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!

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!

Quinoa & Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

Normal Yoder is back :) Yup! Our local Amish Farmer's Market is finally open. I stopped by yesterday and picked up 3 fresh aromatic green peppers, a head of cabbage, some fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. I decided to make some stuffed peppers for dinner last night. I looked for various recipes online and found quite a few but wanted to make something very simple. So I decided to make a simplified version of all the recipes I read. This one had 6 ingredients total and taste-wise .. it's da bomb in taste and simplicity!

Quinoa & Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

Prep Time: 15 min + 45 min (baking time)

Ingredients (Serves 3 or 6):

1. 3 Bell Peppers, halved, seeds removed
2. 3/4 cup Quinoa, prepare according to package instructions
3. 1 x 15oz can of Bush's Black Beans, drained and rinsed
4. 1 Medium Onion (I used white)
5. 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
6. A few sprigs of fresh cilantro, diced finely
7. Salt and Pepper, to taste 

Directions:

The stuffing

Line a skillet with water and add diced onion. Saute until translucent and add drained/rinsed black beans. Allow any excess water to evaporate, leaving the dish moist. Add Cumin seeds and saute for another couple of minutes, adding occasional splashes of water, as needed, to prevent sticking. Once cumin is aromatic, add quinoa, toss well and add finely diced herbs. The final stuffing mix should be moist but not runny. Taste test for salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare each of the peppers by cutting in half and removing seeds with a paring knife. If necessary, shave off a piece at the bottom of each pepper to make sure it sits like a flat boat. I diced the shavings into small pieces and added those to my stuffing as well. Line a casserole dish with parchment paper (or cooking spray) and set aside. Using a small spoon, fill each pepper with the stuffing, over stuffing is good as there is nothing in this stuffing to expand. Set each pepper in the casserole dish and bake uncovered for about 30-45 minutes. Typically when the peppers are done, their aroma is released and the house starts to smell like roasted/grilled peppers. Serve warm, as a side. Serve with hot sauce. 

My Assessment: This dish was really filling and very low-calorie for being so filling. We had it as our entree instead of as a side, so I served 1 whole pepper per person and I could only eat about 3/4 of it, with effort.

Nutrition Facts (Per half-pepper): Calories 162 (Fat Calories 14)
Total Fat 1.6 g; Carbohydrates 31.4 g; Fiber 6.5 g; Sugars 3.8 g; Protein 7.7 g

Cilantro Quinoa Khichdi

I hadn't made any Quinoa dinners lately and Tony is a huge fan. He mentioned a few days ago that he'd like some. Then one of my friends on FB posted a picture of a Quinoa and Lentil pilaf that she'd tried for her family. I figured I needed to make that today. I also had a head of white cauliflower that I needed to use this weekend. So I ran a Google search for Quinoa and Lentils and came up with the perfect recipe which used all 3 ingredients that I had on hand. Here's the end result :) Cilantro Quinoa Khichdi

A Khichdi (Kh-itch-dee) is a mildly flavored preparation of lentils and rice, the ultimate comfort food. Variations of the same basic theme (lentils, rice, vegetables) can be found across the entire Indian Subcontinent. Today's preparation excludes the rice, and includes Quinoa instead to up the protein content and lower the carbohydrate content.  

Cilantro Quinoa Khichdi

Adapted from: Food and Wine - Red Quinoa and Lentil Pilaf

Prep Time: 30-40 min

Ingredients (6 Servings): 

1. 1 cup Masoor Dal (whole red lentils, with skin - also called Brown Lentils)
2. 1.25 cup Quinoa
3. 1 Head of Cauliflower, shredded (~2 cups)
4. 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced (~1 cup)
5. 1/2 cup fresh Cilantro leaves (Stems removed)
6. 1 tbsp Garlic
7. 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
8. 1 tbsp Ground Cilantro Seeds
9. 1-2 tsp Ground Mustard 
10. 1 tsp Onion powder
11. 1 tsp Garlic powder
12. 1 tsp Turmeric
13. Salt and Pepper, to taste
14. Hot Sauce (optional)

Directions:

Rinse lentils in water and transfer to a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water (or home-made vegetable broth), for 1 cup of lentils, add turmeric and 1 tsp salt. Pressure cook under high pressure for at 20 minutes. Allow steam to dissipate on its own. Once all the pressure is dissipated, open, drain lentils and save the excess broth for use later. Cover and set aside. Meanwhile rinse out quinoa in running water (until the water runs clear) and transfer to a stock pot. Add 2.5 cups of water, for 1.25 cups of quinoa. Add 1 tsp each of Garlic and onion powders and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered until quinoa is cooked through and most of the excess water has evaporated. Cover and set aside. 

