Quinoa Taco Salad

It's getting colder out which means we naturally remove ourselves from cold, albeit fresh, salads and opt for the more meatier (plant based of course) soups and rice dishes. So we've been having a lot of rice and bean dishes ... variations of the same, according to HOMY. He'd rather not eat another rice and bean dish for a few months :) !! I have been missing the greens in my diet and today when we came home with a salad box of baby spinach I decided to make a taco salad ... except HOMY is not a big fan of TVP and is fed-up with beans .. hmm? Stuck between a rock and a hard place .. not quite so because he loves Quinoa and I had the perfect idea to turn my Quinoa Chili recipe into a Quinoa Taco Meat recipe. 

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup Quinoa, rinsed and drained.
2. 1 cup Water
3. 1/2 Medium Red Onion, diced
4. 1 can (15 oz) Dark Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
5. 2 Large Tomatoes, diced
6. 2 cups Yellow Corn, steamed and ready to serve. 
7. 1 lb Baby Spinach, rinsed and ready to serve
8. 1 tbsp minced Garlic
9. 2 tsp Cumin powder
10. 2 Coriander powder
11. 1 tsp Italian seasoning
12. 1 tsp Taco seasoning
13. 2 tsp dried Cilantro leaves
14. 2 tsp Chipotle Pepper (add more, to taste)
15. 1 tbsp Light Molasses
16. 4 tbsp Soy Sauce, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
17. Salt and Pepper, to taste
18. Salsa, as dressing, to taste.
19. Sliced Avocados or Guacamole, to taste (optional)
20. Sliced Jalapenos, to taste (optional)
21. Tortilla Strips, to taste (optional)

Directions:

In a large non-stick skillet, mix quinoa, water, red onion, and all spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover and allow to simmer until quinoa is cooked well (about 10-12 min). Remove cover, mix in Kidney beans and allow the excess water to evaporate until the mixture has the consistency of well-browned taco meat. Taste test and add more cumin, taco seasoning, salt and chili peppers, if needed. Split the baby spinach into 4 large salad bowls. Top off with a generous sprinkle of yellow corn and fresh tomatoes. Drop a generous dollop of taco meat in the middle, add salsa for dressing and serve. Garnish with optional taco salad toppings, if you wish. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 349 (Fat Calories 42)
Total Fat 4.7 g; Carbohydrates 65.9 g; Fiber 12.5 g; Sugars 9.7 g; Protein 17.0 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Chef AJ's House Dressing

Photo Courtesy: The Shelton Challenge

I've been slacking off for about a month. Well not really, but I am terribly behind in my posts and the only reason I have, which some of you have already heard about, is that I started a new job this January. I'd been in the same position for the past 8 years and after a lot of moaning and groaning and stressing out over everything and anything, I made the change. I planned my exit strategy and when the opportunity presented itself, I made the change. It was difficult after being in the same place for 8 years but now I wonder why I was ever worried about change ... Change Equals Growth, after all. 

Anyhow, now I'm back and hopefully will stick with it with regularity :)

One of the cool things about my new job is that they have a full cafeteria with a full fresh salad bar. Awesome!!! Now while I've been really good about taking leftovers for lunches, the chance of eating a fresh spinach salad, loaded with beans and other fresh veggies, which I didn't have to put together is an awesome opportunity in my opinion. In the 3 weeks I've been there, I've had salad for lunch at least 4 days each week. I love it!! So that is the reason that this first post is about a home-made salad dressing. Chef AJ's House Dressing. I first came across this recipe when I attended a cooking demonstration by Chef AJ in Dublin, Ohio. I bought her book, Unprocessed, and this recipe was on a bookmark she gives out with each book. It's yummy!!

