Ginger-Almond Fruit Plate

What can be better than fresh fruit during the month of July when pretty much everything is fresh and ripe? Then add the fabulousness of coming in from the hot summer heat and sitting down to a plateful of crispy, cold, tangy, sweet fruit! MMMmm, delic!

Now, I'm kind of a weirdo and I don't really have a taste for certain fruits so when I made this I used the stuff that I like! You need to do the same! This is really just about the method of incorporating the gingery dressing and the crunchy almonds to a beautiful fruit salad, and at the end of the day YOU need to love it and whatever you put in it, i.e., don't use fruits you don't like! Duh! :-D

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• about 1 pint of strawberries
• 3 clementines, peeled & sliced into rounds
• 1 pint of blueberries
• -OR- whatever fruit you prefer, perhaps 1 yellow grapefruit instead of the clementines, 1 pint of raspberries instead of the blueberries, etc.

• 1/2 cup honey (local honey from a cider mill or farmers market is always best!)
• 2 Tbls. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. fresh grated ginger root; (peel about 1-2 inches of fresh ginger root and grate it on a fine grater or a microplane/zester seen here)
• 1/3 cup of slivered or sliced almonds, toasted (toasting the almonds is quite easy- place the almonds on a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing around frequently, until just fragrant & lightly browned)

Arrange your fruit decoratively on a plate, or just toss together in a bowl. Combine the honey, lemon juice & ginger in a small bowl, using a fork or a small whisk. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit & top with the almonds. Eat, smile, then make comment on NICHe in the KITCHe about how much you loved this! ;-)

Parsley Pesto in a Presto!

My fabulous hubster has been wanting to mimic his mama's awesome veggie garden for a long, long time now, and if you've ever been over to our home, you know we have an excess of space in the back yard for one. Well, this was the year, and though it's the very beginning, things are progressing quite nicely! We have lettuce, zucchini, peppers & broccoli growing (although there are some weird bugs on the broccoli leaves that Mike is trying to safely kill), and then there is a cute little area for my herb garden, which is my forte'. Last year I went crazy stuffing herb seeds and herb-starters into pots, only so that they could overgrow each other and become entangled and messy- not ideal for a 'type A' home cook! So, my 3 X 4 rows and columns of herbs that the hubster organized and planted for me (I am not a green-thumb person, my place is IN the kitchen, NOT in the garden), are perfection!!

Last year I got a little of every herb out there- well, not EVERY herb in the world, but the most common. And though that was fun, I really didn't end up using the lemon verbana too much or the marjoram- just not enough varieties of recipes to use them up. This year, I figured I would replace the the ones I didn't use much with a few extras of the herbs I wished I had had more of, so I ended up with; 2 big flat leaf parsley, 1 curly parsley, 1 dill, 2 gigantic rosemary (I seriously have rosemary for days so if you need some, let me know!), 1 oregano, 1 chive, 1 mint, 1 sage, and 1 thyme. I normally get a lot of basil as well to make basil pesto, but I haven't been able to find any good looking basil plants around town (do you know where I can find some?).
Well, pretty much everything is growing out of control in my cute little 3 X 4 garden except for my dill (which is disappointing because usually dill doesn't need much love or attention), so I have a ton of flat leaf parsley- perfect for a fresh pesto to; toss with a whole-wheat pasta, spread on top of a crusty bread, stuff inside a deli sammy, drizzle on some fresh veggies, stir into a vegetable soup for added flavor, or mix with some olive oil to create a sparkling salad dressing.
Here are the basics...

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 large bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, enough to creative about 1 cup (packed) when it is all chopped up (p.s. It is okay to use some of the stems of the parsley!)
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 tsp. lime juice, or to taste
• 2 Tbls. olive oil
• kosher salt, pepper- to taste

There are 2 ways to go about this;

A) Coarsely chop all the parsley and combine all the ingredients in a bowl- simply mash everything together with a fork.

B) Kind of rip apart the parsley a little as you throw it in your mini-chopper. Chop the garlic in 3 pieces and toss it in the chopper, followed by the other ingredients. Pulse until you get to a desired consistency/texture-kind of chunky yet smooth.

