Taco Night inspired Quinoa Salad

Taco Night inspired Quinoa Salad

-2 cups of water

-1 cup quinoa

-2 tomatoes diced

-1/3 cup olive oil

-juice and zest of 1 lime

-1/2 cup taco sauce or salsa

-1 roasted red peppers

-a pinch of red chili flakes

-1/2 teaspoon cumin

-onion diced

-yellow pepper diced

-salt and pepper

-cilantro

-roast red peppers in oven at 450 drizzled in a little olive oil for about 15 minutes.  Cook the quinoa, bring water with quinoa to a boil, then cover and cook on low for 15 minutes and let sit for 5 minutes. Chop the tomatoes and mix the tomatoes, onion and yellow pepper with lime juice, lime zest, salt and pepper and let sit.  Chop the red pepper.  In a large bowl mix the quinoa, red peppers, the tomato salsa, the olive oil, chili powder, cumin, red chili flakes and taco sauce.  Taste and add more salt, pepper or taco sauce.  You can also add a few drops of either Tabasco or Franks red hot.  Top with cilantro.

Lentil Dip

Lentil Dip

-1 1/2 cups of red lentils rinsed
-1/2 cup brown rice or quinoa
-3 cups of broth (veggie, chicken or beef)
-1 large purple onion chopped
-2 cloves of garlic chopped
-3 teaspoons red curry paste
-1 teaspoon tamari (soya sauce)
-1 teaspoon curry powder
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-juice of 1 lime
-1 can coconut cream
-pepper to taste

In a sauce pan bring lentils, rice, broth, onion, garlic to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about 30-35 minutes.  If the mixture dries out add more broth.   Add the curry paste, tamari, curry powder, cumin, chili powder, lime and coconut cream.  Allow this mixture to simmer for another 20 minutes on low to allow the flavours to blend.  Use a hand blender or blender to create a smooth texture and serve with veggies, pita or tortilla chips.

Quinoa Salad

I am a full time Registered Nurse, a single Mother to my two daughters and a part time student in University   Today I was spending the day writing a paper and forgot to take out dinner, and I really do not have much in the house tonight.  So, what to do?  Create!

Quinoa Salad

-2 cups or water or broth
-2 cups dried quinoa
-salt

-1 large carrot chopped
-1 rib of celery chopped
-1 apple in chunks
-cucumber sliced
-1/2 an onion
-1/2 cup pan fried almonds
-1/4 cup of raw sesame seeds pan fried
-1/4 cup dried cranberries
-1 tablespoon tamari soya saue
-pepper
-the juice of 1 lemon
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-1/2 cup olive oil

Chop the ingredients, pan fry the almonds and sesame seeds, I have both the regular and black sesame seeds.  Place all the ingredients in a bowl waiting for the qunioa and almonds to cook.  Boil the 2 cups of water, then add the quinoa and boil on low for about 15 minutes, remove from heat and then poor into the bowl with all the ingredients, mix and add the almonds and sesame seeds.  Then taste, you may want to add more oil or balsamic vinegar.  Add some fresh pepper.

Pineapple & Sweet Potato Quinoa with roasted almonds

Had my friend over for dinner the other night.  I had just finished working a 12 our shift, she brought Salmon skewers which she had purchased at St. Lawrence Market.  I whipped up this dish in about 5 mins of prep and 20 minutes cooking time.  


Pineapple and Sweet Potato Quinoa with Roasted Almonds


-1 cup quinoa
-1 1/2 cups water
-1/2 fresh pineapple chopped with juice
-1 medium sweet potato cubed
-1 tablespoon brown sugar
-1 teaspoon soya sauce
-1 teaspoon yellow Thai curry powder
-1. teaspoon cinnamon


Roasted Almonds


-1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds
-1/3 cup of Chardonnay or white wine
-1 teaspoon brown sugar
-sprinkle of cinnamon


In a pot add water, quinoa, pineapple, sweet potato, brown sugar, soya sauce, Thai curry, and cinnamon.  Cook on high until boiled then cover and reduce heat cook for 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  While cooking the quinoa in a frying pan on medium heat add almonds when starting to brown add the rest of the ingredients, allow to cook until the liquid reduces and almonds are dry and crunchy.When quinoa is cooked taste...you may want to add a touch more soya sauce, then cover with the roasted almonds.  Then serve.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh Salad with quinoa

So tonight I so far have decided to use up quinoa from the other night.  

Tabbouleh Salad


1 cup of cooked quinoa
2 roma tomatoes chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 green onion minced
1/4 cup of high quality olive oil
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together, salt and pepper to taste....and serve

Stuffed peppers

Stir frying the veggies

This is the meat with the qunioa added

Bake in oven at 350 for 30 minutes than top with cheese and cook for 10 more minutes

So tonight I am making stuffed peppers with the left over taco meat from Friday night.  I made quinoa  in beef broth.  I stir fried the ingredients, with onions, chopped up peppers, my home made salsa and mixed in grated cheddar cheese, some cumin, chili powder, some tamari and half an avocado. Then I stuffed two red peppers and cooked with the rest of my home made salsa in the oven.  I blanched the peppers in boiling water for 2 minutes before stuffing.  Bake in oven for 30 minutes, top with some cheddar cheese cook for another 10 minutes and serve.

Miso Ginger Rum Salmon

Good evening everyone, I just finished another busy 12 hour day at work.   I have made a colourful dinner tonight.  In fact I think I have covered all the colour in the rainbow.  Tonight I have started with a mixed lettuce salad with cranberries, purple carrots, peppercorn goat cheese and red pepper.

Then I pan fried king oyster mushrooms with onions, purple and orange carrots, in a frying pan in a small amount of butter until mushrooms golden brown.  Then I added red wine.  (I always keep wine that has outlived it's drinking days for recipes like this) I also added chopped garlic, ginger and scallions.

I also added quinoa from dinner last night at the end to warm up.

I made a delicious Miso Ginger Rum Salmon.


T's Miso Ginger Rum Marinate


Red miso past 2 tablespoons
1 shot of 1919 Rum (expensive but delicious) 
squeeze the juice of half a lemon
squeeze the juice of half a lime 
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons olive oil


Marinate fish
Cook at 350 covered for 10-15 minutes

I also made my mango salsa...  Here is the dinner all together

Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy. 

And cooking done with care is an act of love.”

Craig Claiborne, ‘Craig Claiborne's Kitchen Primer’