Browsing Category: In the Kitchen

I Told You I Love Quinoa!

Red Quinoa-Kale Salad

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Cook as per directions…

2 Cups Water or Broth

1 Cup Red Quinoa

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While cooking:

Dice 1/4 Sweet Onion

1/4 Red Bell Pepper Chopped to your desire but I prefer smaller pieces

1 – 1/2 Cups Chopped Kale (I used the curly leaf)

1/4 Shredded Carrot

1/2 Cup Frozen Corn

After the Quinoa is cooled, fluff it up adding it to a large bowl and add the vegetables above.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of Balsamic vinegar and Olive Oil dressing

or make your own…

1/3 to 1/2 Olive Oil with 1-2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

I also like to add 1-2 oz of Hemp Hearts.

Mix well and chill.

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Before serving sprinkle with finely shredded Parmesan Cheese giving a final mix.

Garnish with Sesame Seeds

Serve with crackers and I really like the nut thins as a nice complement! Enjoy!

 

 

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Hearty Whole Grain Oatmeal Bread

I have always enjoyed hearty, grainy breads and this one is just delightful with a slab of butter and your favorite jam, honey or your favorite nut butter! You will enjoy with a morning beverage.

 

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I found a very nice organic six-grain flour at our local ‘Country Pantry’ that is comprised of Wheat, Rye, Barley, Corn, Millet and Buckwheat. It is a lovely fine grind as well.

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I love to use my KitchenAid electric mixer only to mix my bread dough. Maybe yours is handily accessible and even on a portable stand. Mine is not, packed away in its box waiting to be used!

First Step…

4 Cups Warm Water (no more than 105 degrees)

2 Cups Almond Milk (I use plain unsweetened but any milk will do)

2 Tbsp Yeast (2 packages)

1/2 – 3/4 Molasses (you could use honey if you don’t care for the flavor molasses gives)

8 Cups Flour

Add warm water and yeast then gently mix  for several minutes. (I use my wire whip attachment for this step.) Let rest for about 5 minutes and then add your almond milk and blend well.

Here is where you will add your sweetener which the yeast loves as it begins to make it grow! You can now add in your 8 cups of flour and whip until it is well mixed and the consistency of a thick batter.

You will then let this rise for an hour.

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Second Step…

2 Tbsp Salt

3/4 C Butter or Coconut Oil (I mixed mine)

5 Cups Rolled Oats

5 Cups flour (you may need a little less or more and flour for kneading)

Add the oatmeal and then sprinkle the salt around on the top and very thoroughly mix the oats into the batter.

Begin to add your flour until the mixture is of a good kneading consistency. Not too sticky. You can now empty your bowl content onto a floured counter or board and start kneading in the rest of flour. The consistency will be somewhat stiff! Remember, kneading is good therapy!

Oil your bowl and add the ball of dough swiping the dough through the oil and flipping it over so the top is well oiled. Cover the bowl of dough with a light, dampened cloth and let rise for about an hour.

Step Three…

Punch down the dough once again and let rise another 40 minutes.

It is now time to shape the dough into 4 loaves. With a large knife you can slice the dough in half and then in half again.

Grab one of the 1/4’s and pat it out on the floured board or counter to press out the air bubbles. Then fold over the dough pressing it as you go and fold the other side over and press together. Fold your ends down and under and place in your lightly greased bread pan.

 

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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While oven is heating you can let your loaves rise for about 25 minutes. Pop in the oven (not too close together) and bake approximately 50 minutes. The loaves will be golden brown and when tapped will sound sort of hollow.

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Tip your loaves out on racks to cool Completely. (Remember, if you put them in bags to store before they are cool they will sweat and make too much moisture.) But be sure that you don’t put them away until you have yourself a nice warm slice with some butter and honey drizzled on top with a cup of tea or coffee!

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A Cold Winter’s night and Fresh Stir-Fry

By the time winter starts to draw to a close, one gets craving fresh anything! So be it with some fresh sauted veggies on a bed of quinoa that made a very satisfying supper.

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This is kind of a no brainer stir -fry dinner but here you go:

2 carrots sliced fairly thin
3/4 cup of thinly sliced brussel sprouts (I slice top down)
2 Tbsp Olive or Coconut oil

Start this sauteing in the oil and a large skillet on a med heat. Here is where I added a shake or two of sea salt and a shake or two of Emeril’s Bayou Blast Essence.

As veggies begin to cook you can get your quinoa cooking:

2 cups of water
1 cup of rinsed quinoa

Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the rest of the vegetables to the skillet and cook until tender but not mushy. A bit of a crispiness is nice as it makes yummy texture.
Here’s what I added:

5 large mushrooms sliced top down
1 cup of pea pods
1/3 of a sweet onion sliced
1/3 of a sliced pepper (I used an orange one)

You will want to stir this every now and again while it cooks.

Your quinoa should sit for a few minutes before you put a serving on a warmed plate and then add the sauted vegetables. Then enjoy!

This will make 4 generous servings.

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Energy Bites

This has become one of my favorite mid-meal snacks. The kind that gives you the boost needed to make it through the morning or afternoon blahs! They also can satisfy that little sweet craving.

They are extremely versatile from vanilla to chocolate; sweetened or not and add in what you’d like.

So easy to make you will want to whip up a batch right after reading this…

In a medium stainless or glass bowl mix all together:

1 Cup of ground flax seed (I use either golden or brown)

1 Cup peanut butter (any kind you like but my preference is the natural)

2 scoops of your choice of protein powder (love my Zeal protein powder which comes in Vanilla or Chocolate)

2 oz of coconut oil (optional)

1/4 cup of honey (or you could use molasses if you like the flavor)

2 cups of rolled oats

1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips (you can use minis if you like and any flavor you like)

Optional add ins: finely chopped nuts, 2 oz of cocoa powder (for a more chocolaty flavor), dried fruits (chopped fine), flaked coconut. Really the skies the limit!

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Once you have these mixed up well–and remember that your honey, coconut oil even peanut butter will mix much easier if warmed–grab your trusty marvelous #4 scoop! This recipe will make up approximately 18 nice sized balls. If you find your mixture is a bit on the dry side, try drizzling some honey or melted coconut oil until the consistency is moldable instead of crumbly. Again, warm ingredients will work best.

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Mine are placed in a square storage container and refrigerated to thoroughly chill and store. Throw in the freezer to keep longer or out of those fingers that just want another!

And do enjoy!

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