake is screaming summer back yard pool party as is this Vanilla Jasmine Sour Cream Tea Cake! I know I won't make it until Christmas without making these Chai Tea Cutout Cookies from Brianne at Cupcakes and Kale Chips.

I finally settled on making a sweet ginger peach tea bowl of quinoa using warm, ripe, juicy peaches and automatic toasted pecans for warmth. I added some chopped mint from our little herb garden to compliment the ginger peach flavors. I suppose this would be considered a side dish, perfect to bring to your next backyard potluck but I was content in sitting on the porch watching the kids play in the pool and eating  two  a big bowl of this.

recipe adapted from Southern Living Magazine May 2011

TIME    30 MINUTES        SERVES 4-6

2 cups sweetened Ginger Peach Tea {make strong}

1 cup uncooked quinoa (I used multi colored)

1 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2  fresh peaches, peeled and diced {peaches are on the Top 10 must eat Organic least and only pennies more expensive when in season}

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1. Pre make 2 cups of Ginger Peach tea. Leave in pot {or pour from kettle into medium size stock pot}. Add 1 cup *pre-rinsed quinoa. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. 
2. Meanwhile, melt coconut oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat; add pecans, and roast, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Add jalapeno, and saute 1 minute. Transfer to quinoa bowl and toss to combine. Add chopped mint and mango and toss. 

Serve warm. 

notes 

Baked chicken would go good with this if you are a meat eater. However, I found this plenty flavorful and filling all on its own. 

Quinoa has a natural 'soapy' film on it and must be pre-rinsed in a fine mesh sieve. Most quinoa these days come pre-rinsed but I always rinse mine anyway. Nothing ruins a bowl of quinoa like a soapy flavor. 


The tea flavor was very, very subtly in this quinoa and while I couldn't pick it out amongst the quinoa's nutty flavor I did find that it added a bit of depth and interest to the dish. The original recipe called for white rice and I'm sure the tea would be more pronounced. 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

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Chicken and Quinoa Salad

This dish is so amazing! Not only is it simple to make and very colorful and pretty, it is very healthy and my kids love it! What more could you ask for? I promise you will love quinoa. It is, in my humble opinion, a million times better than rice! So light and fluffy and yummy!

Quinoa facts found here.

Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain; an average of 16.2 percent, compared with 7.5 percent for brown rice, 9.9 percent for millet, and 14 percent for wheat. Some varieties of quinoa are more than 20 percent protein. Quinoa's protein is of an unusually high quality. It is a complete protein (click for info on complete proteins!), with an essential amino acid balance close to the ideal ... similar to milk!
Easy on the Stomach Quinoa is light, tasty, and easy to digest. It is not sticky or heavy like most other grains, and it has a delicious flavor all its own.

Quick and Simple to PrepareA whole-grain dish of quinoa takes just 15 minutes

Perfect for SummertimeMany people eat grains only during the colder months, but quinoa's lightness combined with its versatility in cold dishes like salads and desserts makes it an ideal source of good summertime nutrition.

Kids love it!

PREP 15 minutes COOK 15 minutes SERVES 4-6You will need: 

1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 cups ( about 6 oz) cooked, cubed chicken (boil or bake, I use my handy dandy pressure cooker)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup diced radishes ( about 4)
1/2 cup chopped seeded, peeled cucumber
1/4 cup chopped, fresh flat leaf parsley
3 TBSP toasted pine nuts

Rinse quinoa under running water to remove natural "soapy" film! Bring broth to a boil in a
medium saucepan. Stir in quinoa. Turn down heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
In a cast iron skillet, over medium heat, add pine nuts (No Oil) shaking constantly till golden brown, about 3 minutes.
In a large bowl combine chicken, radishes, onions, cucumber, parsley, quinoa and pine nuts. Toss gently to combine. 

Dressing:1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP grapeseed oil (or evoo)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove minced
Combine all ingredients in a large measuring cup.
Whisk to combine. Pour over salad, toss gently.

NUTRITION FACTS

amount per serving

Calories 347

Calories from Fat 131 (37%)

Amount Per Serving %DV

Total Fat 14.6g 22%

Saturated Fat 2.3g 11%

Monounsaturated Fat 6.8g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3.9g

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 39mg 13%

Sodium 377mg 15%

Potassium 659mg 18%

Total Carbohydrate 33.6g 11%

Dietary Fiber 3.5g 14%

Sugars 1.1g

Protein 21.8g 43%

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Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kabobs with Mint Quinoa

You are going to love me for this one! It's my new favorite for sure. It is a combination of a couple of different recipes I've found from Cooking Light and Sunset magazine. I altered it a bit using herbs from my garden and a few extra veggies... of corse.

