Posted 11 months ago

Eat Well, Live Well – Quinoa Risotto Primavera

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cauliflower florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems well-trimmed

1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot

2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

3 1/2 cups fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth, divided

1/3 cup thinly sliced baby carrots

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions:

  1. Place cauliflower in food processor. Pulse until cauliflower resembles crumbled feta, about 15-20 pulses; there should be 2 cups chopped cauliflower to set aside. Add leftovers to soup or salad.
  2. In heavy, wide, large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add shallots and cook until golden, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add quinoa and cook, stirring constantly, until grain makes constant crackling, popping sound, about 5 minutes. Carefully add 2 cups broth, standing back as it will spatter. Cover, reduce heat and simmer quinoa for 10 minutes.
  3. Add cauliflower, carrots and 1/2 cup hot broth and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add peas and enough broth to keep risotto soupy, about 1/4 cup. Cook 8-10 minutes, or until quinoa is al dente or to your taste and vegetables are tender-crisp, adding broth 1/4 cup at a time, as needed. Risotto is done when liquid is mostly absorbed and mixture is slightly wet, but not soupy. Off heat, stir in cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve. Leftover risotto keeps for 3 days, covered in refrigerator, and can be served at room temperature as a whole-grain salad.

Citrus Avocado Salad

Ingredients for the salad:

½ cup cucumber diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

2 small cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup red onion, chopped

1 bunch cilantro

2 cups spinach, thinly sliced

1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, no-salt-added or low-sodium (drained and rinsed)

1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa

2 medium avocados, diced

For the dressing:

Juice of 2 lemons

Zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Place all salad ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl.
  3. Drizzle dressing over salad mixture and gently toss ingredients together until dressing is incorporated throughout

Millet with Mushrooms and Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

1 cup millet

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

½ cup onion, diced

½ cup celery, diced

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons finely minced parsley

Reduced sodium vegetable broth (optional)

Directions

  1. Cook the millet according to package instructions, using vegetable broth instead of water for more flavor.
  2. A few minutes before the millet is done, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet.
  3. Add mushrooms, onion, celery, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms have released their liquid.
  4. Add cooked millet to vegetables in skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the millet seems too dry or too thick, use a little extra water or broth to thin the mixture.
  5. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and parsley and serve immediately.

Cauliflower Rice Paella with Shrimp

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 cup chopped red pepper

2 cups finely chopped kale

1 pinch saffron

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

4 cups cauliflower rice

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

¼ cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 300 F degrees.
  2. In a large oven-proof sauté pan over medium heat add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions, tomatoes, peppers and kale. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add saffron and smoked paprika and stir to combine.
  3. Add cauliflower rice and about ¼ cup water. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes, until cauliflower is tender.
  4. Smooth the top of the cauliflower and vegetables into an even layer. Place the shrimp on top of the rice and drizzle with remaining olive oil. 5. Transfer pan to oven and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and fully cooked. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

Tangy Sweet Potato and Cannellini Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium sweet potato, diced small

2 cups 1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

3 cups water

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans (or other white bean), drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons hot sauce or to taste (optional)

½ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup Greek yogurt salt to taste

Directions

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes and onion to the pot. Cook until onion becomes translucent, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin to the pot. Season with salt and stir to coat the spices.
  3. Add the water and diced tomatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook the soup for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
  4. Add the cannellini beans, lime juice, and hot sauce, if using. Season with salt and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the beans are warmed through.
  5. Portion the soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and a tablespoon of Greek yogurt.

Vegan Chocolate Raspberry Cakes

Ingredients:

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

½ cup Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup cane sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup melted coconut oil or grapeseed oil

½ cup silken tofu

1 cup unsweetened soy milk

12 ounces frozen raspberries (about 2½ cups)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line the base with parchment paper. 2. In a blender pulse together the oil, tofu, vanilla extract, and ¼ cup of soy milk until well combined. Gradually blend in the rest of the milk, a ¼ cup at a time. You will have a liquid the consistency of heavy cream.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk or sift together the whole-wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center, and using an electric mixer on medium speed, gradually add the tofu-soy milk mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides with a spatula to get all the liquid into the flour mixture. Beat until the batter is smooth and thick. With the spatula, fold in the raspberries.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 50 minutes. The cake should look extremely tender in the center but well-cooked on the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack