Brussel Sprout Cranberry Quinoa Salad

This all season salad is perfect for potlucks, a satisfying lunch, or a vegetarian dinner (if you are in to that sort of thing...).

I made a few modifications; subbing freeze dried cranberry slices for craisins, which cuts down significantly on the sweetness, but still adds that great pop of color, and I used almonds instead of pecans, since that is what I had on hand.  Like most salads, anything you choose to throw in or omit would work great.

Brussel Sprout Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Recipe modified from Gimme some Oven

Salad

2 c. quinoa, cooked

6 oz Brussel sprouts

3/4 c. freeze dried sliced cranberries (or craisins)

1 c. sliced almonds (or pecans)

Dressing

1/2 orange (1/4 c. juice)

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1 Stevia packet (omit if using craisins)

Wash and trim ends of Brussel sprouts, and thinly slice.

Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.

Whisk dressing ingredients together and drizzle over salad.

Toss to combine.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Quinoa Patties

These patties....

Photo courtesy of Eating Well Living Thin

They are amazing.  The recipe source calls them a quinoa burger.  (Please).  A hamburger is a burger.   If you are a vegetarian go ahead and call it that.  For all you meat eaters, lets just call it a patty.

A delicious patty filled with unusual ingredients that produces almost a tater tot result.

You can serve yours with a dollop of greek yogurt or sour cream as the picture shows.

You can eat them plain, as my 3 year old prefers.

Or make a meal out of it and try my personal favorite; with a slab of bacon and a fried egg on top.

Either way, these don't disappoint!

Quinoa Patties

Recipe from Eating Well Living Thin

1 c. uncooked quinoa, prepared per package directions (or 2 rounded cups cooked quinoa)

3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, grated

3 eggs

3 Tbsp. all purpose flour

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

oil for frying (olive, canola, vegetable, coconut)

In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa and all other ingredients except for the oil.

Heat a large skillet over medium low and coat the bottom liberally with oil.

(If you are taking my advice and cooking bacon, go ahead and use the bacon grease to fry these in).

Drop 1/4 - 1/3 of the mixture into the oil and flatten out into a patty. 

Use a spatula to smooth out the edges and make into a circle, squishing the mixture together to hold.

Fry until golden brown, at least 4 minutes per side.

Flip carefully, and fry remaining side.

Makes approximately 10 patties.

Coconut Lime Chicken and Quinoa

I was hesitant to try this recipe at first.  My husband is not a lover of sweet and savory dishes, so I wasn't sure how he would react to the coconut milk, and neither of us are major curry fans.

My only regret now however, is that I didn't try it earlier in the year.  As winter approaches it means less time cooking out on the grill, and this simple chicken dinner is amazingly delicious!  So much in fact that I will now have to try it in a frying pan throughout the colder months.  It was moist and flavorful and came together quickly.  

I came up with a great quinoa side using the same flavors as the chicken to soak up the extra sauce.  It was a perfect pair.

Coconut Lime Chicken

Recipe from Pinned by dani

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken

3 Tbsp. olive oil

zest of 1 lime

1 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. coriander

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. curry powder

1/2 c. coconut milk

pinch cayenne

1 jalapeno, diced

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

fresh lime wedges, optional

Mix all ingredients except chicken and cilantro in a quart ziplock bag.

Add chicken and marinate in fridge for up to 2 hours.

Cook chicken on grill, reserving marinade.

Pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.

Boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drizzle chicken with reserved marinade and sprinkle chopped cilantro over everything.

Garnish with fresh lime wedges if desired.

Serve over coconut lime quinoa.

Coconut Lime Quinoa

Menu Managed Original

1 1/2 c. quinoa

1 1/4 c. coconut milk (remaining from can used to make marinade)

1/4 c. chicken broth or water

1 can diced green chilies

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1/4 c. onion, minced

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Soak quinoa for 30 minutes in cool water and rinse thoroughly to remove bitter coating.

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except quinoa and cilantro and mix thoroughly over high heat.

Add quinoa and bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Fluff with fork.

Stir in chopped cilantro.

Chicken Quinoa Stew with Butternut and Beans

This stew is delicious.  No other explanation is needed.

It is thick and hearty and I devoured the leftovers everyday for almost a week.