Prep Time: 5 min

Ingredients (Serves 5):

1. 1/2 cup filtered Water
2. 4 tbsp Tahini (whatever brand you can find, bottled varieties tend to congeal less)
3. 6 tbsp Lemon/Lime Juice (fresh or bottled, both work fine)
4. 4 tbsp Low-Sodium Tamari (or Soy Sauce)
5. 4 tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
6. 8 tbsp Kal Nutritional Yeast
7. 1 tbsp Date Syrup (or 3 whole pitted Medjool dates)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. If using dates instead of date syrup, you may need to pulse a few extra minutes to make sure that the dates are well incorporated. The longer the dressing sits, the dates will imbibe more of the moisture and add to the overall sweetness of the recipe. Transfer to a serving dish, or a storage bottle. I typically make a batch every Sunday and take it with me to work. I split the batch over 5 days in my salad, or if I have some remaining, I do bring it home as it is also great on a baked russet or redskin potato. Enjoy!! This dressing is very reminiscent of a Honey Mustard dressing. Its really yummy on salads as well as on steamed vegetables, including baked or steamed potatoes.

Chef AJ's House Dressing over Steamed Redskin Potatoes

-- more pictures to follow -- 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 156 (Fat Calories 69)
Total Fat 7.6 g; Carbohydrates 18.1 g; Fiber 4.8 g; Sugars 6.2 g; Protein 8.5 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Kale Pad Thai

This recipe is to die for!!! Absolutely!!! This uses a spicier version of Happy Herbivore's Cheater Pad Thai Sauce. It was inspired this evening by a craving for Pad Thai and the need to use 2 bunches of kale in my refrigerator. I seriously ate 2 huge plates full!!  

Prep Time: ~20 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 4 cups of raw kale, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
2. 1 x 14oz block of extra firm tofu
3. 1/4 cup Raw Peanuts
4. 1 Serving of Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp "Naturally More" Smooth Peanut Butter with flax seed
• 1 tbsp "Huy Fong" Sambal Oelek Chili Paste
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp "Huy Fong" Sriracha Chili Sauce 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F. Pat-dry tofu using a paper towel and cut into small bite-sized pieces (less than 1" squares). Place tofu pieces on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat mat, making sure each piece has room around it. I left the tofu in the oven for 20 min, without turning or disturbing it at all. The beauty of the Silpat silicone mat is that it prevents sticking 100%. Line a large stock pot with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat with medium low, add kale and peanuts, a slight sprinkle of salt, and cover. Let kale and peanuts steam in this pot for the next 5-10 minutes checking occasionally to ensure that there is still some water in the pot to prevent burning. Separately, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. The warm water helps melt the peanut butter which allows it to blend with the rest of the ingredients. Once the kale and tofu are done, toss everything together, and serve warm. 

This isn't a low-fat salad (it has almost 13 g/serving), but it is definitely a whole foods-based salad. All the fat is coming from natural peanut butter, peanuts and some from the tofu. All in all, it's much better to eat this somewhat rich salad rather than to drizzle your greens with olive oil, even if its EVOO.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 234 (Fat Calories 114)
Total Fat 12.7 g; Carbohydrates 13.7 g; Fiber 4.5 g; Sugars 1.3 g; Protein 17.6 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Roasted Cauliflower & Spinach Salad

This evening while driving home from work I knew I wanted to use that head of cauliflower in the fridge for dinner. After not cooking cauliflower because of some mistaken notion that it would stink up my house for many many years, I've come to really love the flavor, aroma and taste of simple Roasted Cauliflower. Cut up the florets, toss the cauliflower in a gallon bag with a splash of water and whatever spices you like, toss everything together and then spread it all out on a cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-12 minutes. Umm mmm good!! Here's my standard Roasted Cauliflower recipe. 

As I was dreaming of my roasted cauliflower .. I was also dreaming of my box of baby spinach and the awesome batch of homemade hummus I made the other night! I guess I was hungry :)!!! Soon after getting home, I found a recipe I knew I could adapt to my tastes and preferences (umm no oil!), use the ingredients I'd been dreaming about and have it turn out great!! 

