Southwestern Quinoa

I spent ALL day cooking yesterday.  I was going to my grandma's and, since she never makes it over to our neck of the woods for dinner, wanted to bring dinner to her.  On top of that I had made a whole batch of mini raw strawberry cheesecakes and key lime pies AND still had to pack for the week AND take all these pictures for the blog...needless to say, I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off :-) In the midst of all the chaos and commotion in the kitchen I nearly cut the tip of my thumb off.  As much as I LOVE cooking...I am relieved to just be sitting down today blogging.  Far away from any potentially hazardous sharp objects :-) This is the perfect accompaniment to my Walnut Crusted Salmon with Mango Mustard recipe.  It can be made ahead, which is always a plus, AND it tastes so fresh and summery.  I can imagine serving it with all sorts of meals...It would be epic with some Carne Asada tacos and plantains.

  

Ingredients:

- 1 c. quinoa

- 2 mangos (diced)

- 2 jalepenos (minced)

- 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)

- 1/2 c chopped cilantro

- 1/2 of a small red onion

- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn

- 15 oz can of black beans (rinsed and drained)

- Juice of 2 limes

- 2 T olive oil

- 2 garlic cloves (minced)

- 1/2 tsp ground cumin

- 1/2 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 tsp tumeric

- 1/2 tsp Sea salt to taste

- 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

- Cook quinoa according to package directions

- Combine ingredients through black beans in a large mixing bowl

- Whisk together remaining ingredients (lime juice through salt) and pour over quinoa mixture

- Stir well to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve

Walnut Crusted Salmon with Mango Mustard

Like I said before...I am not a fan of salmon, but I know how good it is for me so I have been experimenting with it.  I believe that you can learn to like anything if you just find the right way to prepare it.  Much to my fiance's dismay, I am still trying to prove that to him by slipping mushrooms and onions into his food lol.  
This is the perfect dish for entertaining the presentation is gorgeous, the taste is unreal, and, if you make the crumbs and sauce ahead of time, it only takes 20 min to have dinner ready and on the table.

Ingredients:
Crust:
- 2.5 oz raw walnuts
- 1.5 T Flax seeds
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Dash or 2 of salt free all purpose seasoning

Sauce:
- 1.5 T Apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 T Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 c mango

- 16 oz Salmon

Make Ahead:
I like to make my sauce and "breadcrumbs" ahead so the sauce can sit and the flavors can blend.  Plus it makes this dish one of the quickest and easiest dishes to prepare once those things are made.
- For the Crust: Place walnuts in a nutribullet, vitamix, or food processor and blend until they look like breadcrumbs.  Transfer to a bowl, add all other ingredients, cover and refrigerate until ready to use
- For the Sauce: Place all ingredients into a nutribullet/vitamix/food processor and blend well.  (Note: I am not sure if a food processor will give you the smoothest texture possible.  It may come out chunkier, but it will still taste AMAZING)

- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Place salmon skin side down on a dish.  Place half of sauce in a seperate bowl.  Use this bowl of sauce to brush/spread on salmon.
- Top with breadcrumbs and let sit for an hour in the refrigerator
- Spray lightly with Pam
- Cook for 20 min or until salmon flakes easily with a fork

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Chicken Alfredo has always been one of my favorite meals.  I remember when I was a kid and it was all I ate when we went out.  Then I grew up and realized exactly how unhealthy that creamy, cheesy, buttery, carb-filled goodness was and it was bye bye Chicken Alfredo hello bland salads...until now that is!
Not only is this so much healthier, but I would venture to say it is better tasting than 95% of the "real" Pasta Alfredo I have ever had! And I know my Alfredo people ;-)

Ingredients:
Sauce:
- 6 oz raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- Juice of 1 lemon
Pasta:
- 3 Zucchini
- 4 oz free range chicken
- Mrs. Dash Garlic and herb (or whatever you wish to season your chicken with)
- Steam Fresh frozen broccoli