While the lentils and quinoa are cooking, in a pan large enough to hold everything, add a thin layer of water. Add minced garlic and saute until aromatic. Then add minced onions and a couple of pinches of salt and cook until excess water evaporates and onions are translucent (~3-4 minutes on medium-high). Add cumin seeds, coriander and mustard powders at this stage, toss well and add shredded cauliflower. Reduce heat to medium and cook this mixture together until the excess water has evaporated. Taste test this cauliflower onion mixture for spices and salt and add more of the same 3 spices and salt, as needed, to taste. At this stage, the mixture should taste 'over' spiced. Remember that you're still going to be adding 1 cup of lentils and 1.25 cups of cooked quinoa. Once the mixture is spiced to your taste, add fresh cilantro leaves (saving a couple sprigs for garnishing) and toss well. The warm cauliflower/onion mix will imbibe the essential oils and flavors from the cilantro leaves as they wilt with the heat. Once ready, toss lentils with the cauliflower/onion mix and the add quinoa and toss everything together. If the mixture appears too dry, add some of the saved lentil broth to add moisture to the dish. Serve warm, with freshly cracked black pepper, and more fresh cilantro leaves for garnish.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 201 (Fat Calories 24)
Total Fat 2.6 g; Carbohydrates 39.8 g; Fiber 10.0 g; Sugars 1.9 g; Protein 11.6 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

  

Taco Night

After a week of restaurant hopping in Texas, we returned to a home-cooked meal today. Guess what we had? Taco night!!! Yup, we didn't get enough Tex-Mex while in good 'ol Tejas so we had to have some the first day we were home. 

Taco night at the Coder Residence!!! 

I've posted about our taco fixin's before (see here). Today, we had Steamed Corn, Southwestern Quinoa, Spicy Black Beans, Sautéed Onions, Fresh Tomatoes .. and for the omni boys some taco meat and cheese.  For final toppings we had Salsa Verde and regular Medium Salsa. Everyone made their tacos with what they liked ... and everyone was happy!! No added-fat in the veggie fixins'!

Taco fixins!!! 

My Assessment: A+++ ... this might just be the most favorite dinner at the Coder residence.

Breakfast Quinoa w Greens

In recent weeks, I've switched to oats for breakfast instead of my spinach smoothie. I think I may have mentioned that before. Anyhow, since the smoothie was sometimes my main source of a bulk quantity of greens, I started missing it soon enough. I even tried doing both - spinach smoothie at 0700 and then a bowl of overnight oats at around 1030 instead of a snack but that ended up being a lot of calories. So I've been trying to incorporate greens in my diet in other ways.  

This morning I decided to mix baby spinach with Quinoa and got a pretty good dish. 

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients (1 serving):

1. 1/3 cup Quinoa, rinsed and drained
2. 2 cups fresh Baby Spinach
3. 2 pcs Sun-Dried tomatoes (Plain dried, Whole foods 365 brand, sliced w kitchen scissors)
4. 1 cup Silk Almond Milk, Unsweetened Original
5. 1/2 tbsp Minced Onions (dry)
6. 1/8 tsp Garlic powder
7. 1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, to taste.

Directions:

Place Quinoa, sun-dried tomatoes and spices at the bottom of a small stock pot, cover with almond milk. Bring milk to a boil, layer all the spinach on top, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Let everything simmer until Quinoa is cooked and spinach is cooked down. Uncover, mix well, allow excess liquid to evaporate (I left mine a little thick and soupier than oatmeal). Taste test, adding more creole seasoning, as needed. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve warm. 