Chicken Quinoa Stew with Butternut and Beans

Recipe slightly modified from Cookin' Canuck

1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/2" chunks

2 cans chicken broth

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (thighs or breast), cooked and cubed/shredded

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp. oregano

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can garbanzo beans

2/3 c. uncooked quinoa

salt and pepper to taste

chopped cilantro, to taste

Steam the squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove half of the squash, setting aside.

Steam remaining squash until very tender, and mash with a fork to puree.

Soak quinoa in some water to help remove the outer bitter coating.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil and saute onions until translucent.

Season with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic, cooking for and additional minute.

Add tomatoes, broth, chicken, beans, butternut squash pieces and mashed butternut; stir to combine.

Drain quinoa and run under water to rinse completely.

Add quinoa to pot and bring to a simmer.

Cover and simmer on low until quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Spoon into individual bowls and stir in cilantro, to taste.

Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowls

I love the concept of burrito bowls; everything mexican that you love heaped together in a bowl rather than stuffed into a tortilla.  This particular dish is topped over quinoa, and it is delicious.  We always add meat to ours, but this would be very filling as a vegetarian meal as well.

As far as the meat goes: this is definitely a 'leftover' meal for me.  One that you can take any extra shredded meat, add some quinoa and toppings and you are good to go.

Quinoa Black Bean Burrito Bowls

Recipe modified from The Shiksa in the Kitchen

1 c. quinoa

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 c. minced onion

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 tsp. cumin

dash red pepper flakes

1/4 c. water

3 Tbsp. lime juice, divided

salt and pepper to taste

Meat of choice, cooked and shredded:

I like it with kalua pork the best, but we've used chicken and beef also

Toppings of choice:

corn

peppers

olives

lettuce

tomato / salsa

avocado / guacamole

sour cream

Cook quinoa according to package directions.

When finished, fold in remaining 2 Tbsp. lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Meanwhile, saute onions in olive oil until translucent.

Add beans, water, cumin and red pepper flakes.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated.

Stir in 1 Tbsp. lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble bowls, layer quinoa, beans, meat, and any additional toppings.

Serve warm.

Quinoa and Cheese {with Brocolli}

Just like the average Mac and Cheese, this recipe swaps out the noodles in replace of quinoa.  Chopped brocolli makes it the perfect side dish, and a thin layer of panko bread crumbs adds a slight crunch.

We all loved it, including my 3 and 6 year old boys.

Quinoa and Cheese {with Broccoli}

Recipe modified and photo from Around The Table

1 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c. water

1 chicken bouillon

1 1/2 c. chopped broccoli

salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic

2/3 c. milk

1 egg

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

1 c. grated pepperjack cheese

Pando bread crumbs

Bring water and bouillon to a boil.

Add quinoa and cover.

Simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.

Add broccoli to the top of quinoa, cover again and continue to simmer until quinoa is cooked, about 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, whisk egg and milk together and grate the cheeses.

Remove pan from heat.

Stir broccoli into quinoa and add salt and pepper to taste.

Add egg/milk mixture and cheese to pan and stir until cheese is just melted.

Transfer to a greased 8 or 9" square baking pan.

Top with a thin layer of panko bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, until crumbs are just golden.

Mango Quinoa Salad

Another excellent quinoa recipe!  SOOOO DELICIOUS!

And if you happen to be like my husband, who refuses to believe that any type of fruit should EVER be served in the same dish as onions or meat, you can forgo the mango's altogether (which would also be a good option for the dead of winter when juicy mango's are no-where to be found).

Either way, this is definitely a keeper!

Mango Quinoa Salad

Recipe modified from Our Best Bites

3/4 c. uncooked quinoa

1 c. + 2 Tbsp. chicken broth (or water)

3 scallions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large handful cilantro, chopped

2 mango's, chopped

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Place quinoa and chicken broth in pot with a lid and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes with the lid still on.

Meanwhile, combine beans, scallions, bell pepper, mango's and cilantro in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar and lime juice.

Once quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and add to bean/veggie mixture.

Pour dressing over everything and stir to combine.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately, at room temperature, or cooled (I prefer room temp.)

** As a side note, if you plan on having leftovers, consider leaving out the mango's until just before serving; they will get mushy in the salad after a day.  The rest of the salad will store wonderfully in the fridge without them, and you can add fresh chopped mango as you eat up the rest.

Southwest Quinoa Chopped Salad with Chicken and Creamy Salsa Dressing

My sister in law shared this recipe with me (Thank you Charisse!)

She got it from a 'cooking with grains' class.

