Quinoa Bowls with Green Pepper and Black Beans

Quinoa Bowls with Green Pepper and Black Beans

(almost as good as Spank's!)

Quinoa is an amazing grain-like protein source that we have been using in our cooking very regularly. The best part about quinoa is that it’s a complete protein, meaning that it has all the essential amino acids, or in layman’s terms it fills you up super nice. Since quinoa is such a good protein source and much lighter than soy products, we have been using it extensively to “beef up” our veggie dishes (forgive the pun…). So believe the hype: quinoa dishes are great for staying healthy and with all that protein quinoa helps reduce your portions, which is a problem all passionate foodies face…
A super awesome quinoa bowl (recipe)
Serves 4
1 cup quinoa
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 small to medium red/yellow pepper, chopped (optional)
Half a carton of cherry tomatoes, halved (about a cup)
One medium sized sweet onion, diced (preferably Walla walla, yum )
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
Half an avocado, sliced
Juice of one small lime (1-2 tablespoons)
Salt, pepper, and other spices to taste
Start by cooking the quinoa. If it is commercially available (i.e. packaged) you shouldn’t need to wash it—simply add two cups of water to the cup of quinoa, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking, season and fry the sweet onion for a few minutes then add the pepper(s) and fry for another minute or so (you want these to stay crunchy). Also it’s important to add salt somewhere in here, in order to bring out the flavor of the veggies. Once the veggies are nearly done, add the black beans and cook for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes.
Cook until the tomatoes are hot and stir the lime juice into the quinoa, then stir that mixture with the veggies. Serve in bowls, adding generous portions of avocado on top of each.
This dish is great the first time around and stores well for excellent leftovers.

Favorite Fudge Brownies

This is another gem from my good ol' BH & G cookbook. It's so simple, yet it never disappoints. And you make it all in one pan for easy cleanup. These brownies are rich and delicious. Great a la mode or by themselves! Made them last night to satisfy that chocolate craving (it's not a pregnant thing...it's a constant thing).

Ingredients

• 1/2 C butter or margarine
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate (OR 6 T cocoa powder plus 2 T oil)
• 2 eggs
• 1 C sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C chopped nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease an 8x8x2 baking pan (or thereabouts); set aside. In a medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, beat lightly just till combined. Stir in flour and nuts.
3. Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
   

Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeño Cream

Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeño Cream

Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs.)
2 cups milk
2 to 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for pans
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded jack cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cut squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon or melon baller to remove seeds and surrounding fiber. Put squash, cut side down, on a lightly buttered baking sheet and bake until tender when flesh is pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Or poke several holes in skin of squash with a fork and microwave it on high 10 minutes. Squash should be tender when pierced with a fork; if it isn't, microwave on high in 1-minute intervals until tender. Let sit until cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm milk and jalapeños until bubbles form along the edge of the pan. Remove mixture from heat and let sit 15 minutes. Strain and discard jalapeños.

3. When squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scrape the strands out of the skin and into a large bowl.

4. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp. butter. Whisk in flour and salt and cook, whisking, until flour smells cooked (like piecrust), about 3 minutes. Slowly pour in jalapeño-infused milk while whisking. Reduce heat to medium and continue whisking until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Pour mixture over squash and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a buttered 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with jack cheese and bake until bubbling and brown on top, about 30 minutes.

A fall favorite of mine! Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner or on a regular night!

Cincinatti Skyline Chili

http://americanfood.about.com/od/classicchowdersandstews/r/cinnchili.htm

Britta's Key Lime Pie

Another recipe I'm posting as my own contribution. What can I say. I have not been all that inspired in the culinary arena of late. My friend Britta brought (ha ha Britta brought) this to our BBQ, and it was taste-ty!

Key Lime Pie

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (use only 1 1/2 cups in total)
• 1/2 c light sour cream
• 2/3 c lime juice from concentrate (in frozen juice section)
• 2 limes of grated zest

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice and lime zest really good. Then pour into graham cracker crust
3. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until you see tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface (could be less time). Let cool on counter than cool in refrigerator for at least 4-5 hrs before serving.

Michelle's Black Bean Salsa

I have to post this here so I don't lose it. I made it for Larry's b-day BBQ last weekend, and it was a huge hit!

Black Bean Salsa
2 cans black beans drained and rinsed (I used one).
1 package frozen corn (I used canned).
1/2 of a red onion chopped
2-4 Roma tomatoes diced
2- Avacados sliced
Fresh Cilantro chopped - 1/4 of the bunch
2-3 limes - squeeze out the juice
2-3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste. (I added chili, cumin, and garlic powders, but it's just as good without).

Rosemary Garlic Salmon a la Sam's Club

Tried this yesterday on "Sample Sunday" and it was delish! I didn't use the butter & used Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper instead. Of course I would serve it with brown rice or bulgur.

Rosemary is an unexpected herb with salmon that gives it a Mediterranean flair. Serve this with sautéed broccoli and nice Pinot Noir.
Serves 4
Preparation Time 5 minutes
Cooking Time 15 - 20 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Ingredients
1 ea Fresh Salmon Filets
2 oz Bertolli® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Tbs. Tones® Rosemary Garlic spice
Spice Island® Mediterranean Sea Salt (to taste)
Spice Island Black Peppercorns (to taste)
4 pats Butter
2 Tbs. Real Lemon®
Cooking Directions
Cut Salmon fillet into 4, 5oz portions. Generously coat Salmon with Rosemary Garlic Spice. Sprinkle fish with sea salt and black pepper (to desired taste).Add Olive Oil to a hot sauté pan. Sear Salmon for 3 min. on both sides.Reduce heat and cook for 8 min. turning frequently until Salmon reaches 155 degrees internal. After Cooking the fish top with a pat of butter and squeeze lemon over top, serve.
Wine Recommendations
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir