Quinoa

© Eric Wolfinger

Roasted Carrot and Red Quinoa Salad

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Salt

2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large carrots, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup red quinoa
2 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 ounces mixed salad greens
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a small bowl, whisk the paprika with the turmeric, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, cardamom and 1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the carrots with the onion and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add 1 tablespoon of the spice mix and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender.
2. Meanwhile, spread the walnuts in a pie plate and bake for about 7 minutes, until golden. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa with 2 teaspoons of the spice mix and the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 17 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and let cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of the oil with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Add the salad greens and toss to coat. Spread the greens on a large platter. In the same bowl, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and the zest, mustard and 1 teaspoon of the spice mix; season with salt. Add the quinoa, walnuts, cranberries, parsley and roasted vegetables and toss well. Spoon the quinoa salad on the greens and serve.

 

Lentil Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa
1 1/4 cups water, plus 2 cups
1/2 cup lentils
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder ?
1 lime, zested
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Put the quinoa in a sieve and rinse in cold water. In a large microwave-proof bowl with a cover, add the rinsed quinoa and 1 1/4 cups water. Cover and microwave on high for 9 minutes. Let it sit for 2 minutes then stir. Quinoa should be tender enough to eat, but with a little "pop" upon biting.

Put the lentils in a sieve and rinse in cold water. In a saucepan, simmer the lentils in 2 cups water until the lentils are tender, but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool.

In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and vinegar together, and drizzle in the oil to make an emulsion. Add the garlic powder, lime zest, and salt, and pepper, to taste.

To assemble the salad: In a medium salad bowl, mix the quinoa, lentils, green onions, and chopped cilantro. Top the salad with the dressing, toss to coat and serve.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/lentil-quinoa-salad-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Red Quinoa and Lentil Pilaf  

 

 

Akasha Richmond’s cauliflower-flecked pilaf is a fantastic, healthy meal in one dish. Chopped Marcona almonds add a super crunch; coconut oil, an unexpected tropical flavor.

 

1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
1 garlic clove
1/4 onion
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 shallot, minced
1 celery rib, minced
1 carrot, minced
1/2 cup red quinoa, rinsed
1 cup vegetable stock
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound cauliflower, coarsely grated
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup coarsely chopped Marcona almonds

 

 

Add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil to the saucepan. Add the shallot, celery and carrot and cook over low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the grains are tender and plump and the liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the cauliflower and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, toss the lentils with the quinoa, cauliflower, parsley and almonds. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot or at room temperature.

Whipped goat cheese . . .

Roasted Beet & Whipped Goat Cheese with Arugula Dressed in Lavender Oil

 

 

• 2 cups canola oil
• 3 grams dried lavender
• Pinch of salt
• 10 small beets, roasted in a 350°F oven until tender when pierced with a knife
• 8 ounces goat cheese brought to room temperature
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, basil and rosemary
• 1 tablespoon cream
• Pinc
•  
• h of salt & pepper
• 1 cup of arugula
• 1 ciabatta or baguette
• Olive oil

This hand-held appetizer combines beet arugula salad with goat cheese for an unexpected and delightful taste experience. These would make great canapes at a cocktail party.
Why Try? A new way of eating beets, which is on trend, thanks to the lavender oil.
Foodie Byte: We used tri-colored beets which gave us a colorful presentation. Roasting them brings out the sweetness of the beets.

Preparation

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the canola oil up to 100ºF. Remove from heat and add lavender. If you have an immersion blender, use it to pulse the mixture to release the oils from the lavender. Alternatively, grind the lavender with a mortar and pestle or simply crush it between your hands before you add it to the oil. Allow the oil to steep for ½ hour. Strain through a fine sieve.
2. To make the whipped goat cheese, place the goat cheese and the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Start the mixer on low speed so the cream doesn’t splatter, then increase the speed to high and whip for 30 seconds. Add the herbs, salt & pepper and beat just to incorporate. Set aside.
3. To make the toasts, slice the bread into ½ inch thick slices and brush with olive oil. Toast over a hot grill.
4. Place the toasts on a serving platter. Spread each toast with whipped goat cheese.
5. In a bowl, combine beet slices and arugula and dress with the lavender oil and a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Season with salt & pepper.
6. Place beet & arugula salad on top of each toast. Serve immediately. 

