Strawberry Basil Quinoa Salad

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Delicious Quinoa Recipe

Quinoa is a flowering plant grown primarily for its edible seeds.  And it is one of the only plant-based foods that is a complete protein.  A complete protein has all nine amino acids that your body can’t produce. Most animal products are great sources of these amino acids, which makes them complete proteins. But as those following a plant-based diet know, it is very difficult to find foods containing these nine amino acids in the necessary amounts. 

But while quinoa is amazing, it also has an acquired taste that most people don’t like.  This recipe makes quinoa approachable to the average person.  So give it a try.  You won’t regret it.  Bon appétite!!

Strawberry Basil Quinoa Salad

The folks who promote California strawberries sponsored a national cook-off for kids and challenged them to come up with a quick creative recipe. A 12-year-old from Maryland took the prize for this grain salad, which the cook-off judge, a former MasterChef Junior winner himself, proclaimed easy, healthy and, of course most important, delicious.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 ½ cups quinoa
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice 
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 cups diced strawberries
  • ½ cup chopped fresh basil
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Step 1 Combine water, quinoa and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Step 2 Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice, oil, maple syrup, pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.

Step 3 Add the cooked quinoa, strawberries, basil and feta to the dressing; stir to combine.

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Farro & Arugula Salad

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Farro & Arugula salad

Ingredients (Salad):

  • 2 large handfuls of arugula 
  • 1/2 cup farro, cooked
  • 1/2 head asparagus, sliced on a diagonal 
  • 1 bunch grapes, figs (and)/or peaches
  • 2 handfuls fennel, shaved
  • 1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
  • And a handful of fresh herbs (chives, fennel fonds, mint, or as desired) 
  • 8-10 slices of fresh pecorino

Ingredients (Dressing):

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp reduced balsamic vinegar 
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard Salt & pepper, as desired
  • 1 tsp minced shallot, optional
  • Fresh herbs, as desired

Directions:

  1. To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a mason Seal and shake vigorously to emulsify the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
  2. Place farro in a stockpot and cover in about two inches of water. Add a dash of salt and bring to Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. Remove excess water and spread on a baking sheet to cool.
  3. Meanwhile, soak the shaved fennel in a bowl of water with juice from half a lemon, to ensure the fennel does not oxidize.
  4. Char the grapes over an open flame or on your grill, cooking for about 2-3 minutes on each side or just till browned. If using figs or peaches, slice the fruits in half before grilling.
  5. To prepare the asparagus, bring a small pot of water to Separately combine ice and water in a medium-sized bowl. Add sliced asparagus to boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, just till al dente. Drain immediately and dunk into the ice water. (This will ensure the asparagus maintains its bright and beautiful color)
  6. To assemble the salad, first toss the farro with 1-2 Tbsp of them, combine arugula, farro, grapes, herbs, and drained fennel and toss with dressing, salt and pepper.
  7. Plate and garnish with hazelnuts 

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Creamy Fennel Kale Chicken

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Creamy Fennel Kale Chicken | Courtesy of Being Brigid.

Jump to recipe

This dish has all the benefits of a healthy serving of daily greens wrapped up with the subtle flavors of fennel and leeks. Paired with the chicken for protein, this is a flavorful dish that comes together almost as quickly as any convenience food, and is sure to leave you feeling both nourished and satisfied.

Improved Cognitive Health

Kale is a healthy nutrient dense food that is a versatile and tasty addition to any meal. Like many leafy greens, is high in antioxidants, Vitamin K, calcium, and folate. Folate and calcium are important for normal bone health. Folate is one of several essential vitamins that plays an important role in DNA synthesis. It’s presence in your diet encourages healthy cell and tissue growth. Additionally, a recent study published in Neurology, showed that consumption of 1 serving per day of green leafy vegetables was associated with slower cognitive decline.

A Note on Fats

This recipe is baked at 400 F, so choosing the right oil is important. We use avocado oil because, in addition to having a beneficial fatty acid profile, can withstand high temperatures without oxidizing. Avocado oil also has a high smoke point (485F). We are concerned with the former, while culinary professionals are concerned with the latter. The point at which an oil smokes (and thus affects the flavor of the food) and the point at which it oxidizes when exposed to heat, can be very different. Smoke point is a metric that is easy to define. Put simply, it is the point at which an oil, when exposed to heat, begins to produce smoke. Oxidation can occur at much lower temperatures. When a fat is oxidized, it produces free radicals that can be toxic and disruptive to the body.

You may have heard of unsaturated and saturated fats. This classification refers to the number of hydrogen molecules attached to a fatty acid. Saturated fats are fully saturated with hydrogen molecules, whereas, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats have several hydrogen molecules “missing”. The more hydrogen molecules the fatty acid lacks, the more unstable it is, and the more susceptible it is to oxidation. Most oils are a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, so the fatty acid profile is what we need to decipher in order to determine the suitability of a particular oils for cooking.

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 medium leeks, thinly sliced 
  • 2 medium fennel, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil  
  • 1/4 tsp himalayan salt 
  • Dash black pepper
  • 5 cups curly kale, chopped
  • 1 lb organic chicken breast cutlets, skinless
  • 1/2 cup organic chicken broth, low sodium 
  • 1/4 cup almond yogurt, unsweetened
  • 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 
  2. On a baking sheet, place prepared fennel and leeks. 
  3. Toss vegetables with 2 tbsp avocado oil, hHimalayan salt and dash black pepper. 
  4. In a separate bowl, massage kale with 1 tbsp avocado oil, dash of salt and pepper and set the kale aside. 
  5. Bake fennel and leeks for 40 minutes and add kale to the baking sheet for the last 10-12 minutes of baking. 
  6. Heat 1 tbsp avocado oil in a large pan, over medium heat. 
  7. Add chicken and sauté until lightly cooked, about 3-4 minutes per side. 
  8. In a small bowl, mix almond yogurt, chicken broth and mustard and pour on top of chicken.
  9. Add the roasted vegetables to pan and continue to heat for 3 minutes. 

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Vegan Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pasta

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Vegan Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pasta | By Chef Amanda DeLaura 

Veggies, veggies, veggies! 

I made this recipe with lentil flour pasta and it was delicious!

1) be sure to remove the stems and buds from your basil. This will ensure you do not make a bitter pesto. 

2) if you use frozen peas, place them in your strainer before draining your pasta. Drain your pasta over the peas and the boiling water will quickly bring the peas to room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients: 

  • 12 oz Jovial’s Brown Rice Fussili 1 batch pesto
  • 1 zucchini, sliced 1/8” thick on diagonal
  • 1 yellow squash, sliced 1/8” thick on diagonal
  • 1 head brocollini, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 1/2 cup petite peas, thawed
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 1 Tbsp minced parsley 

Pumpkin Seed Pesto: 

  • 3 oz basil, rinsed & dried
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • 2 small cloves garlic mara-labs.com 

Directions: 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the pesto and process in a food processor (or vitamix) until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the processor 1 or 2 times. 
  2. Once pasta water has boiled, add 1/2 teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the pasta and cook according to packaging, about 12 minutes. Drain pasta through a strainer and return the pot to the stove, leaving the pasta in the strainer.

  3. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to the pot (and/or clarified ghee, if desired) and add sliced zucchini and squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook until browned and tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add broccolini and continue to cook for one minute. Turn off heat and add the pasta, peas, pesto and cherry tomatoes. Toss and then add chili flakes and parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper, as desired

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