My Assessment: Loved it! I used baby spinach which is what i had on hand today. This recipe should work with any green you have on hand. I can't wait to try it with kale. :) 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 254 (Fat Calories 55)
Total Fat 6.1 g; Carbohydrates 40.3 g; Dietary Fiber 6.7 g; Sugars 2.0 g; Protein 10.9 g

Chunky White Bean Chili

It wasn't particularly cold today. In fact, it was unseasonably warm today. But for some reason, on my drive home, I was craving chili. I didn't have all the ingredients on hand for my Quinoa Chili but I did have enough ingredients to think up a new recipe. I've been meaning to find a recipe for a White Bean Chili for a while and so today, I decided to cook something up with what I had at home ... and for a first attempt, it came out really good. Tony loved it enough that he wants to take leftovers for lunch :)

Chunky White Bean Chili

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients (4 Servings):

1. 1 cup white Quinoa, rinsed and drained
2. 2 x 15oz cans of Butter Beans, drained and rinsed
3. 2 Russet Potatoes, diced
4. 3 tbsp Dried Minced Onions (or a medium white onion, diced)
5. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
6. 2 tbsp Dried Cilantro
7. 6 cups of Water or Home-made Vegetable Broth
8. 2 cubes Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable Bouillon 
9. Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring water or broth to boil in a deep pot. Add all ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 min until potatoes are tender and the Quinoa releases its germ rings. Taste test for salt/pepper. Serve simmering hot!! 

Non-Chunky :) White Bean Chili, with extra broth, if you like it soupy!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 440 (Fat Calories 36)

Total Fat 4.0 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 82.6 g; Dietary Fiber 12.8 g; Sugars 3.3 g; Protein 20.2 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary.

Quinoa Upma

Upma is a South Indian Breakfast dish that is immensely popular also in the Northern parts of the country. It was also one of my Dad's favorite snacks, and my mom would make it at tea time. It is traditionally made from roasted refined semolina. Depending upon regional preferences, it may be made as a thick porridge or as a dry crumbly dish. In either case, spices and a lot of veggies are added to make it wholesome and nutritious. Some regional variations include vermicelli, pearl sago (similar to tapioca) and whole-wheat semolina. Nuts (peanuts, cashews) and coconut are often added as garnishes. 

Quinoa Upma

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 1/2 cup Quinoa, rinsed and drained
2. 1/3 cup Corn
3. 1/3 cup Peas
4. 1 Roma Tomato 
5. 2 tbsp Minced Onions
6. 1 tsp Garlic powder
7. 1 tsp Cumin powder
8. 1 tsp Mustard seeds (whole)
9. 1/4 tsp Turmeric
10. 1/2 tsp Deggi Chili Powder
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste
12. 1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin powder (optional)
13. 1-2 Green Chili peppers, sliced lenghwise (optional)
14. 1 tsp Cilantro leaves (fresh or dried)
15. 2 tbsp Peanuts/Cashews (optional)
16. Water or Vegetable Broth, as needed

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, add 1 cup of water to quinoa and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a slow simmer until quinoa is done, and then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, line a skillet with water or home-made vegetable broth and add minced onions, garlic, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric and deggi chili powder. Mix well and allow to simmer for a minute or so. Add peas and corn and mix well. Allow to simmer, uncovered, until the spices are well incorporated and any extra water is evaporated. If using nuts, add them at the same time as the peas and corn. If you like carrots, you can slice some in at this stage as well. I didn't have any at home today. They make a really pretty picture when added in :) !!! Taste test the veggies at this time and add any additional spices, to your taste. Add drained quinoa and mix well, adding a splash of water or broth, as needed, to prevent sticking and burning. Once well mixed, add cilantro leaves and a sprinkle of roasted cumin powder, if you have any. All it does is add a wonderful aroma and cuminy flavor. Serve warm with or without hot sauce, or green chili peppers. I served it without any hot sauce as it tasted perfect without the added heat. I used a plump read chili pepper as a garnish for my pics :)

Quinoa Upma ... umm umm good!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 234
Total Fat 3.8 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 42.8 g; Fiber 6.8 g; Sugars 5.6 g; Protein 9.8 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

Quinoa Chili

Every year on the last weekend before Halloween we visit with T's mom .. at the Indian Lake Campgrounds for The Annual Halloween Campout. Every year, the menu includes Chili, Beef & Vegetable Soup, Shredded Chicken sandwiches and cupcakes and desserts galore ... of course along with all the candy that you could possibly want to eat. Since both T and I are plant-based this year, I decided to bring along a plant-based Chili. I asked folks on our 'New Herbies' page on facebook what their most favorite Chili recipe was and I got a few suggestions ... and this one (Savvy Vegetarian) seemed the most interesting. Since we have to leave early tomorrow to get to the campgrounds, I decided to make it tonight on the stove top, although the website provides the crock-pot version as well. After making it as described, I decided that it didn't meet our expectations at all. My husband is a new herbie and I needed to live up to his expectations of "real" chili. The recipe below is my uber-modified version. The biggest change is 0% Added Fat. 

Quinoa Chili

Prep Time: 60 min, with prep time included.

Ingredients (12 servings):

1. 1 Medium Red Onion, diced
2. 3 Stalks of Celery, diced
3. 1 Jalapeño, deseeded, diced
4. 2 tbsp minced Garlic
5. 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
6. 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
7. 2 cups Quinoa, rinsed and drained.
8. 1 can (15oz) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
9. 1 can (15 oz) Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
10. 2 cans (15 oz) Dark Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
11. 1 can (15 oz) Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, with Garlic
12. 3 cans (8 oz) Tomato Sauce, unsalted
13. 8 cups Water or Vegetable Broth
14. 3-4 tsp Cumin powder
15. 6-8 tsp Coriander powder
16. 3-4 tsp Italian seasoning
17. 2-4 tsp Taco seasoning
18. 2 tsp dried Basil
19. 1-2 tsp dried Cilantro
20. 2 tsp Paprika (add more, to taste)
21. 3 tsp Chipotle Pepper (add more, to taste)
22. 2 large Bay leaves
23. 2 tbsp Light Molasses
24. 4 tbsp Soy Sauce, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
25. Salt and Pepper, to taste
26. Fresh Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:

In a large pot, add diced onions, celery, jalapeño and garlic and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Cook until both onion and celery are translucent. Add diced bell peppers, and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients and all the spices except for the 'hot' spices which should be added once the quinoa is cooked and even then mix in the chili peppers slowly and taste test frequently. Add water or broth as needed once the quinoa is cooked to get to the right consistency for chili. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and freshly cracked black pepper. 

Quinoa Chili

Our Assessment: Tony LOVED it!!! He's a 'real' chili guy and he LOVED IT!!!! I am so excited. He wants me to add this version (with my modifications) to our regular rotation and guess what? Winter is here ... we'll be eating a lot of it.  The pot is now sitting in the fridge. Tomorrow, I plan to transfer it to my crock pot first thing in the morning. I'll check consistency again, and add broth if needed. Let's hope someone in our Omni family, besides us, is willing to try it. It is truly yummy!!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 464 (Fat Calories 27)
Total Fat 3.0 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 85.3 g; Dietary Fiber 18.3 g; Sugars 8.1 g; Protein 26.3 g

Oil-Free Loaded Tostadas

So we're a family of Mexican food lovers ... all the boys including 3-year old li'l Nik Coder love tortilla chips with salsa and when asked, each one of us, will prefer to eat at a Mexican restaurant than any place else. Tacos are on our regular dinner rotation and everyone enjoys them immensely. Over the last several months, Tony has moved from making beef tacos to using ground turkey and recently even grilled chicken (the kids all still eat meat).

