Gingery Pepita Energy Bars – a little spicy, a little salty and a little sweet and only around 150 calories!

Dairy Free, Dessert, Favorites, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Raw, Six Ingredients or Less, Snack, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 1 Response »

May 182013

Gingery Pepita Bars – a little spicy, a little salty and a little sweet.

Gingery Pepita Energy Bars

100% delicious.

Gingery Pepita Energy Bars

These are so satisfying and EASY to make – you’ll never spend money on pre-made bars again. I’ve been making tons of variations of these with whatever is on sale. I simply add enough dates, raisins or prunes so that the mixture just stays together and then shape into bites or bars.

Bars are perfect to grab on a busy day when you just won’t have a lot of time to eat and make a great breakfast or snack. The cashews and dates will give you tons of energy, ginger aids in digestion and has anti-inflammatory powers, and pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, are a great source of zinc, protein and iron.

Say no to store bought bars!

Gingery Pepita Energy Bars

Gingery Pepita Energy Bars

Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Ingredients on sale now at Native Sun Natural Food Market, May 7 – June 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped dried dates
1/3 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger (ginger chews)**
1/8 tsp coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp whole pumpkin seeds (pepitas)**

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except whole pumpkin seeds in a food processor and pulse until combined. Mix pepitas in by hand and roll into a ball; press onto parchment paper and form a square; cut into four sections.

Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 156.4
Total Fat 5.8 g
Saturated Fat 1.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 77.6 mg
Potassium 221.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 26.8 g
Dietary Fiber 2.4 g

Sugars 17.3 g
Protein 2.5 g
Vitamin B-6 4.0 %
Vitamin C 0.2 %
Vitamin E 5.4 %
Calcium 1.5 %
Copper 15.5 %
Folate 4.0 %
Iron 5.1 %
Magnesium 9.7 %
Manganese 9.3 %
Niacin 2.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 4.0 %
Phosphorus 8.7 %
Riboflavin 2.4 %
Selenium 4.9 %
Thiamin 2.3 %
Zinc 5.0 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy my Gingery Pepita Energy Bars!

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

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May 152013

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Over a week ago I had this post read to print when the unthinkable happened. In an effort to get back to some normalcy and keep my mind off things I am up and looking at my site and want to share something positive and fun with you – this brownie/fudge recipes.
Mila lovers – this is another great way to eat your Mila.
I’m looking forward to making these again as soon as I can.

______________________________________________

There are certain flavors that just don’t work.

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Like toothpaste and orange juice. Yuck!

Black Bean Quinoa Brownie Fudge (Photo after refrigerating)

But there are some things that go together surprisingly well.

Cocoa powder in a chili recipe, bananas and beans in a salsa….

Black Bean Quinoa Brownie Fudge

…black beans and quinoa together in a dessert.

I’ve seen so many black bean brownie recipes recently that, frankly, look too dry. And I found none that had both black beans and quinoa together, so I thought, why not create one! I love my brownies super moist and gooey rather than cakey. If you want a more cake-like brownie try adding more quinoa flour and see how that works.

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

These little brownies are so moist and rich I had to call them brownie fudge. They are delicious at room temp or right out of the fridge – a perfect snack, dessert or even breakfast. My friend Justine and I each polished off two servings with coffee.

After one bite, Justine’s eyebrows rose in surprise - they’re delicious!

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

We all know the how great quinoa is for us – the super nutrient dense little seed that markets itself as a grain.

You sneaky little seed, we’re on to you.

Quinoa is high in protein, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, and has a nice dose of healthy fat.
The high amounts of lysine and isoleucine actually make quinoa a complete protein source. The next time someone asks how you get your protein on a plant based diet and tells you that you can’t get all your nine essential amino acids – tell them to look up the facts about quinoa! Worlds Healthiest Foods is a great resource.

I hope you try these just out of curiosity and are pleasantly surprised as how delicious these are!

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Decadent Black Bean and Quinoa Brownie Fudge

Serves 12
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 14.5oz can (1 1/2 cups) black beans (unseasoned, rinsed and drained)
1/3 cup agave or maple syrup
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil) + 1 tsp to “butter’ baking dish
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup pure raw cane sugar
1 chia egg (1 Tbsp Mila + 3 Tbsp water)**
1/4 cup quinoa (ground into flour with a Magic Bullet, coffee grinder or blender)
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder) + 1 tsp
1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips (or chocolate chips of choice)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread 1 tsp coconut oil evenly over 6×6 inch baking dish; sprinkle with 1 tsp cacao powder.

2. Blend black beans, agave, coconut oil and vanilla in a blender; mix sugar, quinoa flour, salt and cacao powder in a bowl and pour black bean mixture over evenly; mix well to combine; stir in chia egg, stir in chocolate chips; pour into baking dish; cook for 20 minutes or until top is firm.

3. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight and cut into 12 squares.

