Healthy Breakfast Quinoa Recipe

I never know what to do with leftover quinoa, luckily I stumbled upon this lovely quinoa breakfast recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed 2 cups water
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup blueberries
Dollop of almond butter

Instructions

1. Place quinoa, water, and salt in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes. 
2. Stir in maple syrup and vanilla, and let cook for 2-3 more minutes. 
3. Remove from heat and add milk, seeds, and cinnamon. 
4. Divide into bowls, stir in blueberries, and top with almond butter.

Raw Taco Salad

Raw Taco Salad Recipe from Kimberly Synder.

Ingredients 

For Salad: 
½ avocado
2 hearts of romaine
1 tomato, chopped
½ red onion, chopped
⅓ bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tbs lemon juice

For Taco Filling: 
2 cups walnuts
1 tbs. cumin
½ tbs. coriander
2 tbs. low sodium tamari
1 tsp. chili powder


Instructions

1. For the taco filling: Put the walnuts in a food processor with the blade in place, and process until chunky. 
2. Scrape the ground nuts into a bowl, and mix in the cumin, coriander, chili powder, and cayenne. 
3. Add the tamari and mix again.
   To save time: just chop the walnuts by hand on a cutting board, and then mix the spices in, then toss in the tamari last.
4. For salsa: Make a quick salsa by mixing the chopped tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lemon juice. 
5. Arrange the chopped romaine in your favorite serving bowl and spoon the taco filling on top. 
6. Add the salsa and top off with the avocado slices, fanned out. 

Marinated Olives & Feta

Olives and feta marinated with rosemary, lemon and garlic are great served on crisp flatbread-style crackers or warm slices of crusty baguette.

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced pitted olives, such as Kalamata or mixed Greek
1/2 cup diced feta cheese, preferably reduced-fat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Zest & juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation: Combine olives, feta, oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, rosemary, crushed red pepper and black pepper in a medium bowl.

Simple Chickpea Soup

A simple soup recipe from Michael Pollan.

Total cook time about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Serves about 6.

Ingredients:
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
3 tbs olive oil, more for serving
1 clove garlic, slivered
2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas
Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
Salt and pepper
Parmesan, optional

Directions:

1. In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil until onion is translucent and has lost its bite. Add garlic and cook until slightly colored.
2. Rinse chickpeas in cold water, then add to pot. Add water to pot until chickpeas are covered to the depth of 1 inch. 
3. Cook over medium heat (soup should bubble, but not come to a full boil) for an hour, or until the chickpeas are soft and silky. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with grated Parmesan or a drizzle of good olive oil if desired.

Kale with Onions and Pine Nuts Recipe

Michael Pollan recipe from his website.

Yield: 6 servings.
Total preparation time 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
⅓ cup pine nuts
1 ½ Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 yellow onions (about ¾ pound total), cut into thin wedges
2 bunches Tuscan kale (about 1 ½ pounds total), stems removed, leaves chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
¾ tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

1. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes; set aside. 
2. In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Add kale, lemon juice and ¼ cup water and toss gently. Cover and cook until just wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. 
3. Remove from heat, add reserved pine nuts, red pepper flakes, and salt. Toss well and serve.

Paneer Dish

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. paneer (cubed)
2 medium tomatoes
1 green chili
1/4 inch piece ginger
1/2 cup yogurt, whipped
2 tbs oil
Pinch of asafetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbs coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chili powder
2 bay leaves (optional)
1 tsp salt adjust to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cornstarch - thickens liquid
2 tbs chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Deep-fry the paneer on low heat
2. Make puree of tomatoes, green chilly and ginger 
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan. 
4. Add asafetida and cumin seeds.
5. After the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder and bay leaves. Cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.
6. Tomato puree will start getting oily
7. Add the whipped yogurt into the gravy. Stir
8. To thicken the gravy, dissolve corn starch in water and add it to paneer
9. Add the paneer to paste
10. Add the garam masala and cilantro. If gravy tastes sour, and a pinch of sugar

Homemade Skillet Granola

Ingredients

1 tbs honey
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Dash sea salt
1/2 cup dry rolled oats
1 tbs sunflower seeds
1 tbs dried cherries (or other dried fruit such as plums, raisins, cranberries)

Blackberry Puree:
1/2 pint fresh blackberries (or 1 cup frozen/thawed blackberries)
2 tsp raw honey
1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 peaches, pitted & chopped

Directions

1. In skillet over low-medium heat, warm honey for 1 minute until thin/runny.
2. Stir in oil, cinnamon and salt.
3. Toss in oats, sunflower seeds and cherries until well coated.
4. Toast mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Let cool
5. In food processor or blender, puree blackberries, honey and ginger.