Directions:
- Soak cashews for at least 3 hours (the longer the better)
- After your cashews have soaked place them in a high speed blender with lemon juice and 4 T of water.  Blend.  Add water a little at a time and blend to achieve desired consistency. Cover and place in fridge until ready to use.
- Season chicken with Mrs Dash, Himalayan sea salt, and pepper to taste
- Spray grill with Pam and preheat to high.  Once grill is preheated, reduce to medium and place chicken on grill.  Grill 5 min a side or until done.
- While chicken is cooking, Prepare zucchini noodles either in your spiralizer or by using a vegetable peeler to create thin fettuccine-like strips.
- Cook Steam Fresh broccoli according to package directions.
- Plate zucchini noodles, top with 1/4-1/3 of the cashew sauce.  Mix well.  Top with broccoli and grilled chicken strips. Mix well before eating so that the cashew goodness coats every bite.
- Top with Himalayan sea salt.  I'm generally not a salter but it makes a big difference in the flavor of this dish

Beef Stroganoff

Yesterday was my 3 year old niece's birthday party and man was it tempting to dig into that pizza and those cupcakes.  I had to keep reminding myself how much I would hate myself in the morning if I caved :-) Seeing all that cheesy goodness made me realize...I miss cheesy goodness.  I can say no to sweets, but bread and cheese are my weaknesses.  I knew, after smelling that pizza, I would have to find some way to get creative and satisfy my carb and cheese craving, and quick!

I pulled out my spiralizer and churned out some zucchini noodles, soaked my cashews, and came up with a dish that made me think..."I could do this forever!" 

I know it doesn't look very appealing, but man oh man was it DELICIOUS! I mean it was comment-after-every-bite-we-took good!!

Ingredients:

Cashew Cream:

- 6 oz raw cashews (soak in cold water for 3 hours)

- 1 cup of water

Pasta:

- 3 large Zucchini

- Lean grassfed ground beef

- Mushrooms (sliced)

- Onion (sliced into strips)

- Worcestershire sauce (4 dashes)

- 2 cloves garlic (minced)

- Himalayan sea salt and pepper (to taste)

- 1 T. Mrs Dash Garlic and Herb 

Directions:

- You can make cashew cream in advance and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.  Just place soaked nuts in blender with about 4 T of the water and blend adding more water until a sour cream-like consistency is acheived

- Peel your zucchini and spiralize.  Or, if you don't have a spiralizer, use your vegetable peeler to make fettuccine-type noodles 

- Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Spray with pam and add meat, brown

- Toss in your worchestershire, garlic, salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash

- Add onions and mushrooms and sautee until you begin seeing some nice crisp brown bits

- Divide zucchini among plates

- Top with Beef, mushroom, onion mixture and cashew cream.

- Stir well to coat everything in cashew cream

- Enjoy

My Muffin Tin Obsession

I have been a little obsessed with 

recipes involving muffin tins lately.  

 

I love them because they are perfect for portioning out your food.  Once you calculate the calories in one muffin tin serving there is no more counting or measuring involved.  The Bacon-Wrapped Egg Muffins I make, for example, have 120 calories each.  There are so many things you can make in a muffin tin.
They are perfect if you have to pack a lunch for school or work.  You can pop them out, refrigerate them, freeze them, toss them in you lunchbox, reheat them, and enjoy.
Check out my Pinterest page under "Muffin Tin Obsession" for more muffin tin ideas.  Some are healthy, some are not, but, if nothing else, it will give you a starting point to dream up some of your own muffin tin masterpieces.


Here are some quick muffin tin ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
(Comment and tell me any muffin tin ideas you have too ;-D )

1. Soups
2. Smoothies
3. Popsicles
4. Frittatas
5. Crab or Salmon Cakes
6. Lasagna
7. Meatloaf
8. Tacos
9. And of course cupcakes and muffins

Bacon-Wrapped Egg Muffins

These are my new most favorite things in the whole world! I have been making these every other day (only because there are 3 of us devouring them) otherwise these could easily last one person a week.  They are great fresh out of the oven, reheated, or cold :-) I eat them for breakfast, put them in my salads, you can toast and butter (lite butter of course) a lite english muffin and eat it like a samich.  Or maybe throw some lite mayo on 2 pieces of bread and make an egg sandwich....the possibilities for these little handheld wonders are endless, AND they travel well.  Cook up a batch of these and throw one in your lunch for work or school for a quick protein boost.

Ingredients:
- 12 slices center cut or turkey bacon
- 12 medium or large eggs
- 2% sharp cheddar (shredded)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400
Spray muffin tin with Pam
Cook bacon in microwave, but don't cook it too much as it will not be pliable
Immediately situate bacon around the circumference of each muffin tin
Crack eggs into the center
Sprinkle tops with cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Bake for 7-10 minutes depending on whether or not you like your yolk runny or solid