**I recommend using Mila in this recipe. Why? Read my story. To purchase click here.

Nutrition Facts
12 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 182.6
Total Fat 8.0 g
Saturated Fat 5.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 49.1 mg
Potassium 102.9 mg
Total Carbohydrate 26.3 g
Dietary Fiber 3.0 g
Sugars 12.1 g
Protein 2.9 g

Vitamin B-6 0.8 %
Calcium 1.4 %
Copper 4.8 %
Folate 8.1 %
Iron 5.8 %
Magnesium 6.3 %
Manganese 7.4 %
Niacin 0.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.6 %
Phosphorus 7.3 %
Riboflavin 8.1 %
Selenium 0.6 %
Thiamin 3.6 %
Zinc 2.2 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

How I Won the Battle with Depression and Got off Antidepressants – and a Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie with 3000 mg of Omega 3′s

Articles and Reading, Beverage, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Food Find, Gluten Free, Gratitude, Kid Friendly, Quick and Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 9 Responses »

Apr 222013

I felt like a three ton weight was pressing on my shoulders and wanted to just lie in my darkened closet and not come out.

One of the hardest parts was that I looked normal.

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

It is not easy to share the details of my life in a public forum like this, in fact I’ve had this post written for a while and continued to put off posting it because I just wasn’t sure I wanted to put it out there, but I’m going to do so in the hopes that I might be able to help someone else.

My life was (and is) seemingly perfect. I have a supporting and loving family, husband and daughter, a wonderful home, a job, I have figured out my passion, I have all my limbs and hey, I live in Florida, how bad can things actually be?

I was suffering from major depression. What made it worse was that I should NOT be depressed, right? I should have felt only happiness and gratitude. And I DID, but I also had a cloud that hung over my head and no matter how much I tried to talk myself out of it, read positive books, think positive thoughts, it would still be there. It was so bad that I would cry almost every day on the way on the drive to work and many days on the way home. When I got to work I would blow my nose, put some cover-up around my eyes, slap on some powder and put my glasses on to cover it up. I was exhausted all the time, so much so that it felt like physical pain. I would tell my mom this almost daily. Mom I’m so tired it hurts.

I had an aging (and very noisy) Labrador, Madison, that would wake me at night and afterwards I wouldn’t fall back to sleep which made the exhaustion worse. One particular weekend stands out in my memory. Some friends, Matt and Stephanie, came in town and several couples were going out for dinner. My hubby was busy doing something that I can’t recall so I was going to go myself. I put on a beautiful new dress that had the colors of the ocean, blues and greens, and drove to my friend Justine’s house 45 minutes away from mine to see them. Everyone was chatting and gathering their things to head to dinner. I tried to put on my game face but I was so worn down that I was wrestling with myself. Just suck it up and go, you’ll be fine. And the next thought, I’m so tired it hurts. I just want to sit at home and wallow. The exhaustion won. I said I’m so sorry, I can’t do it. I have to go home. I’m exhausted. I envisioned everyone mentally rolling their eyes at me. Of course they weren’t, but I was so embarrassed. I’m still embarrassed about that day and sad that I missed seeing Matt and Steph. I was too young to be that tired. Anyone is too young to be that tired.

That memory always fades into another; my husband and I were staying in St Augustine to celebrate the “February Birthdays” with about five other couples, and I was so worried about even making it to dinner, never mind out afterwards for drinks and music. I was so tired that I wanted to forgo dinner at the Floridian and just stay in my hotel room at the Edgewater by myself. I drank two red energy drinks and one and a half of those little energy bottles and was still exhausted. I was so embarrassed that I would resort to drinking such chemicals when I have a food blog about eating a healthy, plant based diet.

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

I was on the highest dosage of Bupropion I could be on and I had tried many of the other antidepressants. Nothing seemed to work. My poor mom is a saint for listening to me through all the crying.

On a particularly dark day I said enough was enough and called my physician to see if she would increase my dosage again. I told her I just want to be a zombie. Get through the day. Go home. I don’t want to feel this weight any more. She said no. You are on the highest dosage. It can not be increased any more, Dawn. I cried about that.

My hair was falling out so I fired my hair dresser thinking that he had over-processed my hair.

Then one day I got an email from my mom’s neurology nurse practitioner, Megan. (My mom has Multiple Sclerosis.) Megan, asked me if I would do a talk on food, nutrition, recipes and my CSA (KyV Farm) for her MS group she runs and I told her of course, I would love to. She said my mom had been telling her about my food blog and she got very excited because she is vegetarian.

Things would come up and I didn’t get around to it, but we continued to talk and become friends. She became a regular follower of my blog and we would occasionally discuss recipes offline.

A while later I did a few posts about flax and chia seed. Once again she contacted me and said she saw I was eating chia seeds. I said yes, and told her how I was eating lots of organic chia and freshly ground flax daily. She asked if I had tried Mila, a raw seed blend. I said no and asked if it is organically grown and non GMO. She said yes to organic and no to GMO. She said I’d be happy to share some with you. I said as long as it’s one ingredient and is a whole, raw food, send it on over. I’d try it.

A few days later I got a large bag of seeds. Being the health nut that I am I cracked it open and began eating it. About three weeks into it I noticed better digestion, more energy and I was falling back to sleep after Madison woke me up at night. Hmm…well that was nice. The seeds I was eating before hadn’t had the same effects. I started getting low and asked her for more. About three months into eating it I noticed something about my depression. Not that I wasn’t getting upset, but that I wasn’t crying all the time. I seemed to be able to get over the hump easier.

Eager to get off any pharmaceuticals, I decided to cut out one day a week of taking them, after a week or two I cut out two days. And so on and so forth.

After a few months I was completely off pharmaceutical antidepressants, and for some reason I didn’t put two and two together. But I finally thought about it and the ONLY thing I had changed was this food.

