Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Quinoa quinoa quinoa.

I’ll never forget the time my old roommate saw my bag of quinoa and asked, "What’s kweenoah?”

She’s so cute. I miss her! Hey, Jenna!

It’s pronounced keen-wah. And your body loves it. Quinoa is rich with nutrients and is one of the only grains that is considered a complete protein source. It’s gluten-free and a good source of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, and fiber. Don’t you want to eat it now? Oh, good, because I have a recipe ready for you. And it’s easy, to boot!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation:

1. Cook quinoa as instructed on package.
2. Meanwhile, slice zucchini into 1/2-inch rounds, then quarter them. Place them in a large bowl, then add tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper.
3. Once quinoa has finished cooking, fluff with a fork. Next, add the quinoa to the vegetable mixture and toss until evenly combined.
4. Drizzle with lemon juice and toss again. Top with feta and serve warm or chilled. Serves 4.

Using the Livestrong nutritional calculator, here are the stats:

Check out the fiber and protein content. You love it. That’s the key to staying full, my friends.

While you eat this, you can daydream just like I did…about this place.

From what part of the world is your favorite cuisine?

The Friday Five 6.7.12

1. What I’m Reading: I love this cookbook I picked up at the library. There so many good, healthy recipes that I may have to buy this.

2. What I’m Listening to: I cannot stop playing this. I probably listen to it at least 15 times a day.

BUT! The Skrillex remix is better. Some of you may want to plug your ears before pressing play.

3. What I’m Eating: I just found these new Fiber One bars at Publix: Strawberry PB&J and Chocolate. 110 calories and 5g of fiber. They taste really good too!

They also came out with a 90 calorie Chocolate Chip Cookie.

4. Recipes I’m Bookmarking:  Chickpea Kale Salad Flavored with Lemon and Garlic

5. GIFs I’m Loving:

WHEN I SEE A HOT GUY IN BROOKS BROTHERS:

WHEN I PRIORITIZE MY DAY

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Chickpea Zucchini Patties with Minted Yogurt Sauce / CSA Week 3

Check out the goods from Week 3 with Gruber Farm CSA. So much color!

Included in the box:

• Swiss chard
• collard greens
• sweet onions
• strawberries
• zucchini
• squash
• red potatoes

Onto the cooking. I know what you’re thinking. Another recipe with mint?

Yes. My one and only “child” is my new mint plant and I’m taking full advantage of it before I kill it. Minted everything. Somebody come over with some rum so we can make mojitos!

Chickpea Zucchini Patties with Minted Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (15.5-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 small zucchini, grated
• 1 small onion, grated
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 tsp.  salt
• 1 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice 
• 3 tbsp. fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Directions

1. For the patties: In a food processor, pulse chickpeas until very finely chopped. Place in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in panko crumbs, zucchini, onion, egg whites, and salt. Form into eight separate patties.

2. Warm a pan that has been coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sauté patties until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

3. For the sauce: In a small bowl, stir Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and mint until well mixed.

4. Serve patties warm. Top with yogurt sauce.

Calling all vegetarians! This recipe is for youuuuuuu. And when those crazies ask you if you’re getting protein, show them the stats on chickpeas and Greek yogurt. Bam.

I hope my CSA gives me more zucchini because I could eat this over and over. Joe came over for dinner and he called them my “love tarts.” That made me chuckle.

MAKE THESE!

What’s your favorite Spring vegetable? How do you cook with it?

Spicy Chickpea & Lentil Stew, Bridge Running

Earlier this month, I promised you guys more recipes on the blog. One major difference of the upcoming recipes is that they will be vegetarian! I’m excited to show you all that there are tons of vegetarian recipes that are both healthy and delicious. So, to the last person who asked me “What about protein?” – this ones for you.

Spicy Chickpea & Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp. garam masala
• 1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
• 2 (15 oz.) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups (1 can) vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dry green lentils
• 1 (6 oz.) container of plain, fat free Greek yogurt (I prefer Fage!)

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the onions. Add peppers, garlic, garam masala and cook until peppers begin to soften. Add everything except the yogurt, reduce heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes, or until chickpeas have softened. Add yogurt about 15 minutes and mix well before serving.

This stew is incredibly easy to make and packs in a ton of flavor…and protein! God bless a chickpea! The addition of the Greek yogurt gives this stew a creamier flavor but is still low in fact.

…

Before making the above recipe, I went for a bridge run for the first time in over a month. I missed this beautiful structure! I set out around 6 p.m. as the sun was setting.

I walked 1/2 of the incline to make sure my knee was okay, then ran the rest of the way over and down.

On my way back, it was so much darker!

Eeeerie! I started to wonder how safe it is to run the bridge alone in the dark. Can I shove mace in my sports bra? I could see that going terribly wrong for me…

Where is YOUR favorite place to run?

If you’re a vegetarian, what is the most common question you get asked?

If you have any questions for me, let me know!

Moroccan Bison Stew, Pyramid Work Out

When I left my house for boot camp last night, I was freezing. I even turned the heat on in my car just to steam myself up in preparation for an hour of exercise in 50 degree weather. As soon as Lisa told me our pyramid workout, I knew I wouldn’t be cold for very long.

Pyramid Work Out:

• 5 laps around the park, 50 squats, 50 alternating lunges, 50 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, 5o step-ups on the brick ledge
• 4 laps, 40 squats, 40 lunges, 40 push-ups, 40 sit-ups, 40 step-ups
• 3 laps, 30 squats, 30 lunges, 30 push-ups, 30 sit-ups, 30 step-ups
• 2 laps, 20 squats, 20 lunges, 20 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, 20 step-ups
• 1 laps, 10 squats, 10 lunges, 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups, 10 step-ups

And then we did abs. I wish I could tell you the exact work-out, but at that point my brain had shut off. Mary and I just laid in the grass giggling at each other trying to mask the excruciating pain our abs were in. Amanda, on the other hand, was a champion and successfully completed the whole ab work out.

