Mediterranian Quinoa Salad

So Quinoa might be my new favorite food. It has more protein than any other grain and has a nutty flavor-its actually a seed from spinach. I could brag on about the benefits(since there are a ton!) but instead here is the simpliest little quinoa salad. It really doesnt matter what color quinoa(since it comes in plain, red or black) it all tastes the same to me! The red, however, makes this a prettier presentation.



What you'll need

1 cup of quinoa-red pictured here
1 cup of steamed edamame beans(I just bought frozen and unshelled at HEB)
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
Small amount of red onion
1/2 a cucumber
2 tablespoons of feta
1 tablespoon of EVOO(extra virgin olive oil)
Juice of half a lemon
Tablespoon of fresh chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste

First cook 1 cup of quinoa over a medium stove with 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. let stand for 15 minutes and chill in the fridge when done.

Cook your unshelled edamame beans by following microwave directions(only way to steam them and infact actually healthier than cooking over the stove)

Once your quinoa has cooled take it out of the fridge and combine in chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, cucumber, basil, soybeans(edamame), EVOO, feta, lemon, and seasonings.

cover and cool in fridge for 15 minutes so the flavors all soak together and enjoy!

Pesto, Goat Cheese, and Sun Dried Tomato Quiche

Made this baby for my friends a couple times for brunch!

All you need is:
4 tablespoons of pesto
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
3 tablespoons of crumbled goat cheese
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of flour
1/2 cup of half and half
8 or 9 pieces of packed cut sun dried tomatoes
seasoning salt, pepper, paprkia
and one whole avocado

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

First lay out the pie crust and pat it with some flour onto a baking dish and curl the edges to make it look quiche like~
Spread pesto evenly in pie crust

Next in a mixing bowl combine eggs, half-and-half, flour, and seasonings-whisk together.

Pour into the crust and top with sundried tomatoes and goat cheese!

Bake for twenty minutes and let cool.

Afterwards slice the avocado and garnish on top.

Serve with fruit and hopefully mimosas! Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Sorry I've been gone for a while! Going to add tons of new recipes here and especially now that its summer I actually have time! So I give thee, easy-so easy-stuffed zucchini boats!

To make it non vegetarian and add bacon. Make it vegan and forget the sourcream/cheese.

what you'll need:
1 tablespoon of sourcream
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of curry powder
2 large Zucchinis-halved
half a tomato
half an onion
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or basil
pinch of pepper
Aged cheese
fresh cilantro

1. Make your boat!First half the zucchinis and with a spoon take out the fillings! chop fillings and set aside.

2. Chop onions and sautee in either butter or olive oil on medium heat. Once onions have browned, add 1/4 teaspoon of curry powder and cook for 30 seconds. Any longer and the curry will make it bitter. **Here you'd cook bacon in another pan alongside the onions.

3.The fillings. Chop half a tomatoe(so its not too soupy) and combine in a bowl with the chopped zucchini fillings along with the onions. **Here you would add the cooked bacon.

4. Add thyme or basil, one large tablespoon of sourcream, salt and pepper to taste.

5. Grate some aged cheese on top(I used beemster and it was SO good).

6. Stick it in the oven for twenty-thirty minutes or until everything is golden brown.

7. Add fresh cilantro or parsely on top and enjoy!!

Southwestern Black bean Burger Tacos

Uhhhh delicious! Get any kind of salsa, grab some avocado-so so good! And really filling too!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes

What you'll need:
1 can of black beans, drained
2 tablespoons of mayo
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon plain dried bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoonn ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon spicy pepper sauce
cooking spray
1 cup of lettuce
Some diced avocado
4 whole wheat pitas
1/2 cup salsa
1 teaspoon of feta
and a lime slice!

1. In a large bowl, mash beans (As best as you can with a fork or potato masher if you have one) with mayonnaise until almost smooth with some minor lumps here and there.Stir in cilantro, bread crumbs, cumin, and pepper sauce until well combined. Flour your hands and shape the bean mixture into a three inch patty. Spray sides of patty lightly with cooking spray.


2. Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot. Add patties and cook until lightly browned, about three minutes. Turn over with a pancake turner(aka spatula) and cook for three minutes longer on the other side.

3. Add lettuce on pitas, top with salsa, avocado, feta and cilantro!

Also don't feel bad if the patties do not stay they're form, just add more bread crumbs to the mix or just a very small amount of flour.
These patties are also really good in tortillas and cabbage blend instead of lettuce. Either way, its all tasty.

Ethiopian Sweet potato and Peanut Stew

Microwave the sweet potatos gets this dish done in a flash! serve with cilantro leaves and maybe some spicy siracha sauce!

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

What you'll need:
2 sweet potatos cut into 1-1 1/2 pieces
1 tbsn Olive oil
1 tspn of minced garlic
1 1/2 tspn cumin
1/2 tspn salt
1/4 tspn cinnamon
1/8 tspn of crushed red pepper or cayenne
1 can garbonzo beans, drained
1 can vegtable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup of fresh chopped cilantro

1. Cut up sweet potatoes and put them in a microwave-safe dish. Cover dish and microwave on High until tender, about 8 minutes or so

2. Meanwhile in a skillet heat up oil to medium heat and throw in garlic, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and crushed redpepper/cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds. Stir in beans, broth, tomatos, and peanut butter. Heat to boiling and cook for 1 minute.

3. Reduce heat to medium/low; add sweet potatoes and simmer. Stir occasionaly and stir in cilantro!

Bow Ties with Butternut Squash and Peas

Great pasta dish! My only suggestion would to be to heat the butternut squash in the oven for 8 minutes and then peel and chop.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

What You'll need:
1 package of bow tie pasta
1 medium butternut squash-peeled-seeded-and chopped
1 package of frozen peas
3/4 cup of half-and-half
2 teaspoons of chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1. In a large saucepan cook pasta in water for 10 minutes or until done

2. Meanwhile place squash in a microwave-safe baking dish; keep covered and cook on High for 12 minutes. Stir in peas, half-and-half, and basil and cook uncovered for three minutes

3. Toss pasta with squash mixture, Parmesan, salt and pepper.
mmm! supuuuh good.

Green Goddess Rice(aka Christmas rice!)

Essentially this takes eight ingredients! Nice to bring to the holidays too (atleast its color appropriate)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

What you'll need:

1 1/2 cups of Basmati rice

1 small avocado peeled and chopped(or if you're like me and want it already done, buy two packets of Wholly packaged guacamole**honestly it taste better-use both packets if you want!)

1 cup of packaged fresh basil leaves
1 lemon juiced
1/4 cup of water
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 cup of chopped pimentos(or roasted red peppers)
2 tbsp of Feta
1 tbsp of cilantro
salt and pepper to taste









1. Bring rice to boil with 8 cups of water, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, let sit for ten minutes after most of water is absorbed and let sit for ten minutes.

2. Meanwhile put wither packaged guacamole or avocado, basil, lemon juice, cilantro, half of the red peppers, olive oil, water in a blender and puree. Season with salt and pepper (try seasoning salt!) The consistency should be that of sour cream.

3.Fluff the rice with a fork and add the green mixture into the rice. Add more salt and pepper if needed and top with more red peppers.

4. Garnish with cilantro and feta! yum. Happy holidays!