Adapted from: Modern Family Cooking

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 head of Cauliflower (any color, about 2 cups of florets)
2. 1 x 15oz Canned Chickpeas, rinsed and 
3. 4 Mini Cucumbers, sliced (about 1 cup)
4. 1 Bell Pepper (any color, preferably Red or Orange), diced
5. 1/2 cup Quinoa, pre-cooked in water and chilled. 
6. 3 cups Baby Spinach
7. 4 tbsp Homemade Hummus* (plain or roasted red pepper) (or more, to taste)
8. 1/2 cup Cold Water
9. 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
10. 3 drops of Liquid Smoke
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Whisk hummus, liquid smoke and 1/2 cup of iced water in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. Transfer drained and rinsed chickpeas and cauliflower (cut into small bite-sized florets) into a gallon zip lock bag with nutritional yeast, freshly cracked black pepper and about a third of the thinned out hummus. Close bag and toss everything together until the cauliflower and chickpeas are well coated with the hummus. Transfer to a rimmed cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-12 minutes until the tips of the cauliflower start to caramelize and char. Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix diced pepper, baby spinach. sliced cucumbers and quinoa and toss well with hands. Sprinkle liberally with freshly cracked black pepper. Once the cauliflower and chickpeas are ready, remove from oven and set aside for just a minute. Add remaining thinned out hummus to the bowl with greens and quinoa and toss well, top off with roasted veggies, toss and serve immediately. This salad makes 4 side-salad sized servings, or 2 large dinner-sized salad servings! Enjoy!

My Assessment: Tony wants me to make this for our Friendsgiving dinner which we celebrate a weekend after Thanksgiving every year. I guess in my head, hearing that from a self-proclaimed hummus-hater, this recipe is a hit!!! :)

Home-made Hummus*: Blend one can of chickpeas (rinsed & drained) with 1/2 to 2/3 cup water, 2 cloves of garlic, 1-2 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed butter, optional) and 2-3 tbsp lemon juice until smooth. Add more water, as needed to make a smooth paste. Store refrigerated for up to a week. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 205 (Fat Calories 26)

Total Fat 2.9 g; Carbohydrates 37.0 g; Fiber 8.8 g; Sugars 4.0 g; Protein 12.4 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Wilted Kale & Peanut Salad

This afternoon, I really wanted some kale and I wanted to try a variation of my usual Wilted Kale and Almond Salad. This is what I came up with on-the-fly and it's a recipe worth sharing. 

Wilted Kale & Peanut Salad

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (2 Servings):

1. 1 large bunch of Kale, stems removed (about 4 cups)
2. 1 Medium Tomato, Sliced
3. 1 oz (approximately, a handful) raw Peanuts 
4. 1 tbsp Naturally More Peanut Butter
5. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
6. 1 tbsp Miso (Yellow or Brown)
7. 2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or Soy Sauce)
8. Pepper, to taste
9. Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:

Remove stems, tear leaves in bite sized pieces and rinse in a bowl of water to remove all traces of dirt. Line a deep pot with water, on medium-high heat, add peanuts and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add remaining condiments to the water and mix well (the miso and peanut butter will need some coaxing with a rubber spatula). Once all the condiments are mixed in the water, add a small amount of kale and fold the sauce over it. Add remaining kale and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow kale to wilt (2-5 minutes, it will turn bright green). Once wilted, remove cover, increase heat to high for a couple of minutes to allow excess liquid to evaporate while folding the kale into the remaining sauce. Remove from heat, transfer to two serving dishes and top with sliced tomato, freshly cracked black pepper and hot sauce. Enjoy!! 

My Assessment:

I've been on a raw peanut kick lately. Overall, this dish had a wonderful Asian flavor to it. If you don't like raw peanuts, use roasted peanuts instead but bear in mind that those have a lot of salt in them. I labelled this dish as 'no added salt' because the miso and soy sauce/liquid aminos provide enough umami.  Also, I used Cholula for some added flavor, but this salad would pair very well with Sriracha. 

Nutritional Facts (Per Serving): Calories 220 (Fat Calories 99)
Total Fat 11 g; Carbohydrates 123.5 g; Fiber 5.9 g; Sugars 2.0 g; Protein 12.4 g

Mustard Greens w Balsamic-Glazed Chick Peas

In my efforts to consume more green leafy vegetables, I picked up a big bunch of Kale and a big bunch of Curly Mustard Greens at the store this past weekend. Back home in India we only eat mustard greens in one preparation - Sarson ka Saag which I've posted before and I wanted something different this time. A quick Google search revealed a gem of a recipe by FatFeee Vegan Kitchen. I used it almost to a tee, with one slight modification and one substitution. 