The smoky char flavor that the chicken, onion and peppers get from the grill pair wonderfully with the tangy yogurt-feta sauce. I am in love with garam masala right now! It is a very popular spice used in India in all kinds of dishes. It is a mix of cumin, coriander, cardamom,  black peppercorns,  cinnamon, whole cloves,nutmeg and saffron. It isn't as pungeant as a curry. The cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg make it very mouth watering, especially as a rub on chicken.

 

SERVES 6  TIME 45 minutes 
Ingredients:


10-12 metal or wooden scewers
2 cups plain fat free yogurt, divided

3 tsp garam masala

1 tsp Madras curry pwdr

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/3 cup crumbled low-fat feta

3 TBSP minced red onion
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 TBSP chopped mint leaves, divided

1 cup quinoa

Directions:

1. If using wooden scewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes so they don't burn on the grill.

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup yogurt, garam masala, curry and garlic in a zip lock bag. Add chicken, seal bag and shake to coat. Let sit at room temp for 20 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, stir together remaining yogurt, feta, onion, lemon zest and 1 TBSP mint. set aside.

3. Bring 2 cups water to boil in a pot. Rinse quinoa very thouroughly in a seive to rinse off the naturally "soapy" coating it has. Bring quinoa to a boil, turn down heat to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove lid, stir, cook for about another 5 minutes. Cover when done and remove from heat.

4. Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken, onion & bell peppers onto scewers. discard marinade. Grill kabobs, turning only once ( it's easier to pick them up with a large tong in the middle, not by the stick.) cook till juiced run clear, 10-15 minutes.

Pile quinoa on platter, sprinkle with mint ( I used parsley too) serve with kabobs and sauce.

PRINT THIS RECIPE

This is a very flavorful, mouthwatering dish! Enjoy!

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Quinoa Spring Pilaf

Fresh, raw Spring veggies are tossed with rainbow quinoa for this quick and tangy 

citrus infused pilaf.  

It's beautiful and breezy here in Phoenix and totally tank top and flip flop weather!  Hooray!  Time to get a plan in action to take advantage of every minute of this 80 degree weather in the Valley of the Sun before triple digit scorching weather is here and it's our turn to be locked up inside.  Instead of being freezed in, we will be rubbing ice cubes on our necks, faces pressed close to a rotating fan.






Step 1. Get a pedicure and buy three new pairs of cute flip flops and two new pairs of sexy sandals (yes there's a difference).

Step 2. Purchase a new pair of Rock Star shades and sit by the pool to put some color back on your fish belly white arms and legs!

Step 3. Attend as many Spring training baseball games as possible while sporting your new semi-tanned bod.

{note to self: try not to gain 5 lbs this year eating Brats and drinking beer at aforementioned baseball games}

Step 4. Start making fresh, raw whenever possible meals using all of your favorite Spring veggies that are back in season!

Step 5. Try not to cry when swim suit shopping this year. We are going to eat healthier, exercise more and be even sexier bitches than we are right now!

Step 6. Go hiking every day before it reaches 115 degrees, lift weights, feel awesome!

I will in all honesty be eating this salad several times a week. I'm not one for eating the same thing over and over seeing as that I love trying new foods in new combinations but this one, this one's a keeper! Nothing beats simple + healthy + delicious.

recipe adapted from alexandra cooks

TIME    20 MINUTES        SERVES    4

Ingredients 

1 cup rainbow quinoa

1 cup **fresh fava beans (if not in season use frozen lima beans)

1 cup walnuts, chopped

4 to 5 scallions or spring onions, rinsed, trimmed and finely sliced

8 to 10 radishes, thinly sliced

kosher salt and pepper to taste

2 lemons, juiced

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or walnut oil)

Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve and rinse thoroughly  under cold water to remove the naturally "soapy film".  Add quinoa and fresh fava beans, lower heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is just absorbed. Remove from heat. Place in a large bowl to cool.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the walnuts, scallions, radishes, olive oil and lemon juice to the bowl. Toss to combine. If you prefer it a bit tangier like I do, add a tablespoon of champagne vinegar or more lemon.

