Power Bowl~ Quinoa Power

May 7, 2023May 13, 202310 Comments

In my haste, I bought dates instead of dried prunes. My mind must have been a million miles away. However, I like dates and they were labeled organic. This was a gigantic bag. I surfed the Internet and found a Moroccan power bowl salad recipe with dates. What a find! Even better, this recipe calls for pistachio nuts, which I have a huge bag of fresh pistachio nuts. I really like Moroccan food. I can’t wait to make this salad. Another step towards healthy eating with pizzazz!

Quinoa Power Salad: We’ve got cooked quinoa, shredded carrots, hydrated or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tons of chopped parsley, golden raisins, scallions, dates, and one handful of chopped pistachios. A bowl of delicious Moroccan salad goodness. Toss that all up and drizzle with the honey lemon dressing. [or, your favorite dressing – oil & vinegar with lemon juice, salt, pepper and one minced garlic clove + cumin -my choice]. Just look at all that beautiful color!

Power Bowl

Servings: 2-3
Time: 10 mins.
Difficulty: easy
Print

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
1 cup matchstick carrots
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 (15 ounce)can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups(hydrated)chick peas
⅓ cup chopped dates (add more dates if omitting raisins)
¼ cup chopped pistachios (or walnuts
⅓ cup golden raisins (optional)

honey-lemon dressing:

½ teaspoon cumin powder
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey (maple syrup or brown sugar for vegans)
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon chili powder

INSTRUCTIONS

POWER SALAD: Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Allow the quinoa to cool completely before tossing with the salad ingredients. Toss ingredients together.
HONEY-LEMON DRESSING: Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small mason jar and give it a few good shakes until the dressing mixes through. Drizzle the dressing into the salad and toss the salad to combine everything. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later!

I know that golden raisins would have been a bit too sweet for me. I opted out and no honey in the dressing. The raw, minced garlic in my dressing adds a very slight tang to the salad. You do not taste it. Add more garlic if you want to experiment. I would add two garlic cloves. We all know how good quinoa is for you. This high protein packed, gluten-free grain is the world’s super food. I have red quinoa and was happy to use it. Add mint or cilantro. You can have a medley of herbs.

After 2 days of soaking, chick peas will break down (get mushy) and start fermenting.

Chick Peas

I soak my dried chick peas overnight in cold water for 8 hours. As a guideline, don’t go over 12 hours. The peas are ready when you test one and it is no longer hard and really tastes similar to a ‘green pea’ – wonderful! Also, you do not have to boil dried chick peas to get them ready for cooking or eating, or, when making hummus. Boiling hardens the chick peas. I have had both and prefer the softer version using my method. TIP: when cooking chick peas add them at the end. The last 5-10 minutes of cooking. Similar to potatoes. Add potatoes at the end of a stew so they stay soft and eatable. NOTE: I also found that preparing chick peas from scratch produces the best, tender chickpeas with a creamy mouthfeel that the canned variety just can not compare. One pound of dried beans = About 2 cups hydrated chick peas. Re-hydrating chick peas is determined by taste. You do not know if your chick peas (dried or canned) have been on the shelf for months or years.

Healthy Power Bowl

Crunchy carrots add the right amount of color to this recipe. You can add cilantro or green bell peppers or any other vegetables that may be almost ready for a toss. The POWER IS YOURS!

The POWER IS IN YOU!

Eggplant -Roasted With Pomegranate

August 7, 2021August 16, 202118 Comments

I was excited to snip some lemon thyme for my favorite grilled eggplant. File this under EASY RECIPE . Make it once and you will be hooked for life!

Print Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggplants
1/3 cup olive oil (adjust as needed)
1 1/2 tsp. (fresh) lemon thyme plus a few sprigs for garnish
Maldon Sea Salt & pepper
1 pomegranate
1 tsp. za’ater

Sauce

9 tbsp. buttermilk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 clove of crushed garlic
a pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise
Place diagonal incisions (diamond shape) on the cut side of the eggplant ( do not pierce the skin)
Brush eggplants with oil until absorbed by the flesh – I added more oil.
sprinkle with fresh lemon thyme, salt and pepper
Roast for 35-40 minutes until nicely browned
While the eggplant is roasting, remove pomegranate seeds and prepare the buttermilk sauce
Refrigerate sauce until eggplant has completely roasted
Top eggplant with sauce, sprinkle pomegranate seeds and za-atar on top with a drizzle of oil
Garnish with lemon thyme

Spice Of Life

We need to roast more veggies! A high-heat cooking method that brings out the best flavors in vegetables. Also, bland vegetables like eggplant and zucchini are vessels for spices to make something delicious.