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ROASTED BEETS WITH WHIPPED GOAT CHEESE AND PISTACHIOS
Serves 4 as a tapa or side dish
I particularly like orange beets but any – red, orange, Chioggia, yellow or a mix – will be beautiful.  The directions below say to whip the goat cheese in a standing mixer but a hand mixer or even a bowl, whisk and some determination will work just fine.
1 bunch of beets (about 3-4 medium)
olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
4 ounces goat cheese
1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped pistachios

1. For the beets: Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Trim the tops and scraggly root ends off the beets – save those tops!  They’re delicious sautéed.
3. Rinse the beets to remove any excess dirt.
4. Place the beets on a heavy-duty sheet of foil, drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
5. Wrap the beets up tight and place the packet on a sheet pan just in case there are any drips.
6. Place in the oven and bake for at least 30 minutes until tender.  If the beets are particularly large, they’ll probably need some extra time – mine were huge and took about an hour.
7. Let the beets cool until they can be easily handled.
8. When the beets are cool, oil your hands either by spraying with cooking spray or rubbing with some vegetable oil – this will help prevent any staining.
9. Using a paring knife, trim the skins from the beets.  They should pretty much slip off.
10. Cube the beets and set aside until needed. (Roasted beets will keep, refrigerated, up to a week.)
11. For the goat cheese: place the goat cheese in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
12. On medium speed, begin to whip the cheese until creamy.
13. With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the 1 ½ Tablespoons of olive oil along with a pinch each of salt and pepper.  (Whipped goat cheese will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.)
14. To serve:  toss the cubed beats with a drizzle of good olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
15. Place in a bowl and top with a scoop (or quenelle if you’re fancy) of the whipped goat cheese and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios.

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Turntable Kitchen is a site devoted to connecting food and music. Check out the site this week to find out what the Musical Pairing is for this dish!

Roasted Beet Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese
adapted from Tyler Florence Family Meal
Serves 4 -5
For the dressing:
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
salt and pepper, to taste
For the beets:
2 large bunches of beets (golden and red)
olive oil
a few springs of fresh thyme
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
For the whipped goat cheese:
4 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
To serve:
Marcona almonds, handful to garnish
1/2 cup baby arugula
1. Set aside one golden beet. Roast the rest of the beets: preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and trim the beets and place them in the center of a baking sheet covered with a large piece of tin foil. Drizzle the beets generously with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle thyme leaves over the beets. Take another large sheet of tinfoil and place it over the beets. Crimp the edges of the two sheets of foil, creating a pouch. Place the beets in the oven and roast for approximately an hour to an hour and twenty minutes (depending on how large the beets are). To test, carefully open the pouch (watch out for the steam!) and pierce a beet with a fork. It should go in easily, but the beet shouldn't be falling apart. Once the beets are roasted, let them cool.
2. Make the dressing: combine all of the dressing ingredients in a medium-sized Tupperware. Tightly close the lid and shake to mix.
3. Peel the roasted beets and cut them into circles, half-moons or wedges. Peel the unroasted beet and use a mandoline to slice it very finely.
4. Make the whipped goat cheese: combine the goat cheese and olive oil in a large bowl and whisk together under light and airy.
5. To assemble: Smear the goat cheese in the center of 4-5 plates. Top with beets. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with almonds and arugula. Serve with a piece of baguette.

© Ashley Rodriguez

Fennel and Red-Onion Salad with Parmesan

 

Crisp raw fennel, pungent onion, and a sprightly lemon and orange dressing make for a delectable salad. A food processor with a slicing attachment cuts the fennel in no time. 

1. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2. 3/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
3. 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
4. 3/4 teaspoon salt
5. 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
6. 6 tablespoons olive oil
7. 1 3/4 pounds fennel bulbs (about 2 large), cored and shaved as thin as possible
8. 1 small red onion, chopped fine
9. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, or a chunk of Parmesan for making curls 
10.  
11. 1. In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, orange zest, orange juice, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Add the oil slowly, whisking. Add the fennel and onion and toss. Let stand at least 5 minutes but no more than 1 hour.
    2. To serve, top the salad with the grated Parmesan, or with a few curls of Parmesan shaved from the chunk of cheese using a vegetable peeler. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
    Notes Variation In addition to the orange zest and juice, add the segments from one orange to the salad. Using a stainless-steel knife, peel the orange down to the flesh, removing all of the white pith. Cut the sections away from the membranes. Squeeze the juice from the membranes to use in the dressing.
    Slicing Fennel by Hand If you are slicing fennel by hand, the easiest way is to cut off the stalks, cut the bulb in half from the top through the root end, lay each half flat-side down, and slice crosswise.
    
     

Big Italian Salad 

 

[a little mayo . . .]

