I simply love waffles.
Yes, they are my favorite breakfast food. I grew up eating a certain brand of frozen waffles and always felt like they were such a treat whenever they showed up on my plate in the morning.
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I’m trying to convince you that quinoa’s “moment” isn’t over!
In fact, in my opinion, this little powerfully nutritious seed, is still something that should be a staple at your dinner table.
Besides being nutritious, quinoa is super easy to prepare. All you need is some water, salt and a pot and 15 minutes. Yes, that’s it. Simple.
And get this, it freezes beautifully! Yes, it does! Simply let it cool and then place it into a freezer bag. Break off pieces as you need it and enjoy. It’s magical!
And here are the pretty picture of Freezer Quinoa:
Freezer Quinoa
Description
Make it once, enjoy it many times! This recipe makes a big batch of quinoa perfect for freezing!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with salt and reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered for about 15 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.
- For faster cooling, spread cooked quinoa out onto a sheet pan.
- Once cooled, place quinoa in a re-sealable freezer bag. Label and store in the freezer.
Notes
- Makes 3 cups of quinoa.
Nutrition
- Calories: 626
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 617
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 109
- Protein: 24
- Cholesterol: 0
Chickpeas are your new best friend…
Why? Because they are awesome for you nutritionally (high in fiber, plenty of amazing vitamins and minerals, vegetarian protein, etc) and they taste great so many different ways.
Think I’m just pulling a crazy dietitian stunt on you?
No way! I love tasty food just as much, if not more, than you do. I would never recommend a food that I didn’t deem “tasty.” Now way!
But why chickpeas Sara?
Chickpeas are the underdog in the bean world seeming to only really be appreciated for their necessity in making hummus. Boo to that I say! Chickpeas belong front and center and here’s just the dish that does that.
Meet my Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing!
This salad is booming with flavor and it’s not only craveable, it’s addicting. Nothing beats lots of fresh parsley and lemon and when you add in creamy tahini, you’ve got a dressing that really shines.
So here you go my friends, my Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing!
And here are the pretty pictures:
Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing
Description
A refreshing, yet hearty salad made with chickpeas, bell peppers, parsley all tossed in a tangy lemon-tahini dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1cup)
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup parsley, chopped
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In the bottom of a mixing bowl whisk together the garlic, tahini, lemon juice and honey. Add the olive oil and continue whisking until combined, then add the water. Toss in the chickpeas, bell pepper, red onion and parsley and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Notes
- Makes about 3 cups
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 198
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 237
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 0
Surprise! It’s Recipe Redux time.
This month’s theme was to find a cookbook and “Redux” the recipe on page 54 or page 154. “Alrighty then…let’s see how this goes”, I thought to myself as I eagerly reached for Jackie Newgent’s new cookbook, The All Natural Diabetes Cookbook (the night before my “Redux” was due)! “Please Jackie, please let page 54 hold a recipe that I have most of the ingredients for…and let it be a breakfast dish!” I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I turned to page 54, because there, on that beautiful page was not only a good recipe, but a GREAT recipe! Her Homemade Granola-Raspberry Parfaits! If she would’ve been here, I would’ve given her a huge hug. Success!
You’ll wonder why you’ve never made tomatillo salsa before…
I know, you’re doubting me when I say that, right? Why make it when you can buy a perfectly decent canned version? Hear me out! Besides being fun to play with (I mean, how awesome are those papery skins they come in?), tomatillos are a breeze to work with. And I have to say, fresh tomatillo salsa is darn good! I mean, really good. So good you’ll want to add it to everything you make. From scrambled eggs to chicken salad, it’ll be your new favorite condiment!
When life hands you lemons…
There was this time a few weeks ago when I really thought I had it together and then, poof, it all collapsed.
I felt great, I had this fantastic veggie burger recipe all queued up and then, life hit me. Not a literal punch in the face, more of like a “hey, stop biting off more than you can chew!” kind of way. Hence, the delayed post and hence why I have yet to update and face-lift my little blog here. But you’re here and I’m here now, so let’s celebrate that little victory, shall we?
Looking to use up that dried fruit or last teensy bit of nuts tucked away in your pantry? Well, then I have a recipe for you! Spare the lives of those tasty treats by using them in my Kitchen Sink Applesauce Bread.
Why I made this recipe:
I don’t know. Seriously, I don’t. I’ve already made my fair share of pumpkin recipes, so I should just stop. But. I. Just. Can’t. Stop!
Why I love this recipe:
Ahem, because I clearly love pumpkin. And I wanted to bake. And I wanted to bake pumpkin bread. That’s it.
It’s getting personal here. I love nuts. Yes, I do. So you can just imagine the absolute joy I experienced when I saw that the theme for this month’s Recipe Redux was nuts. “What!? Really?” I’m pretty sure I gasped that exact sentence when I read the good news. Then, just excitement…what was I going to make to celebrate my love for nuts? Immediately, I went to my new obsession (yes, I have a new one now, pumpkin has taken 2nd place), butternut squash. Just what could I do with that?