You Could Also Try...

• Set aside a specific ice cube tray JUST for pesto- fill the little compartments with your homemade heaven and then cover with plastic wrap, followed by a freezer bag. Freeze your ice cube tray full of fresh pesto and save it away for for your next special use! When you're ready to cook with it, just pull the tray out and thaw in the fridge for a few hours, or defrost for 30 seconds-1 minute in the microwave, and use however much pesto you need. Again, freeze the leftovers for another day!
• Ideas for ways to use pesto; toss with a whole-wheat pasta, spread on top of a crusty bread, stuff inside a deli sammy, drizzle on some fresh veggies, stir into a vegetable soup for added flavor, or mix with some olive oil to create a sparkling salad dressing.

Protein-Packed & Fresh Veggie Tabbouleh

So a few months back I started my venture on eating more "anti-inflammatory" foods, in order to help my body become the best it can be in all facets of life. (Check out this post to review where this all came from...) Well, long story short, it turns out I needed another knee scope last week to see what the heck was going on with this knee of mine that wasn't healing from a scope-gone-bad from December last year. So to continue my "anti-inflammatory" journey and prepare my body for the outpatient procedure and long recovery ahead, I sought out some high protein and high fiber recipes to give my body a good fighting chance!

Why do you need protein, and why do you need more of it when you're going under the knife and/or about to need your body to really work well for ya? Well, think of of it like this; Your muscles are like a factory you are building- and the bricks to assemble the building are found within protein-rich foods. So you have to have enough of the bricks to properly assemble your building, right!? And when you're body is already feeling slightly defeated, it deserves for YOU to be on top of things and give it as many bricks as you can!

Well, I'm NICHe in the KITCHe of course, and I'm not just going to cart in plates full of meat to eat- no way! There ARE ways to combine really great, tasty, low fat proteins with other recipes I love, and reep the benefits!

One recipe I came across combined the basics of the popular Middle Eastern parsley salad, and the protein benefits of the popularly growing, grain-like, quinoa. And I must say- I'm hooked! All the veggies provide tons of fiber and vitamins, and the quinoa is awesome for protein & antioxidants! This is a very well-rounded salad and it really is perfect to go as a side to a piece of grilled fish, BBQ chicken, shish kabob, shrimp stir fry, summery gazpacho soup...well, you get the point...

(You'll want to eat this all up within 2 days or so, otherwise the veggies will start to get a little mushy)

P.S. This is totally Gluten-Free too, so safe for all you GF'ers out there!

Ingredients & Recipe: (adapted from Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Health)
Printable Recipe

• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup quinoa (I like this Ancient Harvest brand)
• kosher salt
• juice from 1/2 of a lime
• drizzle of olive oil
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 English cucumber, diced finely (skins are okay to eat)
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced very finely or grated
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely
• about 3 Tbls. fresh mint leaves, chopped finely
• 1 tsp. dried paprika

Begin by preparing the quinoa; stir the quinoa and water in a small pot, add in a pinch of salt and bring up a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and is fluffy & tender. Set aside to completely cool.

Meanwhile, do all your chopping of the veggies and combine them all in a large bowl. Stir in the lime juice and olive oil, and add the paprika.

When the quinoa is cool, gently stir it into the veggie mix. Chill the salad for at least 2 hours to let all the flavors merry together.

Chocolately Magic Bars- "GF" Style (Gluten-Free)

I've been meaning to post this recipe for over a month! It's a crime that I haven't been posting more lately- maybe not a crime to you readers, but it feels like a crime to me because the blog has become such a place of solitude and stress relief for me that I have NOT been utilizing during the past couple of rough weeks. Sometimes things get away from you because of one reason or another- but you just do what you can to pick up where you left off!
Anyways, no more excuses- Here is a wonderful Gluten-Free dessert bar recipe that I feel like is better than the "regular" recipe and is definitely more nutritious, AND you can feel good serving it to an array of people (with or without food allergies) at a party or BBQ! It uses healthy almonds instead of cookies for the crust to give you added nutrition & awesome texture! I'll give you some added suggestions at the bottom of the page, but you can totally play around with this recipe by adding dried fruit, other candies, etc., to personalize these bars! You'll need a mini-chopper or a food processor for this one too.