I did some research. I found many studies about high amounts of Omega 3’s helping the symptoms of depression. The blend I was eating has 3000mg per serving, I know other brands do as well, but for some reason the organic kind I was eating before didn’t touch the depression.

The fact that I had no idea this was one of the “side effects” of eating this whole, raw food until after I was off the meds was what really moved me.

My hair started growing back in. I didn’t realize that many people experience hair loss on high dosages of antidepressants, so now that I was off them, my hair started growing back. Now, over a year later, I don’t even take one medication, my weight is lower and I have more energy. I can’t remember the last time I drank a disgusting red energy drink or took those little energy bottles. I have a cup or two of coffee in the morning because I enjoy it, and that’s all I need. I get up between 4:15 and 4:40 am and typically get to bed around 9 or 10 pm.

I’m so thankful that Megan sent me that purple bag of seeds that was so different than everything I had tried before that I think of her daily with gratitude.

The best part is that the three ton weight is gone. And I’m happy to say I finally did do that talk for the MS group and had a great time.

This is my story. I’m not embellishing or exaggerating. I still absolutely do get upset about things but am able to deal with them a bit better and find my moods much more even. I did join the business with Megan in order to share information about my story and the food that helped me so much and I’m so proud to represent it. I tell people about it like a good movie or good restaurant. If they want to try some, great and if not, that is fine too. I am NOT by any means saying that what I found will cure anything whatsoever, and I’m NOT giving any advice on how to get off antidepressants, all I know is my own experience and how it helped me. Everyone’s bodies are different and react differently to foods. Please also notice that I said it took THREE months. If I had been expecting the effects of this food I probably would have gotten impatient. Because I didn’t know this was a benefit of this food, it was like an added bonus. And what a bonus!

All I ask is that you treat yourself with love and consider the side effects of taking any sort of pharmaceutical BEFORE you start. Your doctor will most likely NOT try to treat any ailment through food and nutrition before going to pharmaceuticals. There are a very few like Megan and if you have found one, hold on to them like gold.

I have no idea what other ailments my body was suffering from those high dosages of antidepressants, not to mention the energy drinks but I am so thankful, every day, that I found this food.

If you have questions about my experience please contact me at chefdawn (at) hotmail.com.

“If you’re concerned about your health, you should probably avoid products that make health claims. Why? Because a health claim on a food product is a strong indication it’s not really food, and food is what you want to eat.”
― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Sunny Mila (Chia) Dreamsicle Smoothie

Sunny Mila Dreamsicle Smoothie

Serves 1
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup vanilla almond milk
2 mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned
1/2 frozen banana, chopped
1 scoop (2 Tbsp) Mila
**If using unsweet vanilla almond milk, you can add a bit of agave, honey or sweetener of choice

Directions

1. Blend everything together and enjoy!

“While it is true that many people simply can’t afford to pay more for food, either in money or time or both, many more of us can. After all, just in the last decade or two we’ve somehow found the time in the day to spend several hours on the internet and the money in the budget not only to pay for broadband service, but to cover a second phone bill and a new monthly bill for television, formerly free. For the majority of Americans, spending more for better food is less a matter of ability than priority. p.187”

― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving

Calories 252.4
Total Fat 6.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 184.5 mg
Potassium 460.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 43.9 g
Dietary Fiber 11.2 g
Sugars 28.2 g
Protein 6.5 g

Vitamin A 10.8 %
Vitamin B-6 14.6 %
Vitamin C 7.7 %
Vitamin D 25.0 %
Vitamin E 50.7 %
Calcium 53.3 %
Copper 4.6 %
Folate 2.4 %
Iron 10.9 %
Magnesium 7.7 %
Manganese 20.9 %
Niacin 1.4 %
Pantothenic Acid 1.3 %
Phosphorus 14.0 %
Riboflavin 5.0 %
Selenium 0.8 %
Thiamin 1.5 %
Zinc 0.6 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto PLUS Tips on How to Make Tofu Look Like Chicken!

Articles and Reading, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, High Protein, How To Video, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Native Sun Recipe, Raw, Tips, Vegan, Vegetarian 8 Responses »

Apr 162013

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies
Open your mind……

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” ― Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

“Many people know that animals around the world are treated badly, yet they turn their minds away.” - Ruby Roth, Vegan is Love

So I say…..open your mind to what is going on in factory farms.

“Were the walls of our meat industry to become transparent, literally or even figuratively, we would not long continue to raise, kill, and eat animals the way we do.”
― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

“I would NEVER.” Some people say.
Never give up meat. Give up dairy. Eat tofu.

I do believe I heard that out of my husband’s mouth.

(But curiosity got the best of him.)

It looks like chicken.

“Hey! It’s pretty good!”

Score.

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

How did I manage to do this and WHY?

Let’s start with the why.

For the same reason I would pre-prep and pre-make dishes for my CSA….so folks would at least try it. Even ONE meat and dairy free meal helps your body, the environment and, of course, the animals that were not eaten.

“But that’s the challenge — to change the system more than it changes you.”
― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

The HOW.

Tips on how to make tofu look like chicken.

Step 1: Press well. Do this the day before you are going to eat it or at least a few hours in advance. I LOVE my tofu xpress, or you can simply wrap the tofu in thick paper towels and a kitchen towel, place it between two plates and weight down the top plate with a very heavy book and/or soup cans. If you are pressing it overnight, place in the fridge; if not, it is fine to leave on the counter.

