Quinoa Rocks!

September 16, 2009 · Filed Under Recipes · 2 Comments 

Last night, I lead a Quinoa Rocks cooking class to a full house at New Leaf.  I love Quinoa for many reasons, but here are my top 5 reasons I believe that Quinoa does in fact, TOTALLY ROCK:

1.  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a gluten-free grain (well, actually, botanically it is considered a seed, but nutritionally, it is more similar to a whole grain)

2.  Quinoa has 8 grams of protein per cup (most grains have 4 or 5 grams)

3.  The protein in Quinoa is a “complete” protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids

4.  Quinoa has 5 grams of fiber per cup!

5.  Quinoa cooks in just 15-20 minutes making it a great kitchen staple for quick meals.

Not sure what to do with it or stuck in a Quinoa Rut?  We made many delicious recipes last night, but my favorite Quinoa recipe is this salad….perfect for a snack or a complete lunch:

Red Quinoa Pumpkin Seed Salad

Serves 6

2 cups dry red quinoa, rinsed well

4 cups water

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

4 scallions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

In a saucepan, boil water and add quinoa, lower heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.  Allow to cool.

In a bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, cumin, chili powder, cilantro and scallions.  Pour over quinoa and stir in peppers, mixing thoroughly.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until service.  Right before serving, stir in pumpkin seeds.

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Happy Friday!

September 11, 2009 · Filed Under Recipes · 1 Comment 

Growing up, Friday nights were always fun at my house–we would have friends over to watch movies and have a yummy dinner like pizza or pasta!  Everyone loved coming over to my house because my mom made the BEST pasta sauce (still does) so both her pizza and pasta were off the charts!

Tomatoes are at their peak right now so enjoy this easy to prepare pasta sauce that just tastes divine.  Enjoy it tonight with some whole grain pasta or on a pizza for your own fun Friday night dinner!

Fresh Tomato Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

2 pounds farm fresh tomatoes (dry farm tomatoes are WONDERFUL in this), chopped

1-2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper, cooking until just heated, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tomatoes are broken down and sauce has thickened.

Have a great weekend!

~Jennifer