Quinoa Edamame Salad 2/18/15

Quinoa Edamame Salad
Makes enough for 4-5 as a side

Can you tell I'm a big quinoa fan? I've been using so much of this stuff lately. I made a batch this morning so I could put some in my breakfast bowl and use the rest for this baby. Quinoa is great because you can put it with almost anything. Take it and see what you think.

Ingredients:
3/4 cooked quinoa (I used rainbow)
1 cup cooked edamame
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 cup chopped Basil
3 chopped Green Onions

Dressing:
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

Mix it all together, grab a spoon and eat.

The rainbow quinoa looks cool.

Song for the Recipe: Hang Loose by Alabama Shakes 

Because Brittany can really sing. 

Until next time. 

Meg. 

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl 2/18/15

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
Makes one delish bowl for one awesome human.

So I decided to branch out a bit and try this breakfast bowl out that I saw on BuzzFeed. Super easy to make and the cool thing about this is that if you make it too big and can't eat it all just stick it in the fridge and eat it the next morning. Or later on that afternoon you know whatever. Try it out.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Quinoa (I used rainbow)
Honey
Mint
Blackberries
Raspberries (you could throw some blueberries and strawberries in here instead if that's your thing)
Sunflower Seeds
Almonds
Yogurt (use whatever kind ya want)

Throw it all into a bowl and dig in.

Song for the Recipe: Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae

Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams. 

Until next time.

Meg. 

Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta with Zucchini and Basil Ribbons 2/11/15

Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta with Zucchini and Basil Ribbons
Makes enough for 4 as a main. Hello leftovers.

I went rogue on this one and changed a lot of the original recipe. Turns out I'm pretty creative. This would be bomb with the Almond Caesar previously made. Put the two together and boom.

Ingredients:

RED PEPPER SAUCE
2 Roasted red bell peppers, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Jar of Sprouts Tomato Basil sauce

PASTA
1 pound spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine (I used whole grain spaghetti)
4 medium zucchini
1 cup basil, sliced into thin strips
1 pound ground turkey or beef
grated parmesan (optional)

ONE: Make the sauce first. Cut the peppers into pieces. In a medium saucepan add a teaspoon olive oil and sauté the peppers for about 15-20 minutes to get them nice and cooked on medium heat. You can season them with salt and pepper if you'd like. Once these are roasted put them in a blender with the rest of the ingredients for the sauce MINUS the jar of tomato basil sauce and let that ish blend to a nice saucy mixture. You'll add the jar of sauce later trust me.

TWO: Now cook the pasta according to the package directions.

THREE: Cut the zucchini into coins. In a medium saucepan add a teaspoon of olive oil and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the zucchini coins and sauté them up. You'll keep these separate from the sauce and pasta and just add them later.

FOUR: Now it's time to cook the ground turkey or beef, whatever you picked. Once your meat is cooked add the red pepper sauce from the blender and the jar of tomato basil sauce. Mix it all together and you're good to go.

FIVE: Grab a nice sized bowl add pasta, then some zucchini, then the meaty sauce, fresh basil, and top if off with grated parmesan, if you have any.

So good. 

Song for the Recipe: Rock or Bust by ACDC

In honor of the Grammy's and Coachella coming up. 

Until next time.

Meg. 

To Go Breakfast Bars 2/5/15

To-Go Breakfast Bars
Makes about 8 or a lot of granola if you don't cut them carefully :)

Some mornings you've just gotta get out of the house. Make these babies for those mornings. So in that case everything morning.

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/4 cups chopped mixed nuts or seeds (you choose my dudes)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or similar dried fruit
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup syrup
1/2 cup peanut or almond butter (I used 1/4 cup of each)
1/4 cup refined coconut oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons white or brown sugar (I used 1 of each)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ONE: Heat yo oven to 350. Grab a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and lien it with parchment so some of the paper goes over the edge of the pan. This makes is waaaay easier to just lift the bars out later. Planning ahead like an adult.

TWO: Heat a large skillet or wok over a medium-low heat and add the oats and quinoa. Stir them all around until they start to smell toasted, about 4-5 minutes. While that is going combine the nuts and cranberries in a large bowl. Pour in the toasted oat mix and the salt and mix it all together.

THREE: In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, peanut butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla and warm until everything is melted. Make sure that the peanut butter is all mixed and then remove from the heat. Pour this all over the dry mix and stir until everything is coated.