Oh yes, yes, I’ve got it, Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar Roasted Pecans!
Um, it’s pure heaven. Because who doesn’t love roasted, sweet butternut squash? And who doesn’t adore candied pecans or tangy feta cheese? Right? And so, how about I put all of those together? Um, ok, done! This one is really good people…it got two thumbs up around here in my house and I have to say that I’ve been going back to my fridge multiple time for big, heaping spoonfuls. Pair it with a roasted chicken or turkey or add it to a salad made with dark greens. And just a word of advice, you’ll want to make a double batch.
The Picture Montage Honoring The Fabulous Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar Roasted Pecans
Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar Roasted Pecans
Description
A side dish that will make everyone happy. Roasted butternut squash is paired with lightly candied pecans then tossed with fresh thyme and feta cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
For the pecans
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup whole pecans
For the squash
- 1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
To serve
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven the 400’F and line one large sheet pan with foil or parchment paper and one small sheet pan with foil or parchment paper. Spray both with non-stick cooking spray.
For the pecans
- To a medium pot, add the sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the cinnamon and salt and then the pecans. Cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute or until mixture has thickened and pecans appear coated. Spread the the pecans out onto the small sheet pan and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
To cook the squash
- Place the cubed squash in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread the squash out in an even layer onto the prepared, large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and lightly brown, about 30-35 minutes.
- Transfer roasted squash back to the mixing bowl. Roughly chop the pecans and add to the squash along with the thyme and feta cheese. Toss to combine and serve.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 2 cups squash. About a 1/2 cup serving each for four people.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 240
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 4
I don’t know how my love affair of Mexican food began. It sure wasn’t inspired by anything I ate while growing up. I’m from the Midwest, so that’s part of my excuse. But, really, when I was younger (dating myself here), the closest I could get to Mexican food was a certain fast food chain (hello, chalupa) and a certain fast-casual food chain (hola, unlimited chips and salsa!). It’s a wonder, then, how I came to love Mexican food so much.
But I do love it and it has changed my life in the best, most positive way possible. How can a cuisine do that you ask? Simply, by educating me about food. I read so many great recipes featuring Mexican cooking and Mexican chefs, and I learned two important lessons. The first lesson I learned was the necessity of properly using spices to season food. The second lesson I learned was the importance of layering flavor, an indispensable tool used to build a recipe so that dishes go from ok to awesome. Those two lessons are the inspiration for how I make many of my dishes, including this Chicken Posole.
It’s not just another stew, it’s something that honors those lessons of properly using spices and building flavor. It’s brimming with everything from cumin to green chiles to the super delicious and texturally-pleasing hominy. This Chicken Posole is a tribute to honestly good food. It can fill any hungry or “hangry” belly and bring a smile to any face.
READ THIS PEOPLE!
Whew, did I get your attention? Good, that was on purpose. I want you to read this part because these are tips for success, including a few reasons why I did what I did with this recipe. Read on…
- Buy the skin-on, bone-in chicken. Trust me! The skin helps add depth of flavor in two ways. First, when you sear it, you’ll get some yummy browned bits that stick to the pan, that’s called fond, and it’s good stuff. Second, you’ll cook the chicken with the skin-on, which will give your stew a really nice, enhanced chicken broth taste. (Don’t worry, you’ll take the skin off and bones off before you eat it!)
- Back to that chicken, don’t even think about touching it or peeking at it while you’re searing it. You’ll just rip the skin right off and you’ll be mad and cry. I want you to be happy.
- I add flour here, why? Because I want a stew that’s thick and by adding this flour and cooking it with the fat, I accomplish that. No whimpy stew broth for me!
And here, the montage of pictures honoring this Chicken Posole
Chicken Posole
Description
A big pot of warmth, this stew is hearty and loaded with flavor. Perfect for tailgates or potlucks or a delicious family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon vegeatable oil
- 2 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 3/4 pound)
- 2 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pound)
- 1/2 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (25-ounce) can hominy, drained
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the chicken with salt then arrange, skin-side down in the pot. Cook about 6-7 minutes, until skin is golden brown. Move to a plate.
- Add the onion and carrots to the pot and cook until softened, about 6-7 minutes. Add the chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook and stir for 1 more minute. Add the chicken broth, stirring to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring mixture to a simmer then add the chicken, pressing it into the liquid to fully submerge it. Reduce the heat to medium-low, simmer uncovered, until chicken is cooked (has reached an internal temperature of 165’F), about 25 minutes. Check occasionally during cooking to ensure that chicken is still submerged. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time to keep chicken in the cooking liquid.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool 5 minutes. (At this point you can also skim the surface of the soup to remove any scum or excess oil/fat.)
- Carefully remove and discard skin. Using a fork, remove the meat from the bones. Discard bones. Roughly chop the chicken and add it back to the pot along with the drained beans, hominy and chiles. Cook an additional 10 minutes.
- Stir in lime juice and cilantro and serve.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 9 cups of stew, this allows for a generous 1 1/2 cup portion for 6 people.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 346
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 557
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 77