Tex-Mex Quinoa Stuffed Avocado

I got this recipe from HERE and it's called Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocado...but I'm not sure why.  It's not spicy.  So I changed the name.  A great vegan recipe- I even tried making the vegan sour cream topping as well and it turned out great.  My sister was visiting and ate most of the leftovers.  I'm usually not into things masquerading as dairy or meat but I wanted to try making this just for kicks.  Turned out good.  If you're not dairy free, I wouldn't bother.  But if you are, this (the vegan sour cream topping) is a great recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 chopped red pepper
1/2 cup corn
1/4-1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro + some for garnish
1 tbsp taco seasoning (you can use some from a packet or if you want to make your own, I like THIS recipe)
1 avocado per person

Cilantro "Sour Cream":
1 cup cashews soaked for AT LEAST 2 hours
2 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
dash of salt
(you can play with the ingredients till it tastes the way you want)

Directions:

Chop the red onion, red pepper and cilantro and add all the ingredients, minus the quinoa, in a bowl and mix well with the taco seasoning. Once the quinoa is cooked and has cooled, add it to the vegetable mixture.

Put the mixture in the refrigerator to cool.

Drain the cashews and place them in a blender. Add ¼ cup water, apple cider vinegar, and salt and blend. You may want to add more water until the mixture is silky and smooth but I recommend doing so a little at a time. Once the consistency you want, pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.

To assemble the avocados, begin by cutting them in half, removing the skin and the pit. I also scooped out part of the avocado to make a little room for more stuffing.

Scoop as much of the quinoa mixture into each avocado as you can fit.

Finish with a little cilantro ‘sour cream’ and some chopped cilantro and serve.

(I had leftover quinoa salad after making a bunch of these.  I just ate it for lunch the next day.)

Asian Noodle Salad

Almost all of our January meals so far have been meat free and a lot have been vegan or really close to vegan.  Our family needed a veggie cleanse after the holidays.  So I've been trying some new recipes that fall into that category.  This recipe comes from the Pioneer Woman.  Lots of prep but a great make a head meal.

Source: Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

Salad:
1 pkg linguine or spaghettini noodles, cooked, rinsed and cooled (I used a small pack..I think it's the 400ish gram one)
1/2 head sliced napa cabbage
1/2 head sliced purple cabbage
1/2 bag baby spinach (or as much as you want)
1 whole red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 whole yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 whole orange bell pepper, sliced thin
1 bag bean sprouts
loosely chopped cilantro (up to 1 bunch)
3 whole scallions, sliced
1 cup who cashews, lightly toasted in skillet (I forgot this in the cupboard but the salad was still great)

Dressing:
1 whole lime, juiced
8 tbsp olive oil
8 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil (I omitted this because I don't like sesame)
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole hot peppers, chopped finely
chopped cilantro


Directions:

Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.

Note: dressing keeps for up to three days before serving, without cilantro.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Great, full flavoured taco salad but super light on the calories!

Source: http://nutmegnotebook.com/2011/06/chipotle-chicken-taco-salad-2/

Note: If you've never bought canned chipotle peppers before, they are usually found in the Mexican/Taco section in a small can and it will actually say Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce on the front.  You usually only use 1 or 2 in a recipe so to avoid waste, blend up the rest into a puree and store in a labelled ziplock bag in freezer and cut off a piece to thaw out next time you need some.  If you're someone who loves chipotle flavours, instead of freezing it just mix the remaining puree with sour cream or greek yogurt mixed with a little salt, lime juice and cumin and use as a chipotle sauce on whatever you want!

Ingredients:

Dressing:
1/3 cup cilantro
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 tbsp chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce (1 chili for mild/medium, 2 chilis for spicy)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp salt

Salad:
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped chicken
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved OR 2-3 chopped roma tomatoes
1 avocado, chopped
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion or green onion (I don't like the harshness of raw red onion)
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or pinto or kidney if you prefer)
1 can whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained


Directions:

For dressing: Put all ingredients in a food processor/magic bullet/blender and blend together.  If you don't have any of those, mince the chipotle really well and chop the cilantro and then just whisk everything together.

For salad: Put all ingredients in a bowl and toss with dressing.  Serve immediately.

Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

This recipe has been trending on Pinterest and Facebook.  There's a reason: it's freakin DELICIOUS! I'm not sure if this is the original creator of the recipe but I got it from here.  My version of the recipe excludes the red onion and includes the edamame.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1-2 cups shredded red cabbage, depending on how much you like
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup diced green onions
1/2 cup roasted, chopped cashews (or peanuts if you want)
1 cup edamame (I get mine in the frozen section, steam 1 cup, add a pinch of salt and add to salad)
fresh lime for a REQUIRED garnish (the extra tang of lime squeezed over it is a must!)

Dressing:
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey (use agave for vegan option)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp oil (the original recipe calls for 1 tsp of this to be sesame- I hate sesame so I don't, you are welcome to, though)


Directions:

Cook quinoa according to your package.  Remove from heat, fluff with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool.

Make dressing: mix all ingredients together.  If you want your peanut butter to incorporate easier (especially if you're using all natural from the refrigerator kind), microwave it first with the honey and then add all the other ingredients.  Use water to thin if necessary.  Add to quinoa.

Fold red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots and cilantro into dressed quinoa.  Garnish with cashews/peanuts.  Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges.  Remember, they elevate the salad's taste- they're not just to look pretty.

Big hit with men and women!  Great recipe to try if you're trying to get your man to eat more quinoa or veggies.

Chicken, Bacon & Avocado Chopped Salad

Source: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chicken-bacon-avocado-chopped-salad/

Cooking is a talent of mine.  Photography is not.  This is unfortunate since I'm writing a blog about food.  We eat with our eyes first.  This salad is delicious.  My husband has never been so thrilled about eating salad before.  The picture from the source is much prettier than mine- so go there if you want to be inspired to make it.  I love blue cheese- Cole does not.  We have made this twice: once with brie and once with blue cheese.  I thought the brie was better even though I'm a blue cheese lover.  Brie was much more subtle and didn't take the salad over. 

Ingredients:

2 cooked, cubed chicken breasts or 3-4 thighs
salt and pepper
1 tbsp oil
8 cups chopped romaine
8 slices bacon, cooked and diced
1/4 cup crumbled brie or blue cheese
2 avocados, pitted and diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup garlic vinaigrette (see recipe below)
1/4 cup chopped green onion

Garlic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1 tbsp dried italian seasonings
1 1/2 cups oil (your favourite for salad dressings)

Note: If you're not wanting left over dressing hanging around and just want to make enough for the salad, make a 1/3 of the recipe for the vinaigrette.  Always make sure to add dressing slowly while you toss your salad to avoid over dressing it. 

Directions:

Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken. Cook for 3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. (Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.) Remove chicken and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Dice chicken into small pieces.

Add the diced chicken, lettuce, bacon, cheese, avocados and tomatoes to a large bowl, and toss until combined. Drizzle or toss with garlic vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Serves 4 entree salad portions.

Perfect Autumn Quinoa Salad

I was imporovising a gluten free side to dinner for a friend the other night and what I came up with turned out possibly more delicious than the dinner. 

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 regular onion, diced
1 gala (or similar) apple, diced
handful of chopped green onion
1/2-1 cup nuts (I've tried hazelnuts and almonds in this salad)
handful of craisins
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 large lemon
oil

Directions:

In a small pot, boil 1 3/4 cup water with 1 tsp salt then add quinoa, stir, cover with lid and reduce heat to low.  In 15 minutes lift lid, fluff quinoa and cool down to room temp.

In a pan, saute your diced half of an onion with a little salt and pepper and oil until translucent.  Let cool.

In a dry pan on the stove or on a cookie sheet in the oven, toast your nuts.

In a large salad bowl, add cooled quinoa and onion, chopped apple, chopped green onion, toasted nuts, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, handful of craisins and squeeze lemon over everything, add a drizzle of oil and toss.  Taste and add more salt/pepper to taste. 

Healthy Avocado Salad Dressing

I love that this recipe means that my salad dressing counts as a serving of vegetables.  How often is salad dressing THIS guilt free? Great  for when avocadoes are in abundance.  Would be good on tacos as well.

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cored
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp sour cream or yogurt
1 tsp lime zest
3-4 tbsp lime juice (fresh)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
cayenne for the spicy lovers
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic

Directions:
chop up avocado and add to blender
add rest of ingredients
blend till smooth
taste, readjust seasoning and water

Southwest Quinoa Salad

I love Southwest flavours and I'm always trying to find more salads that encorporate those flavours.  Here's a really delicious and healthy one featuring quinoa (from where else? Pinterest: here).  I've started buying my quinoa at Costco- 4 lbs (or 1.8 kg) for $10.  Let me know if you have found a better deal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, chopped into chunks
• handful cherry tomatoes, halfed (or some diced regular tomato)
• 1/2 red onion, diced (I find raw red onion too aggressive for my taste, so I substituted green onion)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
• small handful cilantro, diced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp on chili powder, optional

Directions:

1. Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the rinsed quinoa and toast for about 2-3 minutes until it starts smelling nutty and lovely. Add water, stir once, cover, and simmer on low with a lid on for 15-20 minutes. 
2. Transfer cooked quinoa to a bowl and fluff.
   
