BROCCOLI QUINOA SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

This one definitely goes into the Hall of Fame of our salads, we loved everything about it, from texture to the mixture of flavors, all working together like a perfect symphony… I adapted it from a version in this brand new cookbook, which I highly recommend if you like to expand the horizons on your enjoyment of all things salad.

BROCCOLI QUINOA SALAD
(inspired by Tanya Sichynsky’s Veg)

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Calamansi vinegar (or substitute apple cider vinegar)
1 small head broccoli
1 green, tart apple
1/3 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup dried cranberries
feta cheese crumbled, amount to taste
salt and black pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat and season with salt. Add the quinoa, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until plump and tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a fine-mesh sieve, rinse with cool water and drain well. While the quinoa cooks, finely grate the zest of the lemon into a large bowl, then cut the lemon in half. Add the oil, mustard, honey and vinegar, plus the juice of ½ lemon and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finely chop the entire head of broccoli and add to the dressing. Chop the apple and then add to the bowl. Keep them in the fridge or room temperature for 10 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa, feta cheese, nuts and cranberries and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. A final squirt of lemon juice is always nice…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

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Comments: I don’t mind raw broccoli (although I despise a platter of crudités with intense passion), but I do not love it. Normally I would not even try this recipe but the author included a review from a person who made it and I was too tempted. Glad I made it, I am now a lover of raw broccoli, as long as it’s cut super small and allowed to sit in the acidic dressing for a little while. The addition of quinoa makes it hearty and pretty much a full meal if you want to go vegetarian. We had it with grilled chicken thighs, and my lunch next day was a bowl of this salad, warmed briefly in the microwave. Not a salad anymore, I suppose, but still wonderful… I do hope you try this recipe and also take a look at the cookbook.

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7Feb2023

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH CHICKPEAS AND QUINOA

Posted in Rice and Grains, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

This goes to the OMG FILES – if I had one, that is… Great recipe brought to my attention by my friend Eha. You can find the original jumping here. I modified it quite a bit, turning it from salad into warm side dish, as at the present time we endure temperatures that have the potential to make Brazilians weep.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH CHICKPEAS AND QUINOA
(slightly modified from Cook Republic)

for the roasted component:
1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, cut in florets
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 – 3 tbsps olive oil
½ tsp salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 can of chickpeas, drained and well-rinsed

for the dressing:
2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsps olive oil

to assemble the dish:
1 cup cooked quinoa, still warm
handful of raisins
handful of sliced almonds
fresh parsley, chopped, amount to taste

Heat oven to 400F. . Line a large, rimmed baking tray with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Mix cauliflower florets, smoked paprika, ground cumin, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread cauliflower on the prepared tray and roast in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes until golden and tender. Add the drained chickpeas, a little more olive oil and roast everything together for 5 to 10 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Prepare the dressing by mixing balsamic vinegar, grain mustard, lemon juice and zest and olive oil in a small bowl. Mix well.
To assemble the salad, add warm quinoa quinoa to a large bowl. Add spring onion, raisins, toasted almond flakes and roasted cauliflower. Top with parsley and salad dressing. Mix well to ensure the dressing coats everything evenly. Serve with your main dish of choice.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Amazing combination of flavors and textures, I do think it is much better warm than it would be cold, but as I always say, your kitchen, your rules. Make it as a salad if you prefer, or if perhaps you are living the height of the summer right now. The balsamic vinegar is quite prominent so I advise you to choose a brand you love. The original recipe called for grainy mustard, which I did not have, so I went with regular, smooth mustard. Everything worked great, from the raisins to the almonds, and leftovers were delicious two days later. This one is a keeper all the way, and we will be enjoying it regularly. Thank you, Eha!

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9Aug2021

RED QUINOA “TABBOULEH”

Posted in Rice and Grains, Salads, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Another great recipe that the editors of the New York Times raved about. I ate leftovers for two days, with a slightly bigger smile on the last time. It gets better and better. I adore colorful food. And clothes. And earrings.

RED QUINOA “TABBOULEH”
(slightly modified from The New York Times)

1 cup red quinoa (or a mixture of colors)
3 cups wate
Salt to taste
½ cup fresh lemon juice½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup finely diced cucumber
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut in small dice

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, and combine with the water and salt to taste in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes until the quinoa displays a little white spiral. Drain through a strainer, tap to remove excess water, then return the quinoa to the pot. Place a dish towel over the top of the pot, and return the lid. Let sit for 15 minutes. This gives the quinoa a perfect texture.

Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Mix together the lemon juice, salt to taste and cumin, and toss half of it with the quinoa. Allow the quinoa to cool. Combine the remaining lemon juice and olive oil, and toss with the cooled quinoa. Add the remaining ingredients, and toss together. Taste and adjust seasoning.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: We enjoyed it with grilled chicken breasts, for a very simple but delicious dinner. It became my lunch for the following two days, on the second time I added a sunny-side egg on top. Heaven. I hope purists will forgive the tabbouleh label in the recipe, but I was not the one who started. The New York Times was the first sinner. I just went along with it, but added the quotation marks to protect my reputation as a food blogger. At any rate, tabbouleh or not, make this recipe. It is super refreshing and satisfying.

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31Jul2015

QUINOA SALAD WITH RED GRAPES AND AVOCADO

Posted in Rice and Grains, Salads by sallybr

This salad was based on a recipe by Katie Lee featured on the FoodTV show The Kitchen. It was originally made with green grapes, avocados, cucumbers, and a lime dressing. Obviously, the idea was to have a sort of monochromatic green salad with bright and sharp flavors. I changed things around by using red grapes instead. Red grapes are quite a bit sweeter, and added a contrast of color I found particularly pleasing. But, let me tell you, no matter what you decide to add to your quinoa salad, please try the cooking method I describe after the recipe. It is nothing short of life-changing. Yeah, you read me correctly. Life-changing. For better.

QUINOA SALAD WITH RED GRAPES AND AVOCADO
(adapted from Food TV Network)

(as written, it makes a lot of salad, I more or less halved this recipe, eyeballing most ingredients. I kept the amount of dressing unchanged)

Zest and juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
4 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
2 cups green grapes, halved
1 1/2 cups diced cucumbers
fresh parsley, roughly chopped (or fresh cilantro)
1 avocado, diced

In a large bowl, whisk together lime zest, lime juice and olive oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Toss the quinoa, grapes, cucumbers, parsley, and avocados together with the dressing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Now, take a moment to look at the beauty of this perfectly cooked quinoa.

It is really too bad you cannot taste it through the screen, because the texture turned out sublime. The secret? Cooking the seeds in less water than most recipes recommend, and simmering them for only 6 minutes. I cannot take credit for it, so here is the link to Elaine’s blog, where I found it.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And here is what I did…

For each cup of quinoa, add 1 + 1/3 cup lightly salted water

Bring to a boil in a saucepan…

Reduce heat, simmer for exactly 6 minutes. That is 360 seconds. Do not open the pan. DO NOT. (I will slap your hand if you try to open it… )

Turn the heat off. Wait 20 minutes with the pan covered. DO NOT PEEK. DO NOT.

Open the pan (finally!), be mesmerized, amazed, awed by the beauty of the perfectly cooked quinoa, fluff the seeds gently with a fork and use them in any preparation you like.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For the salad, I simply allowed the cooked quinoa to cool to room temperature, and added all the ingredients plus the simple dressing. The salad keeps well in the fridge for several days and is a great option for a light lunch, if you so desire. Another tip I’d like to share with you: make sure the avocado has a firm texture and only add the pieces when you are about to serve the quinoa. I did not care for the mushy texture of overly ripe avocados I used the first time I made this dish. On my second time around, I also added sliced celery. Turned out delicious, very refreshing. But, you know by now how much we love our celery…

Elaine, thanks so much for sharing your method for perfectly cooked quinoa!
I won’t be cooking it any other way from now on…
My life is changed. For better.

🙂

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22Jun2014

SECRET RECIPE CLUB: QUINOA FRIED RICE

Posted in Rice and Grains, Secret Recipe Club, Side dishes by sallybr

Did you miss my Bewitching party? Click here to enter the giveaway…

The month of June brought with it a ton of activities. School is out, so a lot more work in the lab, my blog turned 5 years old, and the World Cup of Indescribable Ordeal is on. I used to root for one country only, but now two teams make me shout expletives at referees and goal keepers, as well as scream instructions to the players, fuming like a mad woman because they simply do not listen. But, let’s leave soccer behind and concentrate on things that don’t have the potential to induce a fatal coronary. Like Reveal Day of The Secret Recipe Club, always a pleasure, always something I look forward to. This month I got one of the most entertaining food blogs ever! Starting with its name, 84th and 3rd. Here’s what JJ, an American living in Sydney has to say about it:

84th & 3rd is an ordinary corner, not particularly remarkable, in the most remarkable city in the world. But it was only meters from that corner that a seed was planted, a dream of doing something that she loves and being able to share it with others. 84thand3rd.com is that something.

