Make-Your-Own Quinoa Salad

Posted on August 31, 2011 | Comments Off

Quinoa is a staple in our house.  It’s high in protein and takes less than 20 minutes to make–a mother’s dream.  We use it as a breakfast cereal in the morning and in place of rice at dinner.  Yeah, we sound like quinoa addicts and I’m not ashamed to admit it :)

I think the best thing about quinoa is its versatility.  You can use it for almost anything.  Lately I’ve been making a lot of salads for lunch using quinoa and whatever is in my fridge at the moment.  The recipe below is not one I can claim as my own, but I’m addicted to it and need to share!  We visited friends in San Francisco a few weeks ago and my dear friend Amy made this salad to welcome us after a LONG drive in the car.  Isn’t she the best friend ever?

There are a few staples in my quinoa salads (quinoa, lemon/olive oil dressing, legumes) but the veggies change almost daily depending on what’s in season.  I didn’t list exact measurements in the recipe below because it really depends on your own personal preference.  Enjoy!

Make-Your-Own Quinoa Salad

2 cups cooked quinoa (1 part dry quinoa, 2 parts veggie broth.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes until broth is absorbed.  For added flavor throw is a teaspoon of butter too.)

Artichoke hearts (I like the marinated kind from Trader Joes)

1 can garbanzo beans (use Eden Organic to avoid BPA in the can)

Feta cheese

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Peas (only if they are fresh from the farmer’s market, otherwise skip them :) )

Dressing:

1 part lemon juice

2 parts olive oil

thyme (dried or fresh)

salt to taste

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Quick and Easy Broccoli Soup (Gluten-free)

Posted on July 20, 2011 | Comments Off

It seems odd to post a broccoli soup recipe in the middle of summer, but I hear it’s pretty cold in Seattle these days so this one is for all you mamas turning the heat on at night :)

We had a head of broccoli that NEEDED to be used tonight so I decided to whip up a batch of this soup.  I make this soup frequently, especially when I feel like Kula Baby needs an extra veggie boost.  We use coconut milk instead of regular milk and it makes the soup taste so yummy.  Kula Baby gobbles this stuff right up.  It takes about 10 minutes to make–you can’t beat it!

Quick and Easy Broccoli Soup (Gluten-free)

2 medium heads of broccoli, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 teaspoon butter (or you can use olive oil instead, but butter gives an extra yummy flavor)

3-4 cups milk or milk substitute (we use coconut milk)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place broccoli in steamer (we use a pan and metal steamer basket for all our steamed veggies to make it easy) and steam until slightly tender but not over done.

While broccoli is steaming, get out a saute pan and saute butter, garlic and onion until tender.  Add milk and broccoli to pan and heat through.

In a blender (I used my NEW handy Vitamix, oh my how I love this thing), add the parmesan cheese and the broccoli mixture from stove.  Blend until smooth.  Transfer back to stove and taste.  Add salt and pepper.  Add more milk if a thinner consistency is needed (or if you like a thicker soup add a tablespoon of flour).

Enjoy!

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Kula Baby’s Favorite Milkshake

Posted on July 2, 2011 | 1 Comment

This “milkshake” is Kula Baby’s new favorite summer treat.  He thinks he’s getting some sort of chocolate-flavored ice cream and I’m in no hurry to tell him otherwise.  This smoothie is a perfect blend of protein and sweet.  It’s also so refreshing on a warm summer day.  The ground flaxseeds offer brain-building omega 3s (remember to grind them just before adding to the smoothie) and the raw cacao powder provides a big helping of antioxidants.

And the best part…it ALMOST tastes like ice cream!  Enjoy!

Kula Baby’s Favorite Milkshake

1 cup milk (rice milk, nut milk, goat milk, etc.) (you can add more milk if you like a thinner consistency)

1 heaping tablespoon almond butter (try 2 tablespoons if you want extra protein!)

1/2 teaspoon ground flaxseeds

1/8 teaspoon raw cacao powder

1 banana (we freeze our bananas for this but you can use unfrozen too)

1/4-1/2 cup ice (optional but I like it extra cold!)

dash of cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and combine until smooth.  Taste it and feel free to add more of a certain ingredient if you like.  You can also try adding different combinations of fruit to change it up from time to time.

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Brain-building Trail Mix (Gluten-free)

Posted on June 13, 2011 | 1 Comment

We are preparing for a big trip to Disneyland soon so I’ve been busy in the kitchen preparing lots of healthy snacks to take with us.  I figure it’s my job to try to balance all the crap we are sure to eat at the park with some healthy snack options.  I haven’t been to Disneyland since I was about 12 years old so I can’t remember anything about the food served there. However, rumor has it the corn dog is hard to compete with, so all my cooking in the kitchen might be for nothing.

Brain-building Trail Mix

1 cup walnuts, chopped (you can use another type of nut too—but walnuts contain brain-building omega-3s)

½ cup pumpkin seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup shredded coconut

½ cup oats (buy gluten-free oats if you want this recipe gluten-free)

½ cup dried cherries or raisins

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Directions (makes about 2.5 cups of trail mix):

Chop walnuts into bite-sized pieces

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees.

Melt coconut oil over low heat.  Mix nuts, seeds, syrup, oil, fruit, coconut, oats and cinnamon in a bowl.  Mix to combine.

Place piece of parchment paper on cookie sheet.  Spread out nut mixture on parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes.

Let cool before serving.