FFVKs Mustard Greens w Balsamic-Glazed Chick peas

Adapted from: FatFree Vegan Kitchen - Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (2 Big Servings): 

1. 4 cups Mustard Greens
2. 1 medium Red onion, julienned
3. 2 x 15 oz cans of Chickpeas 
4. 2 tsp Garlic powder
5. 1 tsp Deggi Chilli Powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt (Optional, I didn't use any)
7. 4 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
8. 4 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy sauce (this is a lot more than the original recipe)
9. 1 tbsp Honey (my substitute for Agave Syrup)
10. 1 tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce (my addition)

Directions:

I pretty much followed the original recipe. Remove stems form mustard greens, tear leaves into bite-sized pieces and wash the leaves well to remove any traces of dirt. Allow to sit in a colander while you prepare the onions. Line a deep pot with water and add garlic powder and deggi chili powder along with julienned onions. Sauté the onion until translucent and then cover with drained mustard greens and cover for 2-5 minutes to allow the greens to wilt to a bright green (do not overcook). Remove greens and onions from the pan with a slotted spoon, allowing them time to drain, and place in a bowl. To the remaining liquid in the pan, add balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey and oyster sauce. If there isn't enough liquid (~1/8 cup) in the pan, add more water. Mix ingredients into the broth and add chickpeas. Cook, with occasional stirring, over medium-high heat until the liquid is almost gone and the chickpeas have a nice glaze over them. Once done, remove from heat, spoon the greens into serving plates and top with glazed chickpeas. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and serve warm. The original recipe suggested offering additional balsamic vinegar at the table. 

My Assessment: Loved it!! The chickpeas were great with the balsamic glaze. I think this recipe would go well with any robust greens (kale, collards) but with a more tender green, like baby spinach I think you wouldn't even need to wilt the greens. These could be served over a bed of raw baby spinach. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 474 (Fat Calories 57)
Total Fat 6.3 g; Carbohydrates 84.3 g; Fiber 22.5 g; Sugars 26.1 g; Protein 25.4 g

Asian Spiced Wilted Kale Salad w Onions and Mushrooms

Here's another variation of my Wilted Kale Salad recipe. This one is spicy and amazing! It uses a Sweet Red Asian Chilli Sauce. I used "Huy Fong" Sambal Oelek Chili Paste which is super spicy (to me!).

Asian Spiced Wilted Kale Salad

Prep Time: 5-7 min

Ingredients (4 Servings):

1. 1 bunch of Kale, stems removed, and leaves coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
2. 1 medium Yellow Onion, julienned (about 2/3 cup)
3. 1 cup quartered Cremini mushrooms
4. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
5. 1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
6. 1 tbsp Asian Chilli Sauce (Huy Fong Sambal Oelek Chili Paste) 
7. Salt and Pepper, to taste.

Directions:

Rinse kale in cold water, drain and set aside. Line a large skillet with water. Add ginger-garlic paste and rice wine vinegar. As soon as the water begins to boil, add the julienned onions and cremini mushrooms. Toss well and add Kale. Cover, reduce heat to medium low. Within a couple of minutes, the kale will turn bright green and begin to wilt. Keep covered for 2 additional minutes. Remove lid and and the chilli paste. toss really well. Transfer to a salad bowl, garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, and add salt (to taste). Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving ): Calories 51 (Fat Calories 5)
Total Fat 0.5 g; Carbohydrates 10 g; Dietary Fiber 1.9 g; Sugars 1.1 g; Protein 3.0 g

Curried Kale Salad

Ummm Kale :) !!! When Tony is out, or when he's got dinner plans, I always plan for Kale. It's something he won't touch and if he's not eating dinner at home, I don't have to feel guilty about making something he won't/can't eat!! Tonight, I tried a Curried Kale Salad. 