 

Part green salad, part antipasto salad, this recipe combines lettuce, celery, onion, peperoncini, olives and cherry tomatoes—all tossed in a dressing made with olive oil, vinegar and a little mayonnaise. "The salad reminds me of one my mother made," says Fran Parisi. "Her dressing had no mayo, of course—it was strictly oil and vinegar."  

 

1. 1 garlic clove, smashed
2. Salt
3. 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
4. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
5. 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
6. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7. Freshly ground pepper
8. 1 large romaine heart, chopped
9. 1 small head of radicchio—halved, cored and coarsely chopped
10. 1/4 head of iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped
11. 1 tender celery rib, thinly sliced
12. 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
13. 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
14. 1/4 cup pitted green olives, preferably Sicilian
15. 8 peperoncini
16. 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved (1 cup)

  In a large bowl, mash the garlic to a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Whisk in the mayonnaise, vinegar and oregano, then whisk in the olive oil. Season with pepper. Add all of the remaining ingredients and toss well. Serve right away.

 

 

Various Chili Lime Salt Recipes

Chili Lime Salt

Ingredients

• 1 large fresh red chili
• 1/2 cup flaky sea salt
• finely grated zest of 2 organic limes

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Using a sharp knife, remove the seeds from the chili and then finely mince. Place the chili into a mortar and pestle, along with the salt and the lime zest, and crush until the mixture achieves a fine, crumbly-like texture.
3. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for 30 minutes to dry.

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Grilling: Corn with Chili Lime Butter

 

There are some things so common on my grill that I never think about them as "blog worthy." Take corn for example. Grilling it to perfection has become second nature, but I still like to toy around with new ways to gussy it up. My latest tasty incarnation: grilled ears slathering in a chili-lime butter.
For a long time I've been grilling corn in their husks, and while that certainly is the most attractive way to prepare them, I always found the process—of removing the silk, tying the husk, then soaking the ears—rather arduous. Instead, try removing the silk and husk completely, rubbing on some butter, salt, and pepper, and foiling it up—then it's off to the grill. Foil seems to provide the right balance between protecting the corn while transferring enough heat to lightly char the kernels (a must for my grilled corns).
Right off the grill, corn prepared this way is mightily tasty, but slather on a butter mixture with chili powder, cayenne, lime zest and juice like I did on these ears, and it's taken to a whole new level. The sweetness of the corn puts the spicy butter in check, and together they create a flavor that's incredibly well-balanced. This hasn't been the first, and won't be the last time that excellent ears come off my grill.
About the author: Joshua Bousel blogs about grilling on his blog, The Meatwave, and appears here on Serious Eats each Friday with a recipe for weekend grilling.

About This Recipe

Yield:	6
Rated:

Ingredients

• 6 ears corn, husked
• 1/4 pound butter at room temperature, plus 3 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Lime wedges for serving
•  
• Type of fire: direct
• Grill heat: high

Procedures

1. 1
   
   In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 pound of the butter, chili powder, cayenne pepper, lime zest, and lime juice until thoroughly combined Set aside.
2. 2
   
   Lightly butter the corn with the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Wrap ears individually in aluminum foil.
3. 3
   
   Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over the charcoal grate. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place the foiled corn on the grill and cook until tender and slightly charred, about 20 minutes, turning 4 times during cooking. Remove from the grill and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. 4
   
   Open the foil, slather each ear in the chili-lime butter, and serve with the lime wedges.
   
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   Chili Lime Tofu

   Submitted by: TOTCHIKO
   
   

   Introduction

   http://veganyumyum.com/2008/06
   /sweet-chili-lime-tofu-wit
   h-wok-steamed-collards-and
   -quinoa/
   

   Minutes to Prepare: 20

   Minutes to Cook: 15

   Number of Servings: 4

   
   

   Ingredients

   350 grams firm tofu
   250 grams spinach
   
   
   
   Chili Lime Sauce
   
   1 1/2 tbsp raw sugar
   
   
   3 tbsp light soy sauce
   2 tbsp lime juice
   1/2 tsp chili flakes
   1 clove garlic, minced
   4 tbsp cilantro, chopped
   See Healthier Recipes. Go Now!

   
   

   Directions

   Prepare the sweet chili lime sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Drain tofu and cut it into small triangles. Brown tofu in a hot pan, add spinach and cook until wilted. Add the sauce and stir to coat. Let simmer until sauce is desired consistency.
   
   Number of Servings: 4
   
   Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user TOTCHIKO.
    
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