Tag: quinoa

Quinoa Pasta with Broccoli and Lemon (GF)

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Phonto1Quinoa Pasta with Broccoli and Lemon (GF)

the ingredients:

Kosher salt
8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)
1/2 pound quinoa pasta
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 lemon, zested
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly grated Parmesan, optional (make sure it’s vegetarian!!!)

the method:
Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In the same water, cook the pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with cheese, if using, and serve.

Quinoa “Mac n’ Cheese”

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I LOVE quinoa. Nick hates it. Well – hate is a strong word, so let’s just say it’s not his “favorite.” My cooking mantra is: If it doesn’t taste good, put cheese on it.  Most of the time, this mantra works… especially in this case. If you love mac n’ cheese but want to make it a little healthier by adding protein and cutting carbs, then this recipe is for you. I paired it with some savory grilled tofu (Nick made chicken with the same marinade) and my Crispy Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts. TDF.

Quinoa “Mac n’ Cheese” Ingredients: 

  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • good pinch of salt
  • a few grinds of seasoning salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup soy milk or non-fat milk
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, more for sprinkling
  • 4 oz smoked mozzarella, cubed
  • Optional- Crushed Red Pepper, Panko Bread crumbs for topping
  • Toppings (optional)- salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, scallions

The Method:

  1. Lightly saute garlic and shallot over medium heat.
  2. Cook quinoa to packaged instructions until fully cooked. (About 15 minutes)
  3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat 13×9 inch dish( or 8 individual ramekins) with cooking spray.Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese. Stir very well and let some of the cheese melt. Transfer to prepared baking dish and if using Panko Crumbs or Bread crumbs add now and bake 30-35 mins, until bread crumbs are browned.

Grilled Tofu Ingredients:

  • Extra-firm tofu, sliced 3/4 inch thick
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

The Method:

  1. Remove tofu from package and drain. Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients together in a shallow bowl.
  2. After the tofu is done draining, slice into 3/4 inch thick strips.
  3. Place slices in the marinade and allow to site for at least 10 minutes.
  4. While the tofu is marinading, heat an indoor grill pan (or outdoor grill) to medium heat.
  5. Grill tofu for 3 minutes on each side.

ENJOY!

30 Minutes or Less: Lentil Quinoa Pilaf over Arugula

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Meat-eater or Vegetarian? With this recipe, it doesn’t even matter! If you’ve read my “About Me” section, you know that my boyfriend is bonafied meat-eater – so at times, I need to be creative in the kitchen in order to cater to both of our taste buds.

A great way to create a meal suitable for the both vegs and carnis is to focus on the grains and then choose your protein. For me, tofu tastes great with everything because you can literally transform it into anything you’d like; For Nick, we tend to choose which protein would be more palatable given the dish (i.e. Chicken for pasta dishes instead of a rib-eye). I think you get the point.

I stole this recipe out of Vegetarian Times Magazine and it was absolutely delicious and really easy (and CHEAP) to make. I topped mine with with grilled lemon-pepper tofu, and Nick’s with grilled lemon-pepper chicken. It was DELISH. Recipe follows:

Lentil Quinoa Pilaf:

2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 c. Green Onions, chopped
4 c. Veggie Broth
3/4 c. Dry Green Lentils
1/2 c. Quinoa
1/4 c. Golden Raisins (or any dried fruit)
1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
8 c. Arugula

Directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup green onions; saute 2 minutes. add broth, lentils, and quinoa; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low, and simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes. remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 mins.2. Toss arugula with 2 tbsp currants, 1 1/2 tbsp toasted pine nuts, balsamic vinegar and remaining 1 1/2 tbsp oil in bowl. serve lentil mixture over arugula mixture sprinkled with remaining scallions, currants and pine nuts.Serving Size: 2 cups arugula and 1 cup pilaf. Top with your protein of choice.
Total Time: 30 minutes