Step 2: Cut around the entire tofu to remove any flat planes and edges – think chicken breast. Save all the little shreds to season and throw on a salad.

Step 3: Now cut the tofu into similarly sized but asymmetrical pieces.

Step 4: Run your knife along the flat planes making small downward cuts to shred the edges a bit and then throw the tofu in the marinade. See the below video and I promise to get a better one soon! Stay tuned…..

(All these steps will also help the marinade seep in a bit better.)

Ever wondered how to disguise tofu? This very humorous, last minute (and shaky) video shows you how.
Warning: The videographer was my 4 year old.

Now that all the nuts and bolts are out of the way, let’s get down to the food.

The weather is getting warmer and people are ready to start grilling! There is nothing like a nice crisp char on some veggies and a mouth-watering, marinated protein-of-choice (tempeh would be great too) - perfect with cool salsa and creamy avocado. This whole concoction, nestled in a bed of aromatic-nutty cilantro and sunflower seed pesto, is a perfect medley of flavor, texture and temperature.

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies over Fresh Citrus Salsa and Cilantro Sun Flower Seed Pesto

___________________________________

Grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
Tip: Press the tofu overnight and then marinate during the day.

Ingredients

1 block organic, extra firm tofu, pressed 1 hour to overnight
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp adobo seasoning
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil
2 fresh zucchini, sliced
1 onion, quartered and cut into chunks
5oz button mushrooms

Adobo Seasoning Recipe
Notes: You will definitely have left over.
This step can be skipped by purchasing pre-mixed adobo seasoning.
2 tsp each; garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cumin, dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp salt

Directions

1. Mix 2 Tbsp adobo seasoning and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large bowl; cut tofu into chunks (see tip on how to make tofu look like chicken) and add to bowl; toss to coat and set aside for at least an hour or the day.

2. Preheat grill to medium high; season the vegetables with remaining 2 tsp adobo seasoning and 2 tsp olive oil; toss to coat.

3. Thread veggies and tofu onto skewers in an alternating pattern; spray with organic, non-stick spray.

4. Grill until nice char marks appear and vegetables are soft but not mushy; 5-10 minutes on one side and 5 or so minutes on the next.

Full Nutrition Info

Fresh Citrus Salsa

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tomatoes, chopped
1 navel orange, peeled and chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
Juice 1 lime
1 avocado, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Dash coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Full Nutrition Info

Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/8 – 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt (depending on taste)
1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in Magic Bullet or blender.

!Full Nutrition Info

Enjoy this grilled Adobo Tofu and Veggies

Kale 3 Ways – Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce, Kale Basil Pesto and Quinoa Power Bowl

Camping, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, High Protein, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Tips, Vegan 5 Responses »

Apr 012013

Kale 3 Ways – Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce, Kale Basil Pesto and Quinoa Power Bowl

There was a certain time during our camping trip last week that I took my life into my own hands. I was in a stare down with a tired and hungry 4 year old after a day of sun and fun with no nap. I needed to whip up something fast and healthy because I had already busted her hiding under a pillow with marshmallows stuffed in her cheeks like a chipmunk with a third waiting to follow. Needless to say she was not thrilled when I grabbed the lone remaining marshmallow.

I quickly set some water on to boil and pulled some brown rice noodles, nutritional yeast (nooch) and a jar of quality pasta sauce in the cupboard of my little teardrop shaped trailer and some kale from the mini fridge. (What, that’s not normal camping fare?) With those ingredients I made a semi-homemade cheesy kale tomato sauce with a vegan twist by stirring in some nutritional yeast as I heated the sauce and then simmering some finely chopped kale right in the sauce to wilt it down nicely. Voila – it looked like normal pasta sauce but had lots of protein, vitamins and minerals. Once I got home I simply had to create it from scratch. It was super simple to do and would be great over salad, tofu and tempeh, poured over baked dishes or anywhere sauce is used. It’s rich and hearty and has a great balance of acidity, sweet and savory flavors. After trying the sauce, my daughter ate at least a full cup of the made- from-scratch version. I’d much rather see her cheeks fully of healthy sauce than marshmallows!

Kale and Nutritional Yeast

What is nutritional yeast? Find out here. And why all the kale? Kale is that powerful and vibrantly green plant that packs a huge nutrient punch. It is one of the sources of plant based calcium that is super absorbable and alkalizing. It also helps to lower cholesterol, fights inflammation and oxidative stress and has tons of vitamin K, A and C.

Quinoa Bowl and Fresh Pesto

The idea for the quinoa power bowl came from a breakfast dish I had recently at a local restaurant. Their quinoa and kale is typically served with tomatoes, a creamy pesto, chicken and feta so I had to do lots of “leave this off please“. I loved the idea, but there were way too many animal based foods in it. I decided to nix the chicken, feta and creamy pesto and create a virgin olive oil based pesto with fresh garlic, kale and some of the Cheesy Kale Tomato sauce. Wowza! The fresh pesto really makes this dish pop. There is nothing like aromatic basil and garlic with a touch of salt; what a versatile recipe. Here are some ideas of how to use pesto; use it as a spread for sandwiches, stir into soups, use it on pasta, top any vegetable or salad, make hummus or potato salad!

Time Crunched?