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Energy Bites (Dairy-free, Gluten-free)

Posted on March 22, 2011 | Comments Off

Our pantry has been bare the last couple of weeks.  Kula Baby’s been surviving on rice bread and almond butter at snack time because I’ve been too lazy to whip up something better.  The problem is he always eats rice bread and almond butter so he really doesn’t provide me with any incentive to branch out!  My son is a true Virgo, he loves routine.  Of course I know better than to feed him the same thing every day so it’s time to get cracking in the kitchen Kula Mama!

We usually have these energy bites in the pantry or freezer.  Everyone loves them (including my husband) and they provide all the essential makings of a good snack: carbohydrate, healthy fat and protein.  These are blood sugar-friendly and oh so yummy!

Energy Bites

1/3 cup whole-grain gluten-free flour (Pamela’s Baking Mix, Rice Flour, Quinoa Flour, etc) (You can also use regular flour if you don’t want them gluten-free)

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup Sucanat or light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts (can also use pecans, hazelnuts or almonds), chopped

1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries

12 Medjool dates (approx 1 cup chopped dates), pits removed and chopped (or figs)

1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water) (You may also use a real egg if you don’t want them vegan)

1 tablespoon rice milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F.

Line a square pan (8 or 9 inch) with parchment paper.

In a small bowl mix together the flax egg and set aside.

Chop and toast the walnuts for 8-9 minutes at 250 degrees. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the walnuts and dried fruit. Make sure all ingredients are fully mixed.

Mix the vanilla into the flax egg after it has thickened up after about 10 minutes.

Add the flax egg mixture and the 1 tablespoon rice milk to the fruit and nut mixture and mix well. Spread into the pan, pressing with fingers to even it out.

Bake for about 33-35 minutes at 325.

Remove bars from pan by lifting parchment paper.  Allow it to cool on wire rack for 30 minutes (you can even stick this in the freezer for 10 minutes to really let it set).  Using a sharp knife, cut into bite sized pieces.

Recipe adapted from: www.ohsheglows.com

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Veggie Lo Mein

Posted on February 23, 2011 | Comments Off

I’ve been playing the role of a single parent the past few nights while my husband racks up frequent flier miles for work.  He rests his head each night in a Weston Heavenly Bed, while I try to hold down the fort with a 2 and 1/2 year old who constantly wonders WHY, WHY, WHY Mommy????!!!  I have to put Kula Baby to bed early just to give my voice a rest from all the EXPLAINING I’m doing lately.

The good news is that my husband only has 2-3 busy travel months a year.  These nights also give me the opportunity to prove that a single mom can cook for her toddler each night and keep her sanity.

Well, honestly I can’t vouch for the sanity part…but my kid’s been eating home cooked meals all week!

I put this Veggie Lo Mein together in under 30 minutes.  Yes, I had to plan ahead and have turkey bacon ready in the fridge, but planning comes with the territory when you are cooking each night.  Planning saves time and I love saving time during the dinner hour!

Veggie Lo Mein

1 box of rice noodles (spaghetti style) (you can use regular noodles too)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup sweet potato puree (scoop out potato and mix with 2 tbsp milk)

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup finely chopped cauliflower

4 strips of organic turkey bacon

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions and set aside.

In a bowl mix: chicken broth, sweet potato puree, tamari, water, maple syrup, sesame oil, cornstarch.

In a skillet over medium heat, place olive oil and strips of bacon and cook a few minutes per side until done.  Set aside and chop into small pieces.

Put cauliflower in pan along with the leftover bacon oil.  Stir fry until slightly tender (4 minutes).  Add noodles and tamari sauce mixture.  Reduce heat to low and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring well until sauce thickens and noodles are coated.  Add extra chicken broth if it’s too thick.  Top with cooked bacon and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.  Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld


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Tortilla Soup (Gluten-free)

Posted on February 8, 2011 | Comments Off

Kula Baby has a cookbook he adores.  It’s called: C is for Cooking.  Can you guess who makes it?  Yes, the Sesame Street chefs put out a pretty cool publication.  We reference it often.  Kula Baby actually likes to “read” this cookbook like a regular bedtime story.  Food obsessions start early in our home.

The photo of tortilla soup was particularly intriguing to Kula Baby over the weekend.  The corn, the perfectly chopped avocado, oh my!  I decided to make my own version after skimming many recipes and coming up empty  (I didn’t have any peppers so I needed a recipe that would work with me and didn’t find one).  We were feeling like vegetarians last weekend so I opted against shredded chicken, however, chicken would be a great ingredient to add.  As you know, when my husband tells me to write it down we know it’s a keeper!  This recipe allows you to “hide” veggies as well by blending the broth so it’s a great nutritional booster.

Tortilla Soup (serves 2 adults and one small eater)

5 small roma tomatoes

1/2 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped finely

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup avocado, cubed

2 cups chicken broth (or more if needed)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt, to taste

2 tablespoon butter to saute vegetables

1 rice tortilla (or regular flour will work too)

grated cheese and chopped cilantro for topping

spritz of lemon

Directions:

Saute butter, onion and garlic in a saute pan for 5 minutes until slightly tender.  Add carrots and tomatoes and saute for 5-7 min.  Add spices, 2 cups of broth and simmer until carrots are tender and tomatoes are falling apart (about 15 minutes).  Remove from heat and place in blender.

Blend soup mixture until smooth.  Return to pan.  Add 1/2 cup of corn and stir.  Taste soup.  Add salt, lemon, etc. as desired.

Spread the tortilla with butter and place in a toaster oven or regular oven and broil until crispy (2 minutes).  Sprinkle with salt and chop into small squares.

Serve soup in bowls topped with tortilla, cheese, avocado and cilantro.  Enjoy!

**Add shredded chicken to this soup for another variation.

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