Since I went plant-based 9 months ago, I've tried TVP tacos, chick pea tacos, portabella mushroom tacos, squash fajita burritos and even just bean burritos. While I've always been a soft taco kinda gal ... the boys all seem to prefer crispy shells. Tony is especially fond of tostadas .. although it always bothered me to see him deep frying flour tortillas (not a very healthy option I must add!!). Now that Tony is going plant-based with me (yayy!) ... and his repertoire of plant-based foods is still somewhat limited, we've been trying to explore new foods and today was the day to try some new taco toppings. As I was getting dinner ready, he mentioned tostadas ... just in passing .. and I remembered reading this blog post a few weeks ago (I can't recall where) which talked about making baked tostadas and taco shells. And so ... taco night quickly transformed into Loaded Tostada night :)

Oil-Free Loaded Tostada

It was so superbly satisfying for me to able to serve Tostadas without even a trace of oil. All in all tonight's dinner took about 20 minutes to prepare (I multi-task well and used a combination of appliances - pressure cooker, microwave, oven and the stove). This was one of the more enjoyable dinners we've had in a long time.  Preheat oven to 375 F. Drape store-bought corn tortillas/soft tacos over an inverted muffin pan and bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes (to allow them to crisp up a tad more) and serve warm. ... super simple and not fried or dripping oil!!  

Here's how I went about preparing each of the toppings -

Southwestern Quinoa - I use an electric pressure cooker for making Quinoa, and follow Chef AJ's technique. 1 cup Quinoa + 1.5 cup water - Cook under high pressure for 2 min, let stand for 10 min and release the steam immediately for fluffy perfectly cooked quinoa - every time. Today, I simply added 2 tsp of Taco seasoning mix to give it the southwestern kick. Or you can make Quinoa is a sauce pan too (simply use 2 cups of water for every cup of Quinoa). 

Sautéed Mushrooms - Slice 1 cup mushrooms and sauté in a skillet lined with water (or vegetable broth), with 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp soy sauce and salt (to taste) until mushrooms are tender and all the water has evaporated. 

Sautéed Corn - Thaw 1 cup frozen corn and sauté in a skillet lined with water (or vegetable broth), with 1-2 tsp Taco seasoning until all the water has evaporated. 

Refried Black Beans - Drain 1 can of plain black beans, add 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 2-3 tbsp mild salsa and microwave on high (uncovered) for 5 min. Remove, mix well with a spatula making sure to smush some of the beans while doing so. Microwave on high for another 2-3 minutes, uncovered. Or you can also do the same thing in a skillet. 

Serve with fresh salsa, freshly diced tomatoes, black or green olives, avocado and lettuce (we didn't have any today). Um mm good! 

My Assessment: I am a convert. I can most definitely say that these were so much better than soft tacos. The crispy shell adds so much more to the overall gustatory pleasure of tacos :) ... I hate to admit it ... but Tony was right all along! Tostadas are so much better than soft tacos. One more lesson I learnt from Tony today (after my tostadas were already loaded), spread the beans first then add the rest of the toppings - that helps all the other toppings stay on so much better!! Enjoy!

Southwestern Quinoa & Portabella Tacos

I made a big batch of southwestern style Quinoa to last me a whole week :) !! While plain Quinoa is amazing by itself in sweet and savory dishes, this southwestern version totally blows it out of the ball park! 

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Quinoa
2. 1 cup mild Salsa
3. 2 Portabello mushrooms, Sliced
4. 1/2 cup Snow Peas
5. 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning
6. 2 Whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

Rinse quinoa and prepare as I've described previously (How to Prepare Quinoa). To make 'Southwestern' style quinoa, a version similar to Spanish rice served in Mexican restaurants across the country, I simply added fresh homemade salsa while preparing quinoa. In order to ensure that I could add Salsa without overwhelming my quinoa with liquid, I used a large mesh strainer to drain all of the liquid from the salsa into a measuring cup. Then, I made up the volume I needed with tap water.  I mixed the Salsa solids with the dry quinoa and added the measured amount of liquid to cook the quinoa. Once done, fluff with a fork for the best consistency. 

Separately, line a skillet with water and add taco seasoning. Once mixed, add the snow peas and cook for a few minutes and then add the sliced mushrooms. Toss well and cook for a couple more minutes until done. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in an oven set to 350F (takes 4-5 minutes).

Prepare Tacos by layering quinoa and veggies. I didn't have any fresh greens today, but a nice layer of baby spinach would definitely add a nice crunch to it as well. Overall a yummy no-added-fat dinner that was ready in 15-20 minutes.

* For a mild Salsa combine the following in a food processor.