If you don’t have time to make the sauce from scratch but want to try your hand at the quinoa power bowl, simply do what I did the first time – purchase your favorite store bought brand, heat and stir in 2 cups kale and 1/4 cup nutritional yeast. No time even for that? Open a can of fire roasted tomatoes, drain and use in place of tomato sauce on the Quinoa Bowl.

Another time saving tip.

There are many delicious store bought versions of pesto. Simply purchase one and add a tbsp to each plate.

Have some extra time to make all three? Here is a handy grocery list.

Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce

Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce (Vegan)

Basic sauce recipe by Giada De Laurentiis
Makes about 5 cups
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 dried bay leave, crushed
4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
3 (14.5 oz) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
3/4 tsp sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp agave
2 cups finely chopped kale
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Directions

1. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a Dutch oven or large stock pot. Add onion, saute until translucent, about two minutes; add garlic, saute n additional minute. Add carrot and saute about 5 minutes. Add bay, basil, tomatoes, salt and pepper and simmer covered on low heat for 30 minutes.

2. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until semi-smooth or to desired texture. Alternatively; process the sauce in a food processor until smooth; stir in agave.

3. Add kale and simmer an additional 20 minutes.

4. Stir in nutritional yeast; and taste to check seasoning.

**If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Kale Basil Pesto

Makes about 1/2 cup
Serves 4
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped kale
Handful fresh basil
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 Tbsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup vegetable broth

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a magic bullet or blender.

Quinoa Power Bowl

Quinoa Power Bowl with Tomato Sauce, Kale and Basil Pesto

Inspired by First Watch
Serves 4 (plus extra quinoa for another use)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup dry quinoa
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
4 cups chopped kale
2 cups Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce (or sub store bought tomato sauce of choice)
1/2 cup Kale Basil Pesto (or sub store bought pesto of choice)

Directions

1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer; heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium stock pan; add quinoa, onion and 2 cloves garlic to heated oil; toast by stirring about 3 minutes; add 1/4 tsp salt and vegetable broth; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, covered and let sit 5 minutes. (Makes 4 cups. Reserve 2 cups for recipe and set aside 2 cups for another use.)

2. Heat second Tbsp olive oil in pot originally used for quinoa; add kale and 1/4 sea salt and second 2 cloves garlic. Saute until wilted; about 5 minutes.

3. Place 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/4 kale mixture; 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1 Tbsp pesto on each of four plates. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

**I have been making quesadillas with my leftover quinoa – delicious!

Nutrition Information
___________________

Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce (Vegan)

Kale Basil Pesto

Quinoa Power Bowl with Tomato Sauce, Kale and Basil Pesto (For the quinoa and kale only.)
Kale 3 Ways – Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce, Kale Basil Pesto and Quinoa Power Bowl

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Quick and Easy, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian 6 Responses »

Mar 212013

Two days ago I clicked on a photo and my mouth started watering.

Over carrots.

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

I was visiting one of my usual favorite blogger’s site, Eat’s Well with Others, and came across a roasted carrot recipe with walnuts. Of course I LOVE walnuts but my daughter is very allergic to them so I needed an alternative.

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

I had sunflower seeds and dates on hand so I decided to add those instead.

Garlic
Cumin
Carrots
Olive oil
Sunflower Seeds
Dates

Doesn’t that sound good?

This dish is so satisfying – a bit of coarse sea salt and sweet agave pump up the volume when paired with the aromatic cumin. I used canned lentils here for time’s sake but please feel free to cook your own if you have time! Want some more recipes? My friend Janet at Taste Space is the queen of lentils, grains and gorgeous whole food dishes and my friend Cara has tons of delicious carrot recipes at Caras Cravings!

What is so great about lentils is that they have TONS of belly filling fiber that also stabilizes blood sugar for very little calories and fat. Excellent diet food? I say yes! Now imagine if you sprinkled a little Mila on top….like I did. Now it’s a SUPER food!

These gorgeous carrots are from KyV Farm - Support local farms!

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

Altered from Eats Well with Others
Serves about 6 3/4-cup servings
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Fresh seasonal ingredients from KyV Farm

Ingredients

Dressing
1 clove crushed and minced garlic
1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Carrots and Lentils
2 lbs fresh organic baby carrots** (or large carrots can be chopped for shorter cook time of about 25 minutes.)
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp heat stable oil such as avocado oil or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 15oz can lentils, rinsed and drained (if you have home cooked here, even better)
3/4 cup toasted and lightly salted sunflower seeds
3 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Mix carrots, garlic, cumin seeds and oil in a baking dish. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, stir and uncover for an additional 20 minutes or until carrots are fork tender.

2. Meanwhile, mix the dressing ingredients. Add lentils to cooked carrots, pour dressing and top with dates and sunflower seeds; toss to mix.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 240.5
Total Fat 10.3 g
Saturated Fat 1.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 439.8 mg
Potassium 791.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 33.6 g
Dietary Fiber 8.6 g
Sugars 15.2 g
Protein 6.9 g

Vitamin A 364.2 %
Vitamin B-6 21.0 %
Vitamin C 17.5 %
Vitamin E 34.1 %
Calcium 7.7 %
Copper 20.0 %
Folate 28.9 %
Iron 11.8 %
Magnesium 12.7 %
Manganese 34.6 %
Niacin 14.0 %
Pantothenic Acid 15.0 %
Phosphorus 24.7 %
Riboflavin 8.8 %
Selenium 14.3 %
Thiamin 11.9 %
Zinc 9.6 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

Appetizer, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Native Sun Recipe, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian 7 Responses »

Mar 172013

Vegan Taco Salad

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

Do you love traveling? I have to say that I do enjoy some travel but leaving home weekly would be tough – my life is so crazy that I savor the quiet minutes at home. When the travel bug does happen to hit me, one of the very first things I do as a plant based foodie is check out unique restaurants located in my destination that offer some creative vegan options, or at least some great dishes that can be easily altered.