She divulges just enough to perk my curiosity, and make me want to be there right now. In fact, Australia is one place I long to visit, and hope that one day our adventures will take us there. When I got my assignment, I thought about taking a quick look at the site, but instead I literally had to drag myself away from the computer, because I could not stop reading. Just to give you a small taste of her writing style, here’s a paragraph from one of her posts, in which she talks about her partner…

.… When I met RJ he used to eat at least 4 slices of white bread a day. Not necessarily as part of a meal mind you, but just because. Toast for breakfast, toast before dinner [no matter what or when dinner was], bread with dinner. Sliced, white, from a plastic bag, every time. It appalled me just a bit – as did putting ketchup/tomato sauce on beef stew but we’ll save that one for later… *waves at RJ* hi mate, yes, I’m talking about you again –

Isn’t she a hoot? She also describes herself as someone who “Practices yoga to stay calm[ish], runs to stay sane[ish], and does both to eat cake”… I must say I detect some similarities here, although I would substitute bread for cake. 😉 So, after spending a lot of time amusing myself with her stories and recipes, I assembled a list of possibilities for this month’s assignment. Here they are: Mushroom-quinoa meatballs with Rustic Pasta Sauce, Strawberry Cucumber Coconut-water Slushy, Rocket Parsley Pepita Pesto, Spiced Pear & Red Wine Chocolate Cake, Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde, and this chocolate tarte that I swear I am making before the month of July is over. Yeah, public commitment, you guys and girls better be ready for it… But now it’s time to reveal the recipe that crossed the finish line of this month’s culinary marathon…

QUINOA FRIED RICE
(slightly modified from 84th & 3rd)

2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled (I used red quinoa)
a little olive oil
4 slices ginger, sliced into thin strips
1 small Serrano chili, finely diced
1 bunch of cilantro leaves, minced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
large handful green beans, cut into small lengths
2 medium zucchini, diced
3 scallions ,white and light green part only, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil

Add a small splash of olive oil to the hot pan. Fry ginger and garlic for 30 sec stirring constantly, add chili and cilantro and fry for a further 30 sec.

Add bell pepper and beans, toss or stir for a couple of minutes. Add zucchini and green onions and toss for a couple of minutes more.

Push veggies to edges to make a hole in the center. Drizzle in 2 tsp sesame oil, wait for it to heat up and dump in quinoa. Stir in center of pan for 30 seconds then toss with veggies to mix everything together.

Drizzle in tamari and toss to combine. Serve with extra scallions, and cilantro.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was absolutely delicious! As you can read on her original post, this is the type of recipe you can use to clean up your fridge of all those veggies that wave at you when you open it, begging for attention. It is also a perfect use for leftover quinoa, although I cooked some earlier in the day just to have this side dish as our dinner. Asparagus would work great, but really any veggie could work, even chunks of roasted butternut squash, or eggplant. Just keep the soy, the sesame oil at the end, and don’t leave out the fresh ginger.

I close this post with another excerpt from JJ, which expresses exactly how I feel about blogging.

“Blogging is an interesting beast. It is a person sitting in front of a computer expressing things in pictures and words, terribly solitary from the outside peering in… or so you’d think. But when you look a bit closer you realise that many of those people sitting at their computers have formed little communities. Sometimes online, sometimes in person, generally with people they never would have met otherwise, and it really doesn’t matter how the community works or where it came from but simply that it is there.”
(JJ, from 84th & 3rd)

That’s it, folks. Could not have said it better! JJ, it was great to receive your blog as my assignment this month, I will be following you from now on, looking forward to your adventures! As usual, if you want to check what my fellow secret bloggers cooked up this month, poke the frog below. She is cute and loves attention…

ONE YEAR AGO: Carrot Flan with Greens and Lemon Vinaigrette
TWO YEARS AGO: The Secret Recipe Club: Granola Bars
THREE YEARS AGO: Awesome Broccolini
FOUR YEARS AGO: A Twist on Pesto
FIVE YEARS AGO: Ciabatta: Judging a bread by its holes