Quinoa Caprese Salad

This recipe turned out so yummy and easy. It is based on the idea of a classic Italian Caprese with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Quinoa Caprese Salad

2 cups dry quinoa, rinsed well
6 cups water
2-3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (grape tomatoes cut in half would also be yummy)
approx 1 cup of 1/2 inch mozzarella cubes
approx 3-4 tbsp chopped fresh basil (2-3 tbsp of dried will work if you don't have fresh)
2 cups fresh flat leaf spinach, finely chopped
approx 3/4 c balsamic vinegar
approx 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 large cloves fresh garlic, pressed or micrograted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place quinoa and water in rice cooker and let cook or follow package directions on stove top.
Let quinoa cool before mixing in other ingredients.
Once quinoa is mostly cooled, add all other ingredients and mix well- be gentle so as not to damage your tomatoes. Serve chilled.
Enjoy!

Marvelous Taco Salad

I've done a few different taco salad blends, but this one took the prize!

Marvelous Taco Salad

2-3 ripe avocados, diced
3 roma tomatoes seeded and diced
approx 1/4-1/2 cup diced onion (I mixed yellow and red.)
1/4 red pepper, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
approx 3/4- 1 cup corn kernels
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3-4 tbsp lemon or lime juice
sea salt to taste

Flour tortillas
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

Fresh flat leaf or baby spinach
romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
baby carrots, chopped
broccoli, chopped into small pieces
shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

In a large bowl, combine first 9 ingredients. Stir well.

In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. One at a time, brown tortillas in olive oil on both sides until golden and crisp.

Build taco salads per plate starting with crisped tortilla, spinach and lettuce, broccoli, carrots, avocado mixture and top with a sprinkling of cheese.
Delicious!!

My kids liked a little natural ranch on top. It think the avocado mixture does a beautiful job doubling as a dressing!

Enjoy!

Sweet Simmered Black Beans and Green Chile Brown Rice

I love restaurants like Cafe Rio, Bajio, Costa Vida, etc. Before I cut back on the meat and basically became a pescatarian, I had perfected a marvelous sweet pork/chicken recipe for salads, tacos and burritos. These beans serve as a substitute for the shredded meat. I don't miss it too much. The rice compliments them beautifully. I used the rice in the burritos or salad with the beans.
They can be used in burritos, salads, tacos, or served on their own.

Sweet Simmered Black Beans

1 can diced tomatoes
1 can petite diced tomatoes (you can just do two cans of whichever tomatoes you have)
1/2 large sweet onion
4-5 cloves garlic
juice of 1-2 limes
3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
approx 1/3-1/2 cup agave
approx 3 tsp sea salt
approx 1/2 tsp ground cumin
approx 1/2- 1 tsp chili powder
(optional) 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels

Place 1 can of diced tomatoes including juice in food processor or blender with onion, garlic, salt and lime juice.
In medium pot, saucepan or crockpot, combine tomato mix, can of petite diced tomatoes, beans and remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer and cook on low heat at least until warm, stirring occasionally (if on stovetop), or for at least 1-2 hours (if in crockpot). The longer it simmers, the better- the flavors will combine and the beans will soak them in.


Green Chile Brown Rice

2 cups brown rice
3 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans mild green chiles
2-3 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/3 cup agave


Place all ingredient in rice cooker and follow cooker instructions. Fluff with fork.

Combine beans and rice together in whole wheat tortilla for healthy, yummy burritos served with colorful salad.

For an amazing salad:
Crisp up tortilla in a little olive oil in a skillet, then place on plate, layer rice, beans, salad greens and colorful veg mix, top with favorite dressing (I like lighthouse ranch) or salsa and enjoy!

An Old Fave- Quinoa Salad

Cold or warm, this one's a winner.

Cook up about 2 cups of quinoa (I do it in the rice cooker). Cook it just as you would rice- at a 3:1 water to grain ratio (so 6 cups of water, two cups of quinoa).

While it is cooking, start chopping some veg!
This is another one of those 'whatever you've got' recipes.

My favorites:
black beans
broccoli
tomatoes, seeded and chopped
cucumber, seeded and chopped
mushrooms
red/purple onion
frozen or fresh corn kernels
chopped flat leaf or baby spinach
red peppers
yellow peppers
chopped or shredded carrots
sliced black olives
artichoke hearts

Chop everything pretty finely and place in a large bowl or tupperware (with a lid is good but not mandatory). Add the cooked, warm quinoa to the bowl and mix well. Add 1/2 to 1 whole bottle of Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian Dressing. (Or your favorite Italian type dressing. I have also done this with olive oil, balsamic, white vinegar, agave, garlic powder and sea salt.)
Mix everything together and let sit for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers.


I like this one better cold after it's had at least an hour to soak. SOOOO good!!