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

The restaurant that stands out from a trip to San Francisco a few years ago was Peter Lowell’s in the little town of Sebestapol. I found it on a recommendation from a local woman and then logged on to my smart phone and checked it out. They offered tons of vegan, local and sustainable options! One of the first things that hit me when I walked in the front door was seeing industrial sized salad spinners in the back for cleaning all the greens they go through. Now THAT is the sign of a good restaurant! I ordered a macro bowl with lentils, greens, tempeh and some delicious sauces to-go. What an impression it made! It was so flavorful that I still remember sitting on a bluff overlooking the ocean as I savored every morsel.

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

When I think of locations I haven’t been to in the US that I’d like to travel to, I think of Montana (anyone have any suggestions on great cities in Montana?), Lake Tahoe, South Padre Island, Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Vegas baby! My parents are going to be heading out there in September so my mom was asking about some places to eat – I searched around on line and found this a great list of celebrity chef restaurants in Vegas. I’d LOVE to try Bobby Flay’s restaurant. Though he doesn’t cater to a vegan diet, there is a LOT to work with there. Black beans, fresh salsas and sauces, and avocados. You just can’t go wrong with avocado!

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

All the talk of avocado was making me hungry – and this salad was certainly gratifying. Crunchy chips, creamy avocado, fresh salsa and a hearty seasoned mixture of walnuts and barley with the kick of cayenne are perfect to satisfy any Tex-Mex craving.

I created a chipotle walnut lettuce wrap with mango salsa in the past, based on a recipe from the glorious blog My New Roots (Who ironically just posted about travel as well.), that was better than any greasy beef dish I’d ever had – so I used the basic idea of taco seasoning and walnuts but added in some chewy barley to enhance the “beefy” texture. The barley can be pre-cooked a few days beforehand but keep in mind that if you want a warmer temperature that you will have to heat the walnut barley mixture.

Tips: Not a spice fan? If you don’t like the heat, simply leave out the cayenne pepper.
Gluten allergy? Sub quinoa for the barley!

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

Feisty Vegan Taco Salad

6 servings
Vegan
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup barley
1/2 cup raw walnuts
6 ribs romaine lettuce, chopped
1 bag organic blue corn chips

Flavor Punch!

1 Tbsp tamari, soy sauce or liquid aminos
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

Salsa

1 avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
¼ red onion
1 tomato
Dash of coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Rinse barley in a fine mesh strainer; soak barley in 2 cups water overnight; drain; add to a medium pot with 1 1/2 cups water or veggie broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. (**See below for cook times without pre-soak.) Reserve 1/2 cup cooked barley for recipe and save the rest for another use.

2. Place walnuts in a food processor or magic bullet; mix flavor punch! ingredients in a small bowl and add to walnuts; pulse until well combined; stir in cooked barley.

2. Mix salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Lay a few chips on each plate; top with 1 rib chopped romaine, crumble 2 Tbsp walnut barley mixture and 2 Tbsp salsa.

**Rinse barley; add to 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 45 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 194.3
Total Fat 14.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.8 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 213.4 mg
Potassium 309.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 14.6 g
Dietary Fiber 4.7 g
Sugars 0.5 g
Protein 3.6 g

Vitamin A 12.0 %
Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
Vitamin B-6 10.5 %
Vitamin C 14.7 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 5.2 %
Calcium 2.5 %
Copper 11.4 %
Folate 13.8 %
Iron 7.2 %
Magnesium 7.9 %
Manganese 24.7 %
Niacin 6.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 7.2 %
Riboflavin 5.5 %
Selenium 2.9 %
Thiamin 6.3 %
Zinc 4.5 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Enjoy this Feisty Vegan Taco Salad!

Three Tips on How to make a Great Vegan Veggie Burger (and a Savory Veggie Burger Recipe)!

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Soy Free, Tips, Vegan, Vegetarian 4 Responses »

Mar 102013

I’ve finally discovered the secrets to making great tasting great veggie or bean burgers when they used to fall apart, turning into mush.

The first secret is some flour – any kind will do; add it a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is firmer but only just stays together. (This does take some practice because if you add too much, it is firm before you cook it. but after it’s cooked it is too dry.)

Second, add some mila. It acts as an egg replacer but is a whole, raw food instead of that powdered stuff you buy at the store. (More on mila below.)

Third, put avocado on top. Everything is better with avocado.

Savory Veggie Burger with Vegan Cheese

These burgers were actually a round two recipe for me – I used the leftovers from the Quinoa and Black Bean Stew and, using fresh beets from KyV Farm, I re-created the veggie burgers I had recently eaten at Manatee Cafe in St Augustine. I don’t know what they put in those things but I could eat them every day. Maybe twice a day. Make that three times. They are GOOD.

