It’s not often that I tell you that you really have to try a recipe…but you really have to try this one.   It reminds me a bit of something you would get at a restaurant and later find out that it has 800 calories and 30 grams of fat.  In fact, it was so yummy I actually got nervous when calculating the nutritional information.  (Whew, thank goodness it only has 341 calories – 381 if you cook in oil.) It was such a hit at our house that I’ve already got it on next weeks menu.

The inspiration for this recipe came from this recipe which I found on Pinterest.  (Who else is completely obsessed with Pinterest?)

I had originally planned on just making a version of the original with quinoa, but once I got in the kitchen I got creative and changed up the spices quite a bit. I also added corn, which I thought was a great addition. Next time I think I’ll add in a little diced avocado!

This is a fun recipe that you can adjust to your own tastes. Roasted red peppers would be nice in place of the bell pepper. You can use more or less cheese.  For those who don’t want to use sour cream, this would still be delicious without it.  If you don’t have nutritional yeast, you can easily leave it off but I do like the cheesy flavor it gives.

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Ready for a great quinoa burger recipe?  This one just may be my favorite.  Not only did it get a great score in taste, it also held up very well.  As in put your quinoa burger on the grill well.

Ok, I haven’t actually tried grilling these but I will next summer.

Although it is still warm enough to grill here, I’m really struggling to gear up for Thanksgiving and I’m pretty sure grilling out would really mess up my holiday mojo.  (It’s bad enough that my boys are in the pool as I type this.)

Are you seeing a theme here?  First I’m posting summer recipes from Nava Atlas’s Vegan Holiday Kitchen and now I’m giving you a quinoa burger recipe and talking about grill outs.

It’s hard to be season appropriate when you live in a warm climate I tell you.

Anyhow, these little beauties did take time to prepare but it was worth it because they were delicious and they made a lot!  With 12 patties per recipe, its the perfect way   to start stocking up your freezer with healthy dishes for those nights when you just can’t cook.

I recommend starting with your black beans, quinoa and butternut squash already cooked to make preparation less overwhelming.  (By the way, sweet potatoes would work just as well as butternut squash so use whichever you have on hand.) Also, these stock your freezer quinoa burgers do require a bit of advanced preparation because they need to be refrigerated for at least two hours prior to cooking.

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Quinoa salad recipes are my go to meals when I’m short on time and trying to eat healthy. Often I will make a huge quinoa salad on Sunday afternoon, not for a meal that day but to have in the fridge during the week.  That way if I get busy I can grab a quick meal and still stay on track with eating healthy.

There is something that I find especially filling about quinoa salad with black beans, and since reading Eat to Live I have been making a big effort to get more legumes in my diet.  So I was really excited to see a Fiesta Quinoa Salad with black beans in my latest cookbook acquisition, Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet.

Of course, the combination of quinoa, black beans, pepper, tomatoes and cilantro is nothing new to any of us.  But the dressing on  this dish really stands out – I loved the tamari, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar combo.

If you are new to cooking quinoa and need help cooking it, you may want to check out this post on how to cook quinoa. To get the three cups of quinoa that this recipe calls for, you will need one cup of dried quinoa.

Recipe adapted from Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet (A super-amazing healthy Vegan cookbook that is also very beautiful.)

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This weekend, I had a craving for a really good veggie burger – but not just any veggie burger would do! I wanted a bun worthy patty that not only stuck together, but also scored big in the taste department. These black bean and quinoa burgers really fit the bill.

I will have to say that I am not sure I have ever made a vegetarian burger that held together like this one.  Cooking was a breeze as the patties easily lifted from the pan when it was time to turn and didn’t crumble a bit despite my less that steady hand.

I loved the hummus surprise inside, but mine didn’t really taste cheesy like the original recipe intended.  You think it could have been the roasted red pepper and garlic hummus I used?  Yeah, me too.  If you want a cheesier flavor I would use plain hummus – but I have to tell you the roasted red pepper hummus was really tasty inside.

The family enjoyed these in real buns with all the trimmings, while I used big romaine leaves as my “buns”.

I’ll be trying this one again with a real bun when I’m not trying to lose weight, but the patties themselves were surprisingly filling and absolutely delicious.