Curried Kale Salad w Corn & TVP

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (2 Servings):

1. 1 bunch Kale, leaves torn and stems removed (about 4 cups)
2. 1 cup frozen Sweet Corn
3. 1/2 cup Brown Basmati Rice
4. 1/2 cup TVP Chunks
5. 4 tbsp Canned Crushed Tomatoes
6. 1 tbsp Garlic
7. 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
8. 1 tsp Ground Coriander seeds
9. 1" pc of Cinnamon stick
10. 3 small Bay Leaves
11. 2-3 Cloves, whole
12. Salt and Pepper, to taste
13. 1/4 cup Mrs. Renfro's Hot Jalapeno Green Salsa.

Directions:

Curried Kale Salad w Corn & TVP

Boil brown rice in ample amounts of water, drain and set aside. Do the same for TVP. Feel free to use Seitan instead as well. In a deep stock pot, big enough to hold 4 cups of kale, add crushed tomatoes and all spices. Saute for a couple of minutes and add a splash of water, if necessary. Once the spices release their aroma, add TVP or Seitan chunks and mix well. Add another splash of water and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add corn, mix well and layer kale on top. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Allow kale to wilt (about 5-7 min, it will turn dark green). Add rice to this mix, toss everything really well together, add salsa and give another mighty toss. Taste test for salt/pepper or more salsa and serve warm. 

My Assessment: I seem to love all things kale. So I'll let you be the judge of this one. It was amazing and quite filling as well. I made this into 2 huge helpings, but it could easily be 3 or even 4, if you had a bowl of soup or something else with it. My second helping is sitting in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. Yum!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 403 (Fat Calories 24)
Total Fat 2.7 g; Carbohydrates 76.0 g; Dietary Fiber 11.1 g; Sugars 9.2 g; Protein 22.7 g

Wilted Kale & Onion Salad

Because I am hypothyroid I avoid eating Goitrogenic foods. As the name implies, these are foods capable of causing Goiter. In layman's terms, these foods affect thyroid gland function by inhibiting synthesis of thyroid hormones, resulting in enlargement of the gland (aka goiter). Some examples include Brussels sprouts, Kohlrabi, Turnips, Rutabaga, Radishes, Cabbage, Kale, and Cauliflower. Cooking at least partially inactivates goitrogenic compounds in these foods so this salad, which uses New Veggie #23 - Kale, is the perfect way of getting the benefits of kale, without the adverse effects of goitrogens.

Wilted Kale & Onion Salad

Prep Time: 5-7 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 bunch of Kale, stems removed, and leaves coarsely torn
2. 1 medium Red Onion, julienned
3. 1 clove of Garlic, minced
4. 2-3 tbsp Medium Salsa, to taste
5. Salt and Pepper, to taste.

Directions:

Rinse torn kale in cold water, drain and set aside. Line a large skillet with water. Add garlic and turn heat to medium. As soon as the garlic begins to simmer, add the julienned onions and kale. Cover, reduce heat to medium low. Within a couple of minutes, the kale will turn bright green and begin to wilt. Keep covered for 2 additional minutes. Remove lid and transfer kale to a salad bowl.  Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, add salt if necessary and add a big dollop of medium salsa on top. Serve warm. 

Wilted Kale & Onion Salad

My Assessment: I really really like this salad and it is my go-to salad when I have a bunch of kale in the fridge and I'm not feeling like cooking anything even vaguely substantial. I also prefer this salad in cooler months because I've always hated eating a cold salad during that time of year. My body craves something warm and this works every time. I sometimes add other salad veggies to this salad including corn and sweet peppers, but it tastes great with just onions as well. The best part about kale is that it retains its crunchiness even after its been wilted for a few minutes. Enjoy!! 

Berry Nutty Delicata Squash

Berry Nutty Delicata Squash

This recipe is based on one I found online on the Eating Well magazine. I omitted all the oil and added Basil and sea salt to suit my tastes. It turned out really well.

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium Delicata Squash
2. 6 Dried Apricots, diced
3. 1/4 cup Dried Berries (cranberries, blueberries)
4. 1/4 cup sliced or slivered Almonds
5. 2-3 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
6. 6-8 fresh Basil leaves, chopped.
7. 1-2 tsp Sea Salt, as a garnish
8. Pepper, to taste. 

Directions:

Wash the outside of the squash really well to remove any specks of dirt. Slice off the tips at both ends, cut the squash lengthwise into 2, remove all seeds and pulp with a spoon. 

Cut each half into 2 and then thinly slice each wedge. Place squash in a steamer basket and steam until tender (7-10 min). 

Meanwhile mix berries, almonds, apricots and minced basil in a bowl. Add maple syrup to the bowl and give it a quick toss. Set aside until squash is tender. 

Once the squash is done remove the steamer basket, let it drain (if necessary) for a couple of seconds and then cover the maple glazed berries and almonds with the steaming squash. Toss everything together, sprinkle some sea salt on top, and garnish with freshly cracked black pepper !! 

My Assessment: For being a preparation simply consisting of steamed squash and dried fruit, this dish was a stunner. Steamed Delicata had the texture very similar to sweet potatoes. I like the flavor of sweet and salt together but if you prefer to keep those separate skip the sea salt. I thought it added a certain something to the dish. Overall, a winner!!! I think this dish would be a great addition as a side to a plant-based Thanksgiving dinner!! I had it today as a warm salad but I'm sure its going to get better with age and the leftovers in the fridge will be great as a cold salad too!! Very impressed with this new veggie!! :)

3 Rice, 3 Berry, 3 Herb Salad

Summer Days call for chilled salads, Summer Days are Berry Days, and Summer Days are Fresh Herb Days as well. We had a 3x Birthday party in the family today and I wanted to make sure I had a plant-based dish to take along. I wanted to try Chef AJ's Quinoa Salad with Currants and Pistachios - but our niece is allergic to nuts and I wasn't sure if she'd ever been tested for Quinoa. But now, my mind was hooked on to memory of that salad :) !!! I decided to make a variation of it. Here's what I came up with. 

3 Rice & 3 Berry Salad

Prep Time: Overall 30 min, or so in 2 stages.

Ingredients: 

1. 1/2 cup White Basmati Rice
2. 1/2 cup Brown Basmati Rice
3. 2-3 tbsp Long grain Wild Rice
4. 2-3 tbsp Raisins
5. 1 cup fresh Red Raspberries
6. 1 cup fresh Blackberries
7. 1 cup fresh Strawberries
8. 2 tbsp Agave Syrup, or Honey
9. 1/8 cup Soy milk
10. 2 tbsp fresh chopped Basil, 
11. 2 tbsp fresh chopped Mint 
12. 2 tbsp fresh chopped Oregano

Directions: 

Boil rice, all 3 kinds together, in ample amounts of water until tender. Add the raisins to the boiling water for the last 2 minutes (this helps plump them up!). Drain and spread thinly on a cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (chill completely). Meanwhile wash and drain berries and slice strawberries and set aside. Put Agave syrup (or honey) in a small microwave safe bowl with the non-dairy milk and heat for 10 seconds to dissolve it in the milk. Once rice is chilled, move to a mixing bowl, add agave/milk mixture and toss well. Add chopped herbs and berries and give a final toss. Do a quick taste check - the rice should be just slightly sweet - add more 'agave in milk' if needed.

Cover and chill until ready to serve. The longer it sits, the better the flavors combine - the berry flavors and juices penetrate the rice, the herbs release their essential oils and flavor the rice and the berries! This is a salad where the wonderful aromas invite you to dig in.

My Assessment:  Loved it. What's not to like! The family liked it too :)

Gimme More ... Chickpea Salad!

This recipe is definitely a Coder favorite. Our favorite Indian restaurant in Columbus used to have something along these lines as part of their Sunday Buffet. This is a recipe my mom and I devised - it is simple, nutritious, has no added fat and is perfect for a summer afternoon.  Tony asks for this salad on a fairly routine basis and we always keep a few cans of chickpeas on hand for this super-healthy super-quick snack - definitely a gimme more recipe!! 