FOUR: Pour the mixture into the baking dish and press it down with a spoon to even it out and make sure it is really in there. Throw in the over for about 25-30 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature then throw it into the fridge. When it's all nice and cold, cut into bars. Keep best in the fridge.

Song for the Recipe: Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin 

Gotta love Janis.

Until next time. 

Meg. 

Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad 2/4/15

Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad
enough for you and 3 friends or just you and 3 days of leftovers. no judgement.

Beets are definitely NOT easy to cook with but man are they tasty. Worth all the work. Don't be a newbie like me and spend 10 minutes looking for them in the store then have to walk to the back corner and google where in a grocery store beets are. I'll help you out, they look like a big radish and are located next to green onions. Normally in the organic section. Okay, here is where things get messy. You're supposed to peal the beets before chopping them up to roast them. In order to peel them you have to bake them in the oven for an hour at 400 degrees. Once they are done baking them you can peel them. Yes, your hands are going to look a little red and bloody but don't even worry about that ish it'll wash right off. Okay, lets get started.

Ingredients:
DRESSING
1 small onion, diced (about 2 tablespoons) I used a red onion because I had some left over
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
3 Tablespoons white wine, balsamic, or champagne vinegar (I used 2 white and one balsamic)
1/4 cup olive oil

SALAD
3 medium beets, peeled (**See above) and chopped into small chances
1 teaspoon of whatever vinegar you used for the dressing
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and ground pepper
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup kale, stems removed, and sliced into thin strips
1/4 cup diced fresh herbs (*dill, basil, parsley whatever you want. I used all parsley)

ONE: Heat oven to 400. Grab a rimmed baking sheet and have it on standby

TWO: Make the dressing. Pour all the stuff into a jar and shake that shit up.

THREE: For the salad: in a medium bowl, toss the beets together with the vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Transfer it all onto the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stirring the beets halfway through.

FOUR: While the beets do their thing, bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the quinoa, Once that shit starts boiling again, cover, and adjust the heat to low. Cook the quinoa at a slow simmer until it is tender, takes about 15 minutes. Just taste it and you'll figure it out, I have faith in you. Once its done, fold the kale into the hot quinoa then add the dressing. Add the fresh herb of your choice and mix well.

FIVE: When the beets are done, fold those ruby red babies right in to the quinoa, Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve this salad at room temperature or refrigerate until cold.

I didn't know what beets looked like. Now you know.

Song for the Recipe: This is How We Roll by Florida Georgia Line

This is supposed to be about trying new things right?

Until next time.

Meg. 

Almond Caesar Salad 1/28/15

Almond Caesar Salad
Makes enough for you and 3 amigos

Fill that empty spot on your plate with this delicious caesar salad. The ingredients are inexpensive and the taste is fulfilling.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/3 cup hot water
1 to 2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon capers
1 head of your favorite lettuce chopped up (I used a red romaine)

ONE: Put the almonds in a glass with the hot water and let them soak for about 15 minutes. Chop the garlic while this is happening. When the almonds start feeling kinda soft, throw them into a food processor or blender with the water they soaked in, the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and rice vinegar. Blend it all up until there are no more large almond pieces and it starts to look creamy. You know what Caesar is supposed to look like duh. Add the capers and run it for a few more seconds. Add to the lettuce and there ya go.

Yum

Song for the Recipe: Just Jammin by Gramatik

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Until next time.

Meg. 

Pineapple Guacamole 1/26/15

Pineapple Guacamole
Makes about 2 1/2 cups of dankness

Helllluur new friend. I was a little nervous adding pineapple but man was I taken by surprise. Not like huac needs help being more delicious, but if you ever feel like mixing it up add them pineapples and enjoy. It's so good you might not want to share.

Ingredients:

2 avocados
2/3 cup chopped pineapple (Canned or fresh, whatever. I used canned and cut them up a little more once I took them out. I also only put in 1/2 cup because it was my first time and I got nervy. Your guac= your rules)
1/2 cup chopped red onion (NOTE TO SELF: red onion is stronger than a white, yellow, and sweet onion. Therefore, you will cry more. Just a heads up. You'll thank me later.)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of salt

All you gotta do it mash up the avocados into nice chunks then add everything else in and start dipping. Serve at room temp or chilled. Your call.

There she is. 

Song for the Recipe: Stereo by BoomBox. 

You needa groove while you cook my friends. 

Until next time. 

Meg.