IT IS SO GOOD!

The best quinoa recipe I've EVER had!

Southwest Quinoa Chopped Salad with Chicken and Creamy Salsa Dressing

Recipe from Charisse Moore

1 c. quinoa

1 tsp. sea salt

1 c. salsa

1/2 c. sour cream or yogurt

3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

juice and zest from 1 lime

sea salt to taste

2 c. rotisserie chicken, cubed or shredded

1 c. black beans, rinsed

1/2 red or orange bell pepper, chopped

1 c. corn
1 avocado, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1 large head romaine or iceburg lettuce

cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

Bring 1 1/2 c. cold water to a boil.

Rinse quinoa (for instructions on how to do so, click here)

Put quinoa and salt in boiling water.

Bring back to a boil.

Cover and reduce to a simmer, cooking for about 15 minutes.

Turn off heat and let sit, covered, for about 5 minutes.

Drain in fine mesh strainer and set aside to cool.

Place salsa, sour cream, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice and lime zest in a blender.

Pulse until smooth.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Put in fridge to chill.

Toss cooled quinoa with chicken, beans, pepper, corn, avocado and tomato.

Add just enough dressing to coat evenly.

Serve over chopped lettuce.

Garnish with lime and cilantro.

** This salad can be served chilled, but I prefer it served immediately, or at room temperature.  Because of this, if you are planning on having leftovers, I would leave the tomatoes and avocado out, since they don't reheat well.  Just serve them as a garnish.

Creamy Quinoa Primavera

This is a great side dish.  Whole grain, vegetables, and just enough cheese to make it creamy and delicious.
My kids (especially Lincoln) enjoyed it as well...

Never cooked quinoa?  Click HERE for cooking tips.

Creamy Quinoa Primavera
1 c. uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 oz. cream cheese
1 Tbsp. fresh OR 1 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups thinly sliced or bite sized assorted veggies
2 Tbsp. grated Romano OR Parmesan

Rinse quinoa thoroughly and drain.
Heat quinoa and broth to boiling.  Cover and reduce heat to low.
Simmer 15-20 minutes, until all broth is absorbed.

Stir in cream cheese and basil.
Cover and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, melt butter in skillet.
Cook garlic until golden.
Stir in veggies and cook for 2 minutes, until crisp tender.
Toss veggies with quinoa.
Add Romano or Parmesan.

Serve immediately.

Quinoa Cooking Tips

Quinoa; pronounced [keen-wa].  Ever had it?  Ever even heard of it?  It is a whole grain (like wheat, oats or brown rice).  It is super healthy for you, relatively inexpensive, and has a great shelf life.  My mother in law bought a huge amount and gave me some to try.  We both had a bit of a hard time figuring out how to prepare it (since neither of us had ever had it before).  Here is what I've found out since then...

It's good!  It kind of has a nutty flavor, and works great as a side dish or a substitution for rice in stir-fry type dishes.  However, it does have a slightly bitter flavor if not prepared correctly.

Very similar looking to sesame seeds, quinoa has an outer coating which can be very bitter if not removed prior to cooking.  To remove the coating, you just have to soak it in water.  (Some brands/companies do sell quinoa pre washed - so you'll have to expirament with what you have).

- Place quinoa in a strainer (make sure you use the metal mesh kind, quinoa is very small and may go right through otherwise)

- Place the strainer in a bowl and fill with water; soak for 15-30 minutes (if you don't have time for this, you can immerse the quinoa in HOT water for 5 minutes, rinsing once or twice; but longer soaking creates better results).

- Discard any that float to the top.

- Use your hand to stir the quinoa every so often while soaking.  You may also need to discard the water and replace it. 

- Once the water runs clear through the quinoa it is ready for cooking.

Proportions and Cooking time:

- If quinoa is wet (has recently been rinsed) you will use 1 c. quinoa to 1 1/2 c. liquid

- If quinoa doesn't need to be strained (dry) you will use 1 c. quinoa to 1 3/4 - 2 c. liquid

- Bring liquid to a boil.  Add quinoa.  Cover and let simmer 18-20 minutes.

Quinoa can be cooked in water, but I like to use chicken/beef/vegetable stock instead (or at least 1/2 stock and 1/2 water).  It really makes a big difference taste wise.

This is what it looks like fully cooked - pretty small, as you can see compared to the peas, but pretty tasty.  I will be posting some recipes soon enough!