1. 2 large or extra-large fresh Tomatoes
2. 2 Green Onions/Scallions
3. 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro leaves
4. 1 clove of Garlic
5. 1/4 Jalapeño (deseeded)
6. Juice of 1 lime
7. Salt, to taste

Quinoa & Mushroom Tacos

A friend of mine mentioned to me the other day that she made Quinoa Black Bean wraps and really enjoyed those. I've been meaning to ask her for the recipe, but haven't gotten around to it. This evening, T was making Chicken Tacos for himself and the boys and since he would have all the other fixings on the dinner table already, I figured I'd make myself some TVP Tacos. Then, I remembered I had some sliced button mushrooms in the fridge that I needed to use soon, and some steamed quinoa from last night, which I also wanted to use soon. 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 4-6 oz button mushrooms, sliced
2. 1 small red onion, sliced
3. 2-3 tsp Cumin
4. 1-2 tsp Taco Seasoning
5. 2 tbsp Corn Salsa
6. 1/4 cup Vegetable broth
7. Salt and pepper, to taste
8. 1 small tomato, diced
9. 1/2 cup Quinoa, prepared
10. 2 corn or flour tortillas, wrapped in foil and warmed in an oven (350F).
11. Enchilada sauce or fresh salsa (optional) 

Directions:

Line a skillet with vegetable broth, add onions and mushrooms and cook down. Then add seasonings, corn salsa and salt and pepper to taste. Prepare tacos by layering mushroom & onions, quinoa, fresh diced tomato and top with salsa. Enjoy!! 

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!!

Veggie Fact of the Day

So what is Quinoa? For one, its New Veggie #25. Quinoa, or Keen-wa, is often referred to as Inca Rice. According to fossil records, it has been consumed in Peru, Equador, Bolivia and Chile for at least 5000 years. It is a grain like crop, a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium), that is considered a pseudo-cereal as it is not a member of the grass family like wheat, rice, millets, rye etc. It falls in the same plant family as beets and spinach, so is a 'green' more than a 'grain'. 

In Northern India, the green leaves are eaten extensively and it is known as Bathuwa (Hindi: बथुआ). Unlike other cereals that are commonly consumed, Quinoa is very high in protein content (~18%) and is an excellent source of essential amino acids, dietary fiber, and minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten-free and relatively easy to digest as compared to some of the other grains. The Quinoa seed coat contains saponins, glycosides that make the seed unpalatable to insects and also to humans. Most Quinoa sold in the United States has the seed coat removed so this isn't an issue of great concern. 

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. 

Kohlrabi & Leek Soup

Another weekend, another experiment for my New Veggie Quest. After using 2 new ones last night, I had simple meals for breakfast and lunch and then got the crock pot going for a warm 'no-hassle' dinner, for a rather stormy evening in Central Ohio. New Veggie #17 - Kohlrabi, is not really a new veggie to me, as we ate it a lot when we were kids. However, this is the first time I prepared it myself.

Kohlrabi &Leek Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes set up; 4 hours on HIGH in a crock pot.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Kohlrabi bulbs, diced
2. 2 Leeks, thinly sliced (New Veggie #8)
3. 2 cups Vegetable broth
4. 1 cup white button mushrooms, halved
5. 1 large tomato
6. 3 medium russet potatoes, quartered
7. 2 links Vegan sausage, sliced
8. 2 tbsp dried parsley
9. 2 tbsp dried onion flakes
10. 4-6 tbsp worcestershire sauce (to taste)
11. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
12. 1/2 cup Quinoa (optional)

Directions:

Add all the above the ingredients to a crock pot, mix well and cook on HIGH until the chunks of potato and kohlrabi are well cooked and tender (about 4 hours). Check salt and flavoring, and adjust to taste. Garnish with freshly ground pepper and serve with toasted garlic bread. Yumm!

My Assessment:  This wasn't on my super-star meal list. But I did enjoy the flavors of kohlrabi in this soup. The use of leeks added the mild onion flavor I was looking for, without overpowering the kohlrabi. Next time, I will use larger chunks of kohlrabi and hold the vegan sausage (maybe the brand I picked up wasn't the best but I am not a fan after tonight!!). I think this soup gained nothing from the sausage. Overall a 7 on 10 for this dinner!!