**I personally do not eat soy beans because they are a GMO (genetically modified organism) which some studies  have shown to cause several health risks and complications, for me personally, they caused me to have pre-menopausal symptoms. Since genetic engineering means modifications of genes, and genes are the blueprint for making proteins, GE foods tend to make proteins not naturally found in their chemical structure. Many adverse reactions to food involve immune system response to proteins, and it would be logical to expect more of these adverse reactions in the case of GE foods.

sources

World's Healthiest Foods

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Spicy-Broccoli Quinoa

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Do you cook anything special for St. Patrick's Day?

This Spicy Broccoli Quinoa would be fun to make for St. Patty's Day. It is definately a healthy alternative to corned beef and hash, which I actually love but it doesn't love me so much.


Well, to those of you who aren't used to eating bright green foods for your main course, I hope you will take my word for it that this dish was excellent! After my husband and older son hesitantly took there first bite they both said "Oh! It's really good!" Uh, thanks for the vote of confidence guys.

The Parmesan and cream really make this dish rich and delightful, while the garlic, lemon and parsley make it fresh and crisp. The biggest surprise was the infused chile oil. Excellent! It took all of 8 minutes to make and the little bit of kick it gave the quinoa really made this 5 stars. ;-)

slightly adapted from 101 Cook Books

SERVES 4-6 TIME 15 MINUTES ACTIVE, 30 MINUTES COOKING

You Will Need:


3 cups cooked quinoa*


5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems


1 garlic clove


big handful fresh, flat leaf parsley


2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted


1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan


2 big pinches salt


2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ( 1/2 lemon)


1/4 cup olive oil


1/4 cup half and half


** Fire Oil

Putting it all together:

Cook the quinoa by boiling twice as much water as quinoa ( so 2 cups water and 1 cup quinoa in this case). Put quinoa in a sieve, rinse under cool running water. Add quinoa to boiling water, lower heat, cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 15 more minutes.

Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 1 cup water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for one minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside.

To make the broccoli pesto puree one cup of the cooked Broccoli, the Garlic, 1/2 cup of the Almonds, Parsley, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth.

Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the broccoli pesto. Spoon onto plates, top with the remaining almonds, a drizzle of the chile oil.

* Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

** To make the red chile oil: You'll need 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 11/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. In a small saucepan over low heat, add EVOO, stir in the crushed red pepper flakes and let infuse for 5-8 minutes, ma

king sure not to let oil get to hot. The chilies should not smell acrid or burned. Set aside and let cool, then store any unused oil in refrigerator. Bring to room temp again before using.

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Roasted Cauliflower Florets with Sweet Curried Quinoa

Can we just talk for a minute about how hard it is to motivate myself to get anything at all done right now? Honestly, all I want to do is be outside and soak up the warm, perfect Arizona sun in all of its perfect glory. I realize most of the Country is struggling through a nasty winter at the moment and I'm sorry to rub it in your face, I don't mean to. I'm more than grateful for the gorgeous weather we have here in Phoenix and I mean to take advantage of  every single second of the sun basking, pool side lounging, Chardonnay sipping Spring we have been blessed with. Feel free to come visit us anytime (except June-August which pretty much sucks and it's your turn for bragging).


We've been either eating out (on patios of course), ordering in or making super simple, throw together lunches and dinners so as not to waste any time stuffed up indoors. I've come to terms with my laziness and in fact prefer to call it embracing and enjoying the present. Perspective people.

Make this when you are craving something simple, sweet and savory all at the same time. Don't forget the raisins, Yum! The end. 

recipe source  Cookie and Kate

SERVES     4        PREP TIME    10        COOK TIME    30

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or olive oil

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch sea salt

Curried Quinoa and Greens

2 teaspoons melted coconut oil or olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon curry powder of choice (optional)

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk

½ cup water

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander

⅓ cup raisins

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

4 cups baby spinach, baby kale, chard or arugula

 red pepper flakes to taste

Roast the cauliflower: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cauliflower florets with oil, cayenne p and a light sprinkle of sea salt. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes on the middle rack, turning halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and golden on the edges.

Cook the quinoa:

In a large pot warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently, 3- 5 minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, curry powder and cardamom and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, water, rinsed quinoa and raisins. Bring the mixture to a soft boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Stir in the salt, vinegar and greens. Spoon quinoa into bowls over roasted cauliflower. Add red pepper flakes to your taste.

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