Go ahead, make the full batch, you'd be crazy not to:)

Ingredients & Recipe
Printable Recipe

• 2 cups whole, raw almonds
• about 3/4 cups of unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• about 1/4 tsp. (or "a pinch") of ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2- 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer the mini chips, but regular will work just fine!)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, whatever you prefer)
• 1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Start by creating the crust for the Magic Bars by simply toasting the almonds; Toss the whole almonds onto a dry skillet and toast them over medium-high heat on the stove for about 3-4 minutes- be sure to shake the pan frequently so the nuts don't burn but are lightly browned.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and spray a 13 X 9 baking pan with cooking spray.

Place the toasted nuts into your food processor or mini chopper and process until finely ground, like the consistency a little thicker than sand. Add in the sugar, cloves & salt, and give everything a pulse to mix well, followed by adding the butter- again, mix well. Press the moist, sandy mix into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust, using the back of a flat spatula to keep the crust even across the bottom.

Now the easy part (and creative part depending on your tastes!)- Begin to layer the chocolate chips all over the crust, followed by the chopped nuts. At this point you could also add a cup of dried cherries or another dried fruit, or go with a whole different variety of candy/chips like caramel, white chocolate, etc. Now, pour the can of condensed milk as evenly as possibly across the whole deal and top with the flaked coconut. Use the spatula from earlier to lightly pat down the coconut- this just kind of packs everything together.

You are now ready to bake the bars- bake them for about 30 minutes or until they are getting a little bit golden on the edges and somewhat bubbly. Be sure to allow the bars to cool completely so that they "set" before cutting them into squares or triangles.

Enjoy at room temperature or keep them cool in the refrigerator for a cooler magic bar!

Pics to come soon...

Leek, Spinach & the Kitchen Sink Soup w/Tofu (Vegetarian)

Well, you'd probably think with the weather getting nicer (yesss!) that I'd stray away from soup but there is just something so soothing and simple to me about a bowl of soup. I love that you can make a big pot of it on a Sunday and rely on it all through the week- maybe for lunch with a half sandwich, or for a super fast dinner with a green-leafy salad! Soup just knocks my socks off-winter, spring, summer or fall! This soup is full of so many healthy veggies that I've been learning about to help me reduce the inflammation in my body-(if you have no idea what I'm talking about, refer to this post.)
For example, the spinach in the soup is an awesome antioxidant (which help to repair our cells in our body), and is really high in vitamin K (which helps our blood do what it needs to do & protects our bones)
Leeks are great for us because of the way they help our cholesterol levels, and the vitamin C levels inside a tomato is through the roof!! I've just touched on only a few benefits of the ingredients in this "Kitchen Sink" soup- give it a shot!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 5-6 cups of vegetable stock or broth (use the kind with No MSG, 98% fat-free, low sodium)
• 6-7 white mushrooms, sliced thin
• 1 large leek, or 2 small leeks, rinsed well then sliced thin
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped (optional)
• 1-2 green onions, chopped (optional)
• 2-3 cups of fresh baby spinach
• 8-10 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed, then cubed
• Kosher salt, Pepper
• 2 Tbls. fresh parsley, chopped
• Olive oil
• Cooking spray

Begin by heating a drizzle of olive oil on the bottom of a Dutch Oven or a large pot, over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, leeks & garlic, and saute for 5 minutes just until they begin to get a little tender. Stir in the stock/broth and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a small skillet up to medium heat. Spray it lightly with cooking spray and give it a very light drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper directly into the pan, then place the pressed/cubed tofu into the skillet to brown for about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Once the tofu is seared, finish up by performing the "kitchen sink" technique; toss in the cooked tofu, the tomatoes, zucchini, green onion, baby spinach (as is, no need to chop, it will wilt down), parsley, and a little salt and pepper to taste. Give it a stir, let everything heat through for about 5-8 minutes then give it a taste (do you need more salt? more pepper? more parsley? add whatever you need). Now it is time to enjoy!

You Could Also Try...