These burgers are really flavorful with the Bragg Liquid Aminos (tastes like soy sauce), sweet raisins and fresh salsa in the mix. Put them on a burger bun with some vegan cheese and avocado and I bet you won’t miss the beef!

For my mila lovers out there – this is a great use for it! In this recipe it acts as an egg replacer and also happens to be a whole, raw food with 3000 mg of Omega 3′s. This powerful little seed has TONS of benefits and has been all over the news in the past few weeks. Mila was recently featured on Good Morning America as a great aid for weight loss! (You can see my friends Greg and Rachel in the clip – SO proud of you guys!). How awesome to finally have a way to help lose weight that isn’t some fake powder shake, pill or pharmaceutical. It is the seed used in Dr Bob Arnot’s new book the Aztec Diet and was also featured on Fox News. If you are wondering what the heck mila is – you can check it out here.

Veggie Burger

Savory Veggie Burger

Inspired by Manatee Cafe Veggie Burger

Serves 6
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Veggies from KyV Farm

Ingredients

2 beets**
2 cups finely chopped purple cabbage**
2 red onions with tops, chopped finely (or 1/2 cup chopped onion)**
1/4 cup cooked quinoa (or cooked rice or any grain)
1/3 cup cooked black beans (or beans of choice)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp flour of choice
1/4 cup raisins

Flavor punch!

1/2 cup salsa mixed with 2 Tbsp mila as binder (Mila is optional but I suggest trying an additional Tbsp flour without it; however, this has not been tested.)
1/4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos (or tamari or soy sauce)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder

Optional toppings

2 avocados
3 red onion slices, chopped
Vegan cheese slices

Directions

**This is a great place to use left over quinoa and black bean stew in place of the precooked grains and beans. Another option is to use canned beans and quickly cook the quinoa. Feel free to also precook the beets, cabbage and onion in step one the day before.

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut tops off beets and reserve for another use; wrap beets in foil and bake for 1 hour or until soft enough to be easily pierced by a fork; unwrap and cool enough to handle; peel and chop finely. Meanwhile heat a medium pot sprayed with nonstick cooking spray; add cabbage and onion and cook until softened, about five ingredients.

2. Mix the beets through the raisins, stir in flavor punch! Preheat broiler to high; spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray form veggie burgers into six patties; broil about 3 to 5 minutes but watch closely as broilers vary. Flip when firm enough to flip; broil an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until firm. Top each burger with a slice of cheese, and/or 1/3 avocado and a sprinkling of red onion.

Nutrition Facts (Without optional toppings.)
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 119.3
Total Fat 1.3 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 124.2 mg
Potassium 323.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate 21.6 g
Dietary Fiber 4.1 g
Sugars 7.9 g
Protein 6.8 g

Vitamin A 3.6 %
Vitamin B-12 44.4 %
Vitamin B-6 51.5 %
Vitamin C 25.5 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 1.6 %
Calcium 3.3 %
Copper 7.2 %
Folate 15.2 %
Iron 8.3 %
Magnesium 8.4 %
Manganese 17.9 %
Niacin 36.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 68.6 %
Phosphorus 10.8 %
Riboflavin 42.4 %
Selenium 1.3 %
Thiamin 42.6 %
Zinc 2.8 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

A Fresh Take on Old Favorites – Two Bagel Toppings! Curried Cashew Hummus and Curried Cashew Cream Cheese

Appetizer, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Gluten Free, High Protein, Kid Friendly, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Six Ingredients or Less, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

Feb 282013

Two Bagel Toppings! Curried Cashew Hummus and Curried Cashew Cream Cheese

Remember some of the diets of the past? Go fat free, they said. Peanut butter was the devil, nuts were off limits and you couldn’t even LOOK at an avocado. (Be still my heart.)

Curried Cashew Hummus and Cream Cheese

(Don’t even get me started on the Atkins craze. That’s a whole post in itself.)

Fat free cheese, fat free cream cheese, fat free yogurt, fat free cookies – Snackwell’s anyone? We were swimming in processed, fat free but sugar filled foods as the obesity epidemic skyrocketed.

Curried Cashew Hummus

Thankfully, times are changing and people are beginning to learn that balance is the way to go and that we do need some fat, some carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and protein in the form of whole foods.

Cashew Cream Cheese

Meet the cashew. Cashews can be turned into alternatives to almost any dairy you like – milk, sour cream, cheese, cream cheese, but have NO cholesterol and some of that healthy fat we used to miss. Typically I use raw cashews, but in this case the curry ones were on sale at Native Sun Natural Foods Market, so I decided to give them a try. I soaked them first so they would blend easier and voila! Delish!

As for the hummus – this was a little sub I learned from my friend Suzanne. A co-worker had brought bagels into the office and instead of eating it dry, since she had also cut out dairy, she topped it with some hummus. I tried it and LOVED it, so now it’s my favorite way to enjoy a bagel or baked bread and as the usual dip for crunchy, fresh veggies.

A dash of curry gives these two toppings a little hmm factor without being overpowering. If you don’t like curry, simply leave out the curry powder, use olive oil instead of the curry coconut oil and use raw cashews instead of curry.