Ok, I’m off to work out and finish Week 6 of P90x!

Woot!

Recipe adapted from Peas and Thank You

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If you have been following the chatter on Facebook you know I have finally gone insane.

Not only am I doing P90x (despite the fact that I haven’t worked out regularly in um…..six years) – I am also doing it while switching to a 100% plant based diet.  I know I promised to post these Quinoa Tostadas a few weeks ago, and for the delay I ask for your forgiveness!

It has taken me some time to get into the routine of eating a new way (which I love) and making time to work out – all while homeschooling the boys and keeping up with other responsibilities.

Thanks to all of you who have offered your support – it is much appreciated!

Today is the second day of my third week in P90X, (Click here to learn more about P90x!)and for the first time in a very long while I see myself going the distance with a fitness program.  I also see myself sticking with a plant based diet.  Everyone warned me that I wouldn’t have the energy or be able to built muscle because I wouldn’t be getting enough protein when I eliminated animal protein from my diet.  I was also warned that I was going to be so sore I couldn’t move.
I’ve kept up with the program very well – especially given my current fitness level – and none of these potential problems  have been an issue yet!  I won’t be publishing my weight any time soon, but I can tell you that in the first two weeks I’ve lost 13.25 inches!  (Now granted – I have further to go than many of you.)
Why the shift?   It all started when I watched Forks Over Knives – which is an amazing film that everyone should see.  This film really struck  a chord with me, and I realized that though I ate a fairly healthy diet it just hadn’t been enough to shed the excess pounds that I am carrying.

Then I started thinking about the fact that I turn 40 in November and that if I wanted the rest of my life to be a healthy one there was never going to be a better time to take action.  So, here I am!

Now – back to food….

I made these quinoa tostadas several weeks ago with the homemade corn tortillas I was talking about in this Mexican quinoa recipe.  If my bottom mixture looks a little soggy, it is because I tossed the quinoa, beans and onions with a little bit of dressing and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.  I had planned to make it that evening, but then something came up and I didn’t.  It would have been better the first day, but it still worked like this and we enjoyed it.

Although the avocado cashew cream is an extra step, it certainly adds to the wow factor.  If you are short on time salsa or just diced avocado would work well too!

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I can’t say what my favorite thing is about this Mexican Quinoa Salad was.  The taste was fabulous, but I really loved the texture too.  And, of course I love how colorful it is.  Colorful dishes make me smile because I know getting a pretty picture will be easy.

At the end of the day, this dish was a real winner at our house.

And yes, thank you for asking.  Those ARE homemade corn tortillas on top!

I was feeling adventurous a few weeks ago, so I decided to buy a Tortilla Press so that I could make my own tortillas and flat bread.  This was on the heels of reading an ingredient list on a package of wraps that included way too many things I didn’t want to be eating or feeding my family.So this week a few weeks had gone by and still no tortillas had been made.

I shifted the spot to where the tortilla press was stored to the back of the shelf where I keep plates and place mats that I used for photographs. (So that my husband wouldn’t be reminded of it and ask me where were the tortillas or Whoopee Pies I had planned on making.)

Strangely, that didn’t ease the guilt I was feeling about not actually using the tortilla press.

Finally, I stopped being lazy got adventurous and tried the darn thing out!  It was a little work at first but once I realized that I needed to use a plastic bag as a liner it went smooth as can be.  Best of all, I made these corn tortillas with just two ingredients!  I still need to practice some more before I’m ready to offer tips, but you’ll see these tortillas again because I also used them to make a really great tostada recipe I have coming soon.  (With a rocking cashew cream avocado sauce!)

If you are looking for a great quinoa salad that is pretty enough for company, I highly recommend this Mexican Quinoa Salad! And if you are interested in getting your own tortilla press, you can buy them at Amazon.com.

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Today, I’ve got a great recipe for black bean cakes to share with you!  This recipe is a bit different than anything I’ve ever tried before.

Now, if you have been around long at all you know that I love any type of quinoa patties, veggie burger recipe and of course black bean recipes.  So why is this different?  I used tofu in the sauce!