After class, I ran over to Whole Foods (sike, I drove) to pick up ground lamb meat for a recipe I wanted to make. When they told me that they did indeed have ground lamb, I asked if it was lean. The grinder man replied, “Yep! It’s 85/15.” Um, excuse me? When did 85/15 become lean? I don’t think so drunky. I bought ground bison instead and felt a little better about not consuming an animal I find to be so precious.


Oooooh I almost ate that. Sorry.













So, the recipe went from Moroccan Lamb Stew to Moroccan Bison Stew. Just go with it.
Moroccan Bison Stew, adapted from Rachael Ray
Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 lb. ground bison
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• One 14.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• One 10-ounce box couscous

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, over medium-high heat, cook bison meat until browned. Transfer to a bowl; discard the fat in the pan. Add olive oil and the onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and 2/3 cup water to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat, stir in the sausage and parsley and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the couscous according to package directions. Serve the stew over the couscous.

The couscous is green because I used Near East’s basil & herb flavor. That’s some pretty amazing stuff on its own.
And even if it’s not the most attractive looking dish, it’s a powerhouse of nutrients. God bless a chick pea. Here are the nutritional stats:
This is what Rachael’s looks like:

And look who hates her:

BYE!

God Bless a Chick Pea

Oh, little ball of wonder, you are so good to me. Not you -- a chick pea. These cute little nude-colored balls are one of my favorite super foods. Nutty and buttery-flavored, chick peas are a versatile legume that packs a good amount of protein. Otherwise known as garbanzo beans, chick peas are a good source of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Fiber, my favorite topic of discussion, came up last night between my nursing student roommate and me. On Saturday, I bought a bottle of these fiber gummies I found at Target:

For 2 gummies you get 5 grams of fiber and these suckers are delicious. I told Diana I've been eating them like candy and she looked at me like I was wacky. I told her they weren't doing the trick but they tasted great. She asked me, "Well, are they soluble or insoluble fiber?" Excuse me, what? I heart fiber so much but I never pay attention to different kinds of fiber! Well, nursing student/genius pulled out her school books and we learned the difference:

• Soluble fiber: binds with fatty acids, attracts water and turns to a gel during digestion. Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol and regulates blood sugar. It is found in oats, oat bran, rice, quinoa, barley, beans, lentils, peas, oranges, apples, pears, berries, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, and celery.

• Insoluble fiber: helps the food pass more quickly. Insoluble fiber prevents constipation and therefore reduces your risk for colon cancer. It is found in wheat, wheat bran, green beans, onions, broccoli, cabbage, leafy greens, seeds, nuts, raisins, and grapes.

I grabbed my bottle of "candy" and checked out the nutrition label. A serving size is 5g of soluble fiber. Hear soluble - think SOLID. So I'm thinking I have like 25 gummy bears packed together in my intestines right now. LOVELY!

And if you're still reading, let's go back to the chick pea. The main reason why I love them is because lots and lots of chick peas = hummus! Hummus is essentially chick peas, olive oil, fresh garlic, tahini and lemon juice. Easy to devour on pita chips, and just as easy to make at home. 

I put the following ingredients in a food processor. I omitted tahini because I couldn't find it at Publix and was too hungry to go to Whole Foods.

• 1 15 oz can of chick peas, drained 
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt & pepper optional

 Process for about 5 minutes or until you achieve your desired consistency.

Make sure you make just as much of a mess as I did:

And store your hummus in a completely appropriate container:

 Making hummus is easy (chick) peasy!

Welcome to my life, fried eggs...and a curry dish!

Fried eggs are the new oats, IMO. I've only made scrambled eggs before, but today Brandon taught me how to make a fried egg. Don't laugh -- I had never tried it! They look gross...all raw and runny and ewww... Back in the winter he made me a sandwich that almost made me cry it was so tasty. It was a fried egg on whole wheat bread with spinach, goat cheese, and blueberry jelly. Odd combination? Yes. Delicious? YES. So master Brandon taught me how to make a fried egg -- so easy btw -- and we put it in an English muffin with a slice of ham and cheese. YUMMY!


Dinner was a simple chicken curry dish. We cooked chicken with garlic and set that aside. In a separate dish I mixed a can of lite coconut milk with 1 1/2 tbsp of red curry paste, 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce, lime juice, and basil leaves. After that warmed, we poured it over the chicken and added sliced red pepper, carrots, and peas, and lemon grass. It simmered for a few minutes, and then we poured it over jasmine rice. It was pretty good, but I thought the flavor was so one-dimensional. It needed more lemon grass or maybe even ginger. We ended up adding some sweet chile sauce for extra flavor.

Tossed Asian Delight

Hungry has met someone new... Tonight, Hungry Meets Healthy Asian! I'm Nikki, Christina and Brandon's very first guest-blogger... AND Christina's original cooking and baking partner! hahaha. We've had Asian night before, with sushi rolls, egg rolls, teriyaki chicken and veggies, and fried rice, but this salad takes it to a new level! Filling, flavorful, and fun! You will want to make this tasty, healthy, asian-infused chicken salad! "This salad is so healthy, but it's delightful!" -Christina Orso

It's quite simple, measure the following:

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

AND:

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

1/4 cup very thinly sliced onion

2 cups finely shredded napa cabbage

3/4 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

After all that