Gimme more ... Chickpea Salad

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1. 2 14-oz cans of Chickpeas, drained, rinsed
2. 1 large Cucumber
3. 1 medium Red Onion
4. 1 large Tomato
5. 12-16 fresh mint leaves
6. 2 tbsp MDH Chunky Chaat Masala, to taste (optional)*
7. 1-2 tsp Amchoor powder (dried young mango powder) or Lemon/Lime juice
8. Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Thinly slice onion, cucumber and tomato and set aside. I use a 'mandolin'-type slicer and it works great. In a deep pot, bring 3-4 cups of tap water to a boil. As the water is heating up, prepare another bowl with ice water (more ice, less water). Once the water is at a rolling boil, add rinsed canned chickpeas, boil for 2 min and then blanch immediately by draining and transferring to the ice water. Let the chickpeas cool and meanwhile mince the mint leaves as well. Add spices and mint to the sliced veggies and toss everything together. Drain and add chickpeas and give another good toss. Do a quick taste test, add more condiments, as needed and enjoy!! 

This is a great summer salad for picnics, barbeques and even July 4th outings!! It never lasts in our house, no matter how much I make. Scale recipe up as needed. :)

* if you don't have Chaat masala, use a sprinkling of roasted cumin powder, salt, pepper, paprika and lime juice for a similar flavor. If you have dried pomegranate seed powder .. that makes an excellent addition too.

Roasted Potato (& Asparagus) Salad

I must be back in my Quick & Easy meal mood, cause tonight's dinner literally required 5 minutes of prep time, 15 minutes in the oven and on the table in 2 minutes. I got a bottle of Salsa Verde at the store this past weekend and was itching to eat it. But I knew I didn't just want to have tortilla chips with it. Also, earlier today, Happy Herbivore polled folks on Facebook about which kind of baked potato they liked, Sweet or White? .... that got me thinking of baked potatoes. I, of course, like both kinds :) but must have been in the mood for white as I requested T to pick up a sack of roasting white potatoes from the store on his way home. Unfortunately, I get home well after 6 pm, and couldn't possible afford a whole hour of potato roasting time in the oven (I personally don't like Microwave roasted potatoes). So my only option was to cut 'em open and roast little pieces. & here's what I concocted.... Roasted Potato Salad, with and without Roasted Asparagus.

Prep Time: 5 min of preparation, 15-20 min in the oven, and 2 min to bring it all together.  

Ingredients: 

1. 3 Russet potatoes, cut into 2-3" wedges, skin on.
2. 1 small Red Onion, diced finely
3. 1 large tomato, diced finely
4. 2-3 springs of Cilantro leaves
5. 15-20 stalks of Asparagus (New Veggie #21)
6. 4-6 tbsp Salsa Verde
7. Salt, and freshly cracked Black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Soak potatoes in a large bowl of cold water and scrub skins well with a vegetable scrubbing brush. Make sure that there are no blemishes or dirt spots on the potatoes. Remove if any are visible on the outside. Pat dry and cut into wedges, with the skin on. Check again for any deep dirt filled crevices, or blemishes and remove. Spread wedges skin side down on a cookie sheet on a SILPAT mat.    If you don't have a Silpat, you can use parchment paper instead, or spray the cookie sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and roast potato wedges at 350F for about 15-20 minutes until a pin inserted into the thickest part of a wedge slides in smoothly. 

Version 1: In a large salad bowl, toss all the remaining ingredients together (with the exception of Asparagus). As soon as the potatoes are done, drop them into the salad bowl and toss everything together. 

Version 1: Roasted Potato Salad

Version 2: On a second ungreased baking sheet, with or without parchment paper, spread out asparagus in a single layer, and roast at 350F as well. Once the asparagus starts to wilt, remove, sprinkle with a dusting of sea salt, and transfer to a cutting board. Cut the stalks into 2-3" pieces and as soon as the potatoes are done, toss everything together. 

My Assessment: While this salad tasted great while the potatoes were still warm from the oven, I think it will taste as good even when cold. This would be a great, make-ahead, addition to a back yard party in the summer. The Salsa verde, the tomatoes and fresh onions gave it a lovely fresh taste and potatoes gave it the starchy bulk. I really liked this salad and will most definitely make it again! 

Quinoa Fruit Chaat

While in San Francisco a month ago, we ate a lovely Sunday Brunch at The Palace Hotel's Garden Court and one of the memorable items on the menu was this lovely Chilled Quinoa Berry salad. Ever since then I've been thinking about making something similar at home. I bought Quinoa a few weeks ago, and have had a hard time keeping berries in the house (... we have a teenager with a voracious appetite, who happens to inhale berries on sight!). So finally, I gave up trying to recreate what I had in SF. Instead, I used what fruits I had on hand and made Quinoa Fruit Chaat instead. 