Yep, this is the first time you’ve seen tofu on Cooking Quinoa, because it is the first time I’ve ever used tofu in my cooking.  I’ve tried it out a few times – most notably at the salad bar at Whole Foods.  I don’t generally care for the texture.  Top that with concerns about soy and the whole GMO issue and cooking with tofu has just never been a big priority to me.

I’ll have to say that the only reason I tried this is because I picked up some organic silken tofu on a whim when I started the 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart: and I was forcing myself into actually using it.

I’m happy to say it was a huge success! I really couldn’t tell any difference than if I had used Greek yogurt in the remoulade, which is my old healthy standby for any sauce that calls for yogurt or mayonnaise. It was really surprising to me how the gritty tofu texture just disappeared. I honestly had some Vegenaise® waiting in the wings in case the sauce was a disaster.  I can’t say that tofu will become a main part of my diet, but I will reach for it when I want to make a vegan sauce that is creamy.

One thing you will want to keep in mind when buying tofu is that this is one area where the cost of organic is worth it.  Why?  Because most non organic food is genetically modified.  There is a lot of debate about whether GMO foods are bad for you or not, but my personal opinion is that we should all stay away from them.  Well, unless you are ok with eating round up.  Here is a list of safe soy products.
Recipe adapted from What Do I Know

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I’ve always loved Mexican food and now that I’m a vegetarian that hasn’t changed a bit.  Today, I’ve got a great vegetarian burrito recipe that is easy to make and comes together much quicker than you would expect.  I actually made the filling ahead of time and then when I was ready to cook them it only took me about 5 minutes to put everything together and pop it in the oven.  This was my first go at adding quinoa to a burrito, and I was happy with the results.  When you think about it, people add rice to burritos all the time!

Since corn is in season, I used fresh but thawed frozen corn will work just as well.  If you do decide to go with fresh corn all you need to do is bring a pot of water to boil.  Add cleaned corn on the cob and boil for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly, then cut it off the cob.  If you have any extra it is great added to a tossed green salad.

Now, if you are a vegan or lactose intolerant, don’t think this isn’t a great vegetarian burrito recipe for you too!  You could use vegan cheese, but if you aren’t in love with the idea that’s ok too.

I’m gearing up to start the 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart (if anyone wants to do it with me shoot me an email, leave me a message on Facebook or the website) which is going to require pretty significant changes in the way that I eat.  The idea behind it is that you can dramatically improve your health – and even reverse high blood pressure & cholesterol (Are you listening MOM?) – by sticking to a plant based diet and avoiding fat.  I’m not quite ready to start yet, but a happy medium for this dish for me was skipping the cheese and topping it with diced avocados, salsa and jalapenos.

This is a great vegetarian burrito recipe for those who are vegan but have family members who protest when you skip the cheese!

This recipe was inspired by a Fish Burrito Recipe in Clean Eating

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I’ve always loved stuffed poblano peppers. There is something about the subtle heat and the way they lend themselves to complex flavors. So, when I picked up a copy of Power Foods I was extremely happy to see a stuffed poblano pepper recipe that was…. shocking… stuffed with quinoa. I’ve always bought cookbooks and I can’t help but be excited that it is now so common to find quinoa recipes in them.  Power Foods has 9, count them, 9 quinoa recipes in it!  Plus a bunch of other great recipes too!  That has to be a record of any cookbook I own outside of Quinoa 365!

Now, if you’ve been around a while you might remember that I while back I shared another recipe for Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, which also used poblano peppers.  While there are some similarities between the two they are different enough for me to want to share the new one.

For starters, this one uses goat cheese.

I love goat cheese.

Seriously, I have to restrain myself so that every recipe I post doesn’t contain goat cheese.

Secondly, this recipe bakes the peppers in a chipolte, cilantro sauce which was delicious and something I’d never tried before.

 

Stuffed Poblano Peppers….Yum!

The only thing better than regular stuffed poblano peppers is cooking them in a great sauce!

We are going to start this quinoa recipe by roasting the poblano peppers.  I’ve never actually made a stuffed poblano pepper recipe that did this, but I just loved the result.  It sounds like a lot of work but it really wasn’t all that bad.