Curried Cashew Hummus

Serves 4 (Hummus serves 4-6)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 GF bagels, such as Udi’s
2 Tbsp chopped curried cashews, soaked for 1 hour or overnight
1 can chickpeas, Tree of Life, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp melted curry coconut oil, Ziggy Marley (you can sub olive oil here)**
Dash of curry powder
1 Tbsp tahini
¼ tsp salt

Directions

1. Blend cashews through salt in a small food processor or blender, adding 1/2 Tbsp water at a time until creamy consistency is reached. Spread ¼ mixture over each of four toasted bagels.

Curried Cashew Cream Cheese

Inspired by this recipe
Serves 4 (Cream Cheese serves 4-6)
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 GF bagels, Udi’s
1/2 cup chopped curried cashews, soaked for 1 hour or overnight
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar, Bragg
Dash of curry powder
¼ tsp salt

Directions

1. Blend cashews through salt in a small food processor or blender, adding 1/2 Tbsp water at a time until creamy consistency is reached.

__________________________________

Nutrition Facts Hummus (without bagel)
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 231.5
Total Fat 8.9 g
Saturated Fat 3.8 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 510.3 mg
Potassium 302.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 31.4 g
Dietary Fiber 6.4 g
Sugars 0.3 g
Protein 8.5 g

Vitamin A 0.7 %
Vitamin B-12 16.6 %
Vitamin B-6 90.8 %
Vitamin C 11.1 %
Vitamin E 0.6 %
Calcium 6.3 %
Copper 19.5 %
Folate 29.5 %
Iron 13.4 %
Magnesium 13.4 %
Manganese 43.8 %
Niacin 37.3 %
Pantothenic Acid 5.8 %
Phosphorus 18.2 %
Riboflavin 74.7 %
Selenium 10.1 %
Thiamin 86.3 %
Zinc 14.1 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Nutrition Facts Cream Cheese
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 99.6
Total Fat 7.9 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.7 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 255.0 mg
Potassium 104.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6.1 g
Dietary Fiber 0.5 g
Sugars 1.1 g
Protein 2.6 g

Vitamin B-6 2.3 %
Vitamin C 2.3 %
Vitamin E 0.5 %
Calcium 0.8 %
Copper 19.1 %
Folate 3.0 %
Iron 5.8 %
Magnesium 11.4 %
Manganese 7.6 %
Niacin 1.2 %
Pantothenic Acid 2.1 %
Phosphorus 8.4 %
Riboflavin 2.0 %
Selenium 2.9 %
Thiamin 2.3 %
Zinc 6.4 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Enjoy These A Fresh Takes on Old Favorites – Two Bagel Toppings! Curried Cashew Hummus and Curried Cashew Cream Cheese!

Warm Fruited Quinoa

Appetizer, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Favorites, Kid Friendly, Lighter Fare, Low Cal, Main Meal, Native Sun Recipe, Quick and Easy, Side Dish, Vegan, Vegetarian No Responses »

Jan 182013

Warm Fruited Quinoa

Olive oil, various fruits, nuts and warm spices are typical in Moroccan cuisine – so here I did a twist on that with quinoa and olive oil and then added some dried fruits and seasoned it simply with salt and pepper.

If you feel adventurous try adding any of the following herbs and spices:

Fresh Mint
Cinnamon
Cumin
Ginger
Saffron

Each of these or any combination will change the flavors of this dish and make it unique.

Dates, Raisins and Walnuts

Why did I not add any of those spices?

Because, in this case, simple is perfect. I love the soft, warm quinoa and the flavorful olive oil with the crunch of walnuts; the sweet dates and raisins and the touch of sea salt. Mmmm…….

Add a grilled protein on top and up the serving to half cup and you have a lovely entree!

Warm Fruited Quinoa

Serves 8, 1/4 cup servings
Vegan, Gluten Free
Printable Recipe
**Ingredients on sale now at Native Sun Natural Foods Market

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa**
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth**
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup chopped dates (I used Medjool dates)
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil**
1/8 tsp coarse grind sea salt and some fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa and heat in a small saucepan with vegetable broth over medium high heat; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; cook 15 minutes, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for an additional 5 minutes. Separate 2 cups of the cooked quinoa and reserve the remaining for a later use.

2. Add walnuts, dates, raisins, olive oil, salt and pepper to the quinoa. Stir to combine and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts
8 Servings
Amount Per Serving

Calories 129.1
Total Fat 4.9 g
Saturated Fat 0.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 20.5 mg
Potassium 84.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 19.8 g
Dietary Fiber 1.9 g
Sugars 7.4 g
Protein 3.0 g

Vitamin B-6 1.9 %
Vitamin C 0.4 %
Vitamin E 1.7 %
Calcium 0.7 %
Copper 3.8 %
Folate 1.1 %
Iron 9.0 %
Magnesium 2.2 %
Manganese 6.8 %
Niacin 0.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 0.5 %
Phosphorus 16.5 %
Riboflavin 32.6 %
Selenium 0.5 %
Thiamin 1.4 %
Zinc 0.8 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Older Entries

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Fresh Citrus Salsa

Cilantro Sunflower Seed Pesto

Cheesy Kale Tomato Sauce (Vegan)

Kale Basil Pesto

Quinoa Power Bowl with Tomato Sauce, Kale and Basil Pesto

Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Sunflower Seeds

Savory Veggie Burger

Curried Cashew Hummus

Curried Cashew Cream Cheese

Warm Fruited Quinoa

Ever wondered how to disguise tofu? This very humorous, last minute (and shaky) video shows you how.
Warning: The videographer was my 4 year old.