• Add in 2 Tbls. of "Tom Yum" paste from the Asian Food Market or aisle, right at the end during the "kitchen sink" portion, to give the soup an Asian-flair.
• Instead of tofu, sear pieces of Tilapia in a skillet (just like we did with the tofu), and add it to the soup for a delicious Omega-3 Kick!

Spanish Keen-Who? Quinoa!

I know, I know, we all keep hearing more and more about this wacky grain called Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wah). Well, as I've posted before in this Mexican Quinoa recipe, Quinoa is a wonderful option for those with a Gluten allergy or with Celiac disease, because it is totally Gluten-free, and it is perfect for vegetarians because it is ridiculously full protein! You cook it much like rice and can serve it hot or cold, and really, you can do pretty much anything with Quinoa- it's basically like a miracle food! Rowe & Davis tell us in, "Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Health", that not only is Quinoa full of protein but it is also full of iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate...basically all great things our body needs to stay balanced!

Where can you find this miracle food? I've purchased it at Kroger or Meijer- usually in the "healthy food" section, and I've used the red & the white varieties (they tasted the same to me).

This Spanish recipe was the perfect filler dish for a Spanish Tapas party we had this past weekend, and with just a few ingredients you're able to keep cost down, flavor up and tummy's full!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 cup quinoa, (check the brand you purchase to see if you need to rinse it before cooking)
• 3 (10 oz.) cans of Rotel chopped tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic gloves, minced or pressed through garlic-press
• Olive oil
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbls. cumin
• good pinch of Kosher salt

Begin by heating a soup pot over medium heat, add in some olive oil and begin to saute the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to get tender.

Meanwhile, drain each can of chopped tomatoes, but drain all the juice into a large measuring cup. Add enough water into the measuring cup to equal 2 cups. Add the liquid into the onion & garlic mixture and bring everything up to a boil.

Once boiling, stir in the salt and quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and let the quinoa simmer, about 20-35 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. (The time varies so much depending on the brand of quinoa you purchase.)

Once the liquid is absorbed into the quinoa (it looks fluffy and soft), stir in the tomatoes, chili powder and cumin, allow everything to heat through, give it a taste (check to see if you need to add a bit more salt or not), and you are ready to serve!

You Could Also Try...

• This recipe can be cut in doubled for a crowd, and it also can be made the night before, stored in an air tight container and warmed up before serving.

"Zero"-Spinach Soup

Soup is something that can be a total life-saver during the week, especially when you can feel guilt-free about each serving! I call this "zero" soup because with all the veggies and the clear broth, there are very limited calories and tons of nutrients - and just because this soup is good for you, do not assume it is limited on taste- because it is not!
(The nutmeg at the end really adds a depth of flavor that you just can't get with anything else, so don't skip it- no, it won't taste anything like pumpkin pie, I promise!! )

Ingredients & Recipe
Printable Recipe

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• olive oil
• 2-3 cups (firmly packed) fresh spinach
• 2 cups of vegetable broth, plus more if desired
• S & P
• dash of nutmeg

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Drizzle in a tablespoon or so of olive oil and begin to saute the onion, garlic and celery, for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.

Pour in 2 cups of broth, bring up to a boil. Add in the spinach, cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, uncover and let it stand for about 5 minutes. Transfer the soup into a blender in batches and blend to your desired texture, or use a handheld blender to puree right in the pot. Season the blended soup with S & P, nutmeg, and add a little more broth as you like. Serve nice and hot, with no guilt!

You Could Also Try...

• Add in turkey meatballs to the soup after blending
• Use a 10 oz. box of frozen spinach instead of fresh, no need to defrost

Southwest Black-Bean Cakes

Alright foodies, I just got the hubster to mow down 3 of these vegetarian black-bean cakes in the last 12 hours! Do not pass this one up because you think a "veggie burger" is ridiculous, tasteless or only for those with a light appetite! These are flavorful and have awesome texture, and are filled with tons of fiber and protein. Serve with sour cream or a packet of Taco Bell sauce (like Mike did!)