Getting my poblano peppers ready to stuff!

The process was so worth it and the only real disappointment was my final picture, which just doesn’t do justice to the taste or look of the peppers.  Darn you photography skills and point and shoot camera!

In my defense, I was dealing with two sick kids when I was making this.  I’m kinda thinking it shows.

Anyhow….. here’s the recipe and please if you make it snap a picture and send it to me!

Stay tuned this week because I have exiting news to share plus a bunch of new recipes including quinoa patties and a recipe for gluten free bread!

Do you have a stuffed poblano peppers recipe you would like to share?  If so, I’d love to hear from you!

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Today I’m going to share an amazing vegan quinoa salad with you that I’ve adapted from Raising the Salad Bar.  As far as quinoa recipes go, this is is one I would rank up there in my top 20.

But first and update about what I’ve been up to.

I don’t know about you but I’ve had a really busy couple of weeks.

Take today for example.

I finished cooking and taking pictures  for the cookbook I’ve been working on.  This  involved making an amazing dessert with quinoa flour,  (Even my husband who acted like I was going to feed him prunes when I asked him to come taste it – in his defense he doesn’t like sweets and especially not healthier versions – loved it!  He was really scared when I told him that there was no white sugar and I’d substituted applesauce for part of the butter.) making four pizzas with a quinoa flour pizza dough (yum!) and finally this quinoa salad I’m sharing with you today.

Everything went really well.  If you don’t count the thin pizza I was making that I destroyed while moving it to the pizza stone.

Calzone, anyone?

I am thrilled to finally be done.

Not so thrilled with the way the kitchen looked when I was done.

I’m really excited because I learned so much in writing and cooking these quinoa recipes and I can’t wait to share!  All of the recipes in the book are new and not on the website.  There are tons of traditional quinoa recipes, but also some really special dishes – like a healthy (vegetarian!) version of my mom’s Chicken Cannelloni.  Who knew that quinoa would blend  so well and provide substance without messing up the texture or standing out?  My goal with the book was to come up with recipes that people who already love quinoa would enjoy but also to find ways to cook quinoa that people who were hesitant to try foods like quinoa would be open to.

My mom was my measure there.

She likes her flours white, butter where it’s “meant” to be and isn’t shy about the fact that she doesn’t want to eat another one of quinoa salad.

(She also has the cholesterol and high blood pressure medicine to go along with all that white flour and butter….Sigh……)

Anyhow, I think I’ve succeeded.

Now on to editing the content and photos!

Anyhow….enough about what I’ve been up to…on to today’s quinoa recipe.

It’s a great Vegan Quinoa Salad!

Which is rare for me because I always seem to find a reason to add cheese to just about everything.  I’ve read that it takes three to four years for the typical vegetarian to become a vegan.  I’m interested, but can’t really imagine life without cheese and Greek yogurt.

I just LOVE this time of year – finally tomatoes that don’t make me say words I shouldn’t in front of the kids when I cut into them and fresh corn.  If you have been around a while you might remember me mentioning that I purchased the book Raising the Salad Bar, which is a beautiful book but I just haven’t spent much time with it.  I blame it on the lousy winter produce.

Clearly I can no longer use that excuse.

Now I haven’t tried the quinoa recipes in the book just  yet,because this recipe really caught my eye.  It had all the makings for an exceptional vegan quinoa salad recipe.

Of course I changed a few things.  I added quinoa and used black beans instead of kidney beans.  The original dressing called for just lime juice but with adding the quinoa I felt a little red wine vinegar was in order.  Oh and garlic.

You know I add garlic to everything.  Did I ever tell you that I pack my garlic mincer and wine cork in my purse when we travel?  That band aids and a few legos and I’m good to go.

I probably shouldn’t have shared that.  Forget I mentioned it.

You really have to try this one.

Now if you can’t find everything fresh, of course use frozen.  Since frozen tomatoes wouldn’t work here I would suggest going with the smallest tomatoes you can find if tomatoes are still yucky where you are.  This will help eliminate the mush factor.

What’s your favorite vegan quinoa salad – I’d love to hear from you!

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