Maldon Sea Salt

Maldon Salt is an English sea-salt. It comes in large, thin, uneven, crunchy salt flakes that have a very clean, pure salt taste. I buy it at my local grocery store.
If they don’t have it, get your grocer to order it. Just ask!

The Za’atar shrub is common to the middle east and Turkey. ( It looks like oregano. ) You can grow your own plant if you can get the seeds or starter plant.

Home Made Za’atar … Jamie Oliver’s Food TV

Za’atar is one of the few spices you can eat with a spoon. Full of Nutrition.

You can buy Maldon salt flakes and za’atar online. Jamie Oliver provides the recipe for make your own za’atar blend . A healthy concoction that tastes amazing! The secret ingredient for this middle eastern recipe. It’s delicious! The day I made this recipe, I didn’t have buttermilk or milk. I did have Greek yogurt and another tangy plain yogurt I use in recipes. Today, it’s a substitute for buttermilk. You can make your own buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of regular milk. The za’atar and lemon thyme makes such a difference. I can not say enough about how really fantastic it tastes. It’s one of those recipes you will make again and again.

Canal House Lentils #Plant Based Salad

July 8, 2021August 16, 20218 Comments

It was hard to find the origin of Canal House lentils. I was told New Orleans. But, I found no evidence to support this claim. If you know, please share in the comments. More importantly, this recipe hails Le Puy lentils, a unique member of the lentil family.

Add various vegetables to your side dish of prebiotic lentils. A super “GUT HEALTHY” food.

Le Puy Lentils

FRENCH Le Puy LENTILS are about one-third the size of regular lentils and have a slight peppery taste. They are grown in mineral rich volcanic ash in a French town called Le Puy (PWEE)-en-Velay in the Haute Loire region of Auvergne, France. Aromatics are sautéed and then simmered with French Le Puy lentils for 20 to 25 minutes. It is an easy side dish, redolent of a Provencal feast. Authentic Le Puy lentils have an A.O.C. (appellation d’origine contrôlée) seal of approval. In fact in 1996, Le Puy green lentil was the first vegetable to obtain an A.O.C. designation.

French Green Lentil – Verte du Puy

Print Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium leek white and pale green parts, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup of green lentils ( preferably French Le Puy Lentils)
2 tbsp. reduced salt soy sauce
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Take a saucepan and heat oil on a medium heat.
Add the leek and cook for a minute/ then add chopped garlic and tomato paste, stir and watch as paste darkens in about 4 minutes.
Add lentils and ½ cup water. Boil it on high and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 45-55 minutes, with occasional stirring.
Remove from heat and set aside covered for 10 minutes.
Then, stir in soy sauce and season with salt and pepper.
Optional: Serve with diced scallions, red pepper and/or cilantro, parsley and finely chopped kale.

Serving Suggestions

Warm Salad Today ……Cold Salad Tomorrow. You Can Serve It Either Way

Quality & Assurance of Origin -AOC

Le Puy lentils: The first vegetable to acquire the AOC ( Appellation d’Origine Côntrolée ) certification in France. It assures the buyer that this item originated in the geographical region of Le Puy in France. AOC supports the authenticity of wines, cheese or in this case Le Puy lentils.

💜 Tiny slate-gray/green lentils grown in France
💜 They make a delicious side dish
💜 The hold their shape after cooking
💜 BUY French Le Puy Lentils. online
A.O.C. mark of quality and assurance of origin

LENTILS in general are loaded with protein, iron and zinc, not to mention fibre, folate, and potassium. They’re also rich in prebiotics that are brilliant at feeding your friendly flora. A must have every day of the week!

Butternut Squash: Roasted with Spicy Chick Peas

March 12, 2021May 24, 202114 Comments

A HEALTHY DISH ! The complimentary spices and roasted veggies burst with flavour!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
5 garlic cloves (1 finely grated, 4 chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed, patted dry
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of curry powder/paste or vadouvan
2 radishes, trimmed, very thinly sliced (optional)
1 cup parsley, mint, and/or cilantro leaves8
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Roast squash directly on oven rack until a paring knife poked through skin easily slides through flesh, 50–65 minutes. Let squash cool until you can handle. Trim ends, halve lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. Tear or cut squash into large pieces; discard skin (it will come off easily as you tear).
Meanwhile, mix yogurt, grated garlic, and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook chickpeas, shaking skillet often, until starting to brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onion and chopped garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in vadouvan (curry powder) and cook, stirring, until chickpeas and onion are coated and mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a medium bowl. Wipe out skillet.
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium-high. Cook squash pieces, cut side down, undisturbed, until browned and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Turn pieces over, remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon chickpea mixture over squash, then dollop reserved lemon-garlic yogurt around.
Optional: Toss radishes, herbs, and pomegranate seeds, with remaining 1 Tbsp. lemon juice in a small bowl; drizzle with a splash of oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter over squash and chickpeas. Finish with a grind or two of pepper.