Ingredients & Recipe:

Printable Recipe

• 2 green onions, sliced thinly
• 2 cans (15-16 oz. cans) black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled, grated (about 2 cups)
• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced very finely or pressed through a garlic-press
• 2 jalapenos, chopped finely (I used jarred)
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. southwest season OR cumin
• 1 egg (lightly scrambled)
• S & P

Begin by doing all your prep work; slice your green onions, drain and rinse the beans, grate the sweet potato, mince or press the garlic, chop the jalapeno...

Preheat your oven to "broil". Place a piece of foil on a baking sheet, spray it with cooking spray.

Place a small pan over medium heat. Drizzle in a teaspoon or so, of olive oil into the pan and begin to cook the green onion for about 1 minute. Next, add in the garlic, jalapeno and spices, cook for 1-2 more minutes until everything is softened. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Now add the beans and a few dashes of S & P to the bowl. Use a potato masher (or a fork) to mash the beans, leaving about 1/4 of them whole. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the sweet potato & egg. Divide the "batter" into 8 balls, flatten each into "patties" and place on the prepared baking sheet, about 1-inch apart. Broil the cakes for about 8 minutes, until golden brown. Turn the cakes carefully, and broil on the other side, about 3 more minutes, until crisp.

Serve right away with a side of sour cream. To store in the fridge, allow the cakes to cool on a cooling rack and store in a Tupperware container between pieces of wax paper.

Crock Pot Veggie 'N' Lentil Soup

My girlfriends reminded me the other day how important a crock-pot can be in the winter. Just turn that puppy on in the morning before work, or at lunch, and when you get home you'll have the most comforting and simply meal to feast upon!

If you don't have a crock-pot, you can get a basic model at Kohl's, Target, Meijer, or Wal-Mart for under $30. And don't be mistaken...a crock pot can also be used for side dishes, main dishes, stews, chili's & even desserts!! I'll post some good ideas starting with this simple vegetable and lentil soup that is both healthy AND gluten-free! Yeah baby!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 2 (19 oz.) cans of lentil soup (I like the one from Trader Joe's or Amy's brand)
• 1 (15 oz.) can of stewed tomatoes
• 1 (14 oz.) can of low-sodium, all-natural, no MSG vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 white onion, chopped finely
• 1 green pepper, chopped finely
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced finely
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram or oregano

Simply combine all the ingredients in your crock-pot and stir up well. Cover and turn the crock-pot to Low. Cook for 6 hours. Done:)

You Could Also Try...

• Add in 1 pound of raw skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes, for extra protein and heartiness
• Remember to be creative with your ingredients; don't love green peppers? Add in 1 cup of frozen peas instead

"Corny" Baked Onion Rings

Who doesn't love a little deep-fried, golden-battered onion ring once in a while? They can be so delicious, dipped in horseradish or ketchup (or by themselves). But who wants to ruin their morning workout by eating 400 calories in JUST onion rings? These BAKED onion rings, made with corn flakes are a much healthier option when you want that crunchy, golden snack! Baking them, instead of frying, helps you stay away from nasty oils and allows you feel better about adding these as a side to your dinner. AND chances are you have everything you need to make these at home already!

P.S. This is a perfect time to use your Mini-Food Processor. Less than $30 and it makes life so easy!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups plain cornflakes
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (no need to buy it, make your own)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• S & P
• 1 medium-large Vidalia onion, cut into 1/2"- 1" slices
• Cooking spray

Begin by preheating your oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Use your food processor to pulse the cornflakes & breadcrumbs into small crumbs, transfer to a med-large bowl. (Don't have a food processor? Dump cornflakes & breadcrumbs in a zip top bag and smash up with the bottom of a pan, or roll with a rolling pin).

Next, whisk together egg, buttermilk, flour, cayenne, S & P, in another bowl. Dip onion rings into egg mixture (use a fork to keep your hands clean), let the excess drip off and then "dredge" the onion into the flake-crumb mixture to coat. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat until your baking sheet is full of battered onion rings, bake about 15 minutes, gently turning once half way through. Lightly season with salt, & enjoy!

You Could Also Try...

• Use whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose for a little added fiber! Fiber is our friend:)
• Make this recipe totally Gluten-Free! Use 1 1/2 cup of white rice flour + 1/2 cup of cornmeal instead of regular flour and breadcrumbs. The crunch you get from the cornmeal may be even better!