   

   

   Cooked, fluffed quinoa

3. Chop veggies and make dressing. Prepare the dressing by combining the lime juice, oil, cumin, garlic and salt/pepper. Whisk it aggressively. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4.  Add all the remaining ingredients, including the dressing and beans, and mix. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with tortilla chips.  We also sprinkled cheese on top, but if you omit that it's vegan friendly.  It's also gluten free- our tortilla chips were made from corn.  If you're not concerned about the vegan label it's great as a side to some grilled protein as well.
   
   
   
   
   

(We got 2 servings plus my 10 month old daughter's serving, plus 2 more left over servings...which we may have eaten later that night.  So much for a ready to go lunch...)

HUSBAND AND BABY APPROVED!

Entree Salads

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-grapes
-granny smith apple
-toasted almonds
-radishes
-jumbo shrimp
-green onion
-dressing: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar or honey, dijon, salt, pepper
-side of parmesan crostini

Ingredients:
-romaine
-ground beef+onions+jalapenos+taco seasoning (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper)
-beans (I often use black beans but this night I had refried beans on hand so I used those)
-avocado salsa: avocado, red onion, cilantro, tomato, jalapeno, salt, lime juice
-chili lime dressing: 4 tbsp yogurt, 2 tbsp mayo, 3 tbsp water, 1 1/2 tbsp lime, 2 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp cilantro, 1/2 tsp chili powder

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-jumbo shrimp
-avocado
-shredded carrot
-strawberries
-feta
-dressing: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper
-side of carmelized onion and feta crostini (exactly what it sounds like)

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-mango
-cherry tomatoes
-avocado
-green onion
-steak
-chimichurri sauce: 2 handfuls parsley, 1 handful cilantro, 4-6 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp grated onion, oil, splash of lime or red wine vinegar (pulse the greens in a processor but then whisk in the rest)

Sante Fe Salad

Kind of like a taco salad:

lettuce
corn
black beans
chicken
avocado
red pepper
green onion
cilantro

Serve with one of the following dressings:

Chili Lime Dressing:
3 tbsp mayo
3 tbsp yogurt
3 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1-2 tsp sugar
1/2-1 tsp chili powder
pinch of salt
-whisk

Chipotle Dressing:
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 c light sour cream
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo
1 tsp cumin
4 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
-blend

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Another go to summer salad- suuuuper easy.

Favourite short noodle (I often use bow ties)
Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or kept whole, depending on size and preference
Steamed broccoli pieces (keep some bite in them)
Chicken pieces (left overs, poached, roasted...whatever you want)
Caesar dressing (buy a bottle, make your own, whatever)

Toss and enjoy!

Summer Potato Salad SANS mayo

I was inspired by this recipe featured on Rachael Ray.  I wanted a potato salad that wasn't a mess of mayonnaise.  I roast my potatoes but this recipe calls for grilled.  Both are great options.
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/team-food-grilled-potato-salad/

• 1 1/2 pounds baby red or yellow potatoes, roughly cut into chunks (pretty big chunks)
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 to 4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped (i don't always have this on hand- use a dried herb or omit all together if you don't have fresh thyme)
• 1 lemon, half thinly sliced and half juiced, divided (i don't use the slices when roasting)
• 1/3 cup EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon or grainy mustard
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Grilling Instructions: Preheat a grill to medium-heat. Scatter the potatoes in an 8-inch disposable aluminum baking tray and toss with the garlic, thyme, lemon slices, a drizzle of EVOO and some salt and pepper. Cover the tray with aluminum foil and place on the grill until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes if placed directly on the grill or 40 minutes if on the upper rack.
Roasting Instructions: Set your oven to 400, and either spray your baking sheet with Pam or use some tinfoil.  Drizzle some oil over the potatoes and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Roast till fork tender and nicely browned.  Turn after about 15 minutes so you get nice colour on both sides.

While the potatoes are cooking, whisk together the remaining EVOO, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss the potatoes in while they’re still warm, giving them a good stir to evenly coat. Serve the salad warm or at room temperature, garnished with scallions.