Quinoa Fruit Chaat

Chaat (Hindi: चाट) is a Indian term describing all kinds of savory snacks. Often, these are sold at road-side shacks or stalls or carts in India. Of course, chaat is served in restaurants across the country and also prepared at home. The flavoring includes Chaat Masala, which is most often a mixture of Salt, Dried Raw Mango, Pomegranate Seeds, Cumin, Coriander, Black Pepper, Black Rock Salt, Mint leaves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Chilli Powder, Cloves, Cumin, Asafoetida etc. One can use either each of these ingredients individually, to taste, or simply buy a ready-to-use mix online. You cannot go wrong with MDH's Chunky Chaat Masala - it has been tried and tested by generations of Indians and it still works!!  

Preparing Quinoa: Most colanders will not hold Quinoa very well because the raw seeds are rather small. To rinse, use either a metal-mesh strainer, or a cheese cloth. Rinse the seeds in ample amounts of water. For every cup of Quinoa, bring 1.25 cups of water or vegetable broth to a rolling boil in a deep lidded saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer, and then reduce further to low. Cover and cook for ~20-25 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove, and let sit for another 5-7 minutes, before removing the lid and fluffing the contents. Quinoa seeds like to show you when they're ready to eat :) the grain swells up to almost twice its size, becomes translucent and the germ ring pops out, forming a spiral around the seed. For salads, you may want to cool the quinoa, before it is chilled. In order to do that, transfer the steamed quinoa from  the saucepan to a large plate, let it sit until it reaches room temperature and then transfer to a storage container. 

Prep Time: 5 minutes with previously cooked quinoa.

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup  Quinoa, cooked & chilled 
2. 1 fresh Mango, sliced & diced
3. 1 fresh Pear, sliced and diced
4. 1 tbsp Craisins
5. 1 tbsp Raisins
6. 1 tbsp Roasted Almonds, slivered or sliced
7. 1-2 tsp Chunky Chaat Masala, to taste
8. Lemon/Lime Juice, to taste
9. Salt, to taste.

Directions: Simply toss everything together :) and enjoy!! One cool thing about this recipe, you can use any fruit you have on hand. Simply cut it into bite sized pieces and toss it in. 

My Assessment: While this recipe didn't recreate what I had in SF a few weeks ago, it worked its magic in its own way. I loved the nutty flavor and texture of quinoa, which was enhanced by the roasted almonds and the sweetness of the fruit was balanced well with the savory flavor of the Chaat Masala. 

Quick Note: Chunky Chaat Masala tastes heavenly on just sliced bananas.  Sprinkle some directly on sliced bananas, and add some lemon/lime juice on top. Yumm!!

Vegetarian Taco Salad

After home-cooked Indian food, I can say quite confidently that Mexican cuisine is probably my most favorite. And taco salad, or the american version of it, probably ranks super high on the list. Ever since I made TVP Tacos a few weeks ago, I've been wanting to try TVP on salad. For those of you who're unaware of the acronym, TVP stands of Texturized Vegetable Protein, or Soy protein. It is found either granulated, or in large chunks. Bob's Red Mill is probably the most commonly found brand of TVP in American grocery stores. 

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Prep Time: 15 min.

Directions: I prepared the Taco Meat exactly as described (Happy Herbivore) with the only modification being that I like to dry the TVP as much as possible, without burning it. I think that gives it a more "beefy" taste and texture.  Lindsay's combination of soy sauce and steak sauce gives TVP a very authentic look and taste as well. 

For the salad itself, I used an organic spring green mix, added diced tomatoes, steamed corn and canned (rinsed) red kidney beans.  I didn't use an cheese (not even vegan cheese) and topped my salad off with some fresh mild salsa. I would have liked to add some crushed taco chips (but forgot!! ha ha!) ... I guess the  salad looked so delish even without it that I couldn't hold off ant longer. Overall an awesome dinner!!