Middle Eastern Veggie Burgers

Veggie burgers do not have to be lame, tasteless and dissatisfying! I enjoy a few of the frozen veggie burgers out in the market but for the most part, when eating them I don't really feel the sense of satisfaction that you get out of big ol' hefty meat burger. The record will be set and you will have a whole new appreciation & approval for veggie burgers after you make this recipe.

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1-1 1/2 cups Red Potatoes
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 Tbls. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbls. olive oil

First begin by placing potatoes in a sm-medium pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes until quite tender, drain them and let them cool for a few minutes. Roughly chop up the cooked potatoes and throw into a large bowl. Add in 1 Tbls. of oil and the garlic into the bowl and begin to mash the potato mixture until chunky. Take out and place 3 Tbls. of chickpeas from the can into a separate small bowl. Add the remaining chickpeas from the can into the chunky potatos and mash up until well combined. Mix in remaining 1 Tbls. of olive oil, parsley, salt, lemon zest, paprika, pepper & egg whites. Carefully stir in the separated (3 Tbls.) chickpeas into the mixture.

Begin to heat up a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Divide the potato/chickpea mixture into equal sized patties (either 6 mini burgers or 4 regular size). Slap them onto your heated pan (do not overcrowd, cook in batches if needed) and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until each side is golden brown.

Assemble burgers on slider sized or regular sized buns, and play around with toppings. I loved mustard and lettuce with these, but you could try mayo, tomato...

You Could Also Try...

• Leftovers were amazing, maybe even better than the originals. I heated mine up in the toaster oven so that I could keep the crispiness.
• Slice cooked burger over a big bed of lettuce for an original Middle Eastern salad. Use lemon juice and olive oil for dressing so you don't lose the flavors of the burger slices!

Mexican Quinoa Salad...A Gluten-Free Amigo!

I'm sure you know at least someone in your life with a food allergy. It seems like more and more people are benefiting from staying away from foods that contain Gluten, which is most commonly found in barley, wheat and rye (so pretty much a ton of foods). One of my very best girlfriend's, Andrea, A.K.A. Lupi, is allergic to gluten (as is her momma - there is a genetic component to the allergy), so whether we're having snacks at our book club meeting, out for our monthly girls dinner or making dinner on a lazy evening, I've become more and more aware of the challenges Lupi faces to steer clear of gluten.

Lupi and I attended a cooking class several months back at Simply Good in Birmingham, Michigan, where they regularly feature a variety of healthy cuisines. This is where I first learned of Quinoa (pronounced "Keen-waa"), which is actually a relative of spinach but looks like a little grainy seed, is full of healthy protein and is totally Gluten-Free. Quinoa is a wonderful option and is interchangeable in so many recipes. It can be used like pasta for a cold salad, served warm like rice or used as a stuffing- there are really a million ways to use Quinoa.

This recipe is right up Lupi's alley because not only is it safe for her to eat, but it's got a Mexican flair (and if you know Lupi, she LOVES her Mexican food)!

Ingredients & Recipe:
Printable Recipe

• 1 cup Quinoa (see the brand I like to use below)
• 2 cups water
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed
• 1 Tbls. red wine vinegar
• 1 cup of frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped scallion (green onion)
• 1 Tbls. finely chopped jalapeno (I use jarred jalapenos)

For Dressing:

• the juice of 1 Lime
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin


• 1/4 cup olive oil

Prepare the quinoa as described on package (usually you will bring water and quinoa to a boil, let it simmer 15 minutes, sort of like how you cook rice). Once the quinoa is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and let it cool. Meanwhile, in another bowl, mix together the beans, vinegar, corn, peppers, scallion and jalapeno. Finally, whisk together the lime juice, salt, cumin and olive oil to create your dressing, and pour it and the veggie mix all into the cooled quinoa. Fold everything together and serve room temperature. I have found that the longer the salad sits (up to a day before), the better all the flavors marry each other and make an awesome salad!

You Could Also Try...

• Use quinoa instead of pasta for a summer pasta salad


• Find quinoa at your typical grocery store, usual near the "health food" section.