(Optional) Pomegranate and Pistachio Nuts …you will be glad you added the pomegranate!

**LEMON GARLIC YOGURT TOPPING**: Can Be Served On The Side ( No Pomegranate here).

VARIATIONS

Add greens, kale ships, collard greens, swiss chard, etc. Cranberries are a good ubstitute for pomegranate. Add leftover quinoa or feta cheese cubes. Serve as a veggie tacos. ‘Squash’ Burgers (see below). Lightly mash squash to biuld your burger. If you have more people at the table, add spinach to the mix to extend your dish

VEGGIE BURGER: Curry / Squash/ Chick Peas/ Pomegranate/ Cilantro/ Parsley

GOOD EATS:

FOODIES ARE # 1!!!

Rutabaga Mash: Holiday Trending

November 22, 2020December 4, 202012 Comments

Buttered Rutabagas were a staple on our Thanksgiving / Christmas table when I was growing up and I’m revisiting them today ~ these delicious pale orange rutabaga are misunderstood and probably the most overlooked veggie.

TIRED OF MASHED POTATOES?

Some people have never had rutabaga in their entire life. It is a standard holiday dish in Finland known as lanttulaatikko . Last year at a Scandinavian dinner, my friend had mashed rutabaga for the first time. She loved it! So healthy and easy to make.

Some people mix RUTABAGA with turnips. Turnips are generally smaller and not as sweet as rutabaga. You may also find ‘all white’ turnips at your supermarket. Rutabagas have a pale orange bottom half compared to the white bottom half of a turnip.

Root Vegetables

SIDE DISH: I start cooking my rutabaga first, before preparing my main meal. This veggie is cooked on top of the stove 25-35 minutes before it is popped into the oven. OVEN TIME: 1 hour. If I have a big bird in the oven, I will center the bird in the oven and leave the rack below it for the rutabaga casserole which can be added in the last hour of cooking the bird.

Print Recipe

INGREDIENTS
6 cups of rutabaga (in Finnish, lanttu), peeled, washed and diced in large chunks
1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
3 tablespoons butter

INSTRUCTIONS:
(Preheat the oven to 350F)
1. PEEL, CUBE AND BOIL RUTABAGA in salted boiling water- until tender-drain and mash.
2. Soak the breadcrumbs in the cream and add nutmeg and beaten eggs. combine with the mashed rutabagas. Add mixture to a buttered 2 1/2 quart baking dish ( or individual dishes ). Bake for about 60 minutes or until golden brown.

TOPPINGS: Top with bread crumbs and butter nobs ( optional ) before the casserole goes into the oven. Before serving: Decorate with chives or chopped parsley.

Secret Ingredient: I always add garlic ~ not in the original recipe.

The traditional recipe from Finland adds heavy cream and dark syrup before the baking process. Add nutmeg ‘to taste’. It’s the most important ingredient.

FOOD TIP

To speed up the cooking time before mashing the rutabaga, use a microwave ( covered on high, add 1 cup of water 15-20 min. ) or pressure cooker ( 9 minutes) . Use several small baking dishes for freezer appeal. Add apple or carrots for sweetness. You can optionally add a crushed garlic and/or 2 cardamom pods in the boiling water. FOR ADDED ZIP, add spices: ginger, cinnamon or turmeric to taste.

Why are rutabagas (neeps, swedes) half purple? —They are a mix of wild cabbage and turnips. A portion of the plant grows above ground and changes colour from the sun.
(P.S. You can eat the green tops too – tastes a bit like spinach).

RUTABAGA has less than half the calories of white potatoes & sweet potatoes!

(1/3 the carbs.)

Ketogenic-friendly!

Here’s the picture from Michael (see comment below) of his rutabaga mash using ramekins. I would enjoy seeing pictures you have from your rutabaga dish and will add them to the post. Please email them to me: info@simplysplendidfood.com