Yes, I'm still at it with the quinoa. I am determined to make it a regular part of my diet and so I continue to try various ways of serving it. I made this one for a concert in the park picnic and it was pretty good.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup peas
2/3 cup quinoa
2 tbsp olive oil, plus some
1 large leek, or 2 small, cleaned well and chopped
3 cloves very good garlic, minced
fresh herbs - any combo of thyme, rosemary, tarragon, basil, sage
salt and pepper
Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook the peas. They may take anywhere from 4 minutes if frozen to 10 if fresh. Remove the peas, set aside and reserve the water.
Measure the quinoa into a strainer and rinse well with cold water.
Measure out 2 cups of the reserved pea water, bring to a boil, then add the quinoa and reduce to low. cook 15 minutes or until tender. Fluff with a fork and then allow to sit for 15 minutes.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saute pan. Add the chopped and cleaned leeks and cook for 10 minutes or so until they are very tender and just stating to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, do not allow to burn.
In a large bowl combine the quinoa, peas, leek mixture, salt, pepper the herbs and toss. If dry, add a little more olive oil. Serve at room temp or chill until ready to use. Can be made ahead.
Seriously, I am in love with crostini. You can literally put anything on it and it is good. Beyond good. I've made it for years and I never get tired of it. But this year I thought I might try something new. Crostini with cherries? Sounds kind of odd right? Well, with the addition of the ricotta and lemon zest it all works.
Combine a cup of pitted and halved cherries with 1 tablespoon of honey or agave in a small saucepan just until the honey has melted. Turn it off and allow to sit and macerate for a good 10 to 15 minutes, or longer.
Brush 4 slices of rustic whole grain bread with olive oil and either toast in the oven or put on the grill. Toast until light brown and there is some crunch to the bread.
Mix about 1/2 cup fresh ricotta with the zest of one lemon and about a teaspoon of some very finely diced rosemary. Spread on the toast and top with the cherries.
Hum hum good! A sparkling glass of Proseco anyone?
I've developed several water recipes to help my clients consume enough water each day. Water can be very boring for many so try adding a few simple ingredients to jazz it up. You can make a different water each day, keep it in a pitcher in your frig, and you will likely drink more of it if it has a little flavor.
If you don't use this up right away make sure you put it in a screw top bottle so the mineral water does not go flat. You can make a double batch and have it for a day or two. You can also serve it at a party as a mock tail. Be sure to put it in a beautiful or interesting bottle. Having a few bottles of this on a bar for a party is a welcome treat. There are lots of people who do not drink alcohol these days so having something like this to offer guests is always appreciated.
Ingredients:
zest and juice of one lime
1 to 2 tsp finely minced ginger
One 25 ounce bottle Pellegrino mineral water
Use a micro-plane or garlic press to mince the ginger. Add everything together in a container and stir well, then pour into beautiful pitcher or bottle.
I like lots of ginger so I use closer to 2 tsp when I make it. If you are not that fond of ginger use less. Make it your own!
It's so refreshing!
Pasta is a popular dish in America. It is easy and quick to make and it is filling. Some people however, over do it on pasta, and eat entirely too much. Try having a small bowl of it and supplement the meal with a green salad. The white flour variety can cause a sharp increase in your glucose level so this might be something you want to consider changing. Moving to a whole grain pasta can be a simple step to improve your health. In addition, I have gluten sensitivity so I have to use alternative blends.
This is a perfect summer time meal as it requires little cooking, only the heating of the water for the pasta. Then you throw in all the ingredients, toss, and enjoy. This is also a good week night meal for busy people and kids love it.
This is a pasta made with brown rice flour that you can buy at Trader Joe's, Sprouts, or other health food stores. Ciliegine is the mozzarella that is sold in little 1 inch balls. Certainly if you can't find ciliegine you could use a larger shape and just cut it into 1/2 inch pieces.
I start by preparing all my ingredients. Mise en place is the term used in professional kitchens meaning literally "putting in place". Before you start cooking you get everything ready so that once the cooking process starts all your ingredients are prepared and ready to grab quickly.
Ingredients:
6 ounces pasta
8 ounces ciliegine
8 ounces organic grape or cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp fresh chopped basil
1 tbsp fresh chopped chives
Mise en place: Prepare all and put into individual bowls.
Slice the tomatoes in half.
Slice the ciliegine in half.
Chop the herbs.
Measure the oil and balsamic.
Line up your bowls next to the stove so they are ready.
In a large stockpot cook the pasta according to package directions.
When pasta is done, reserve about 1 half cup of the liquid, then drain the pasta quickly and return to the pan. Add all the ingredients and toss well. The cheese will just slightly begin to melt. If you need more moisture, which I usually do, I add some of the pasta water until I get it to the consistency I want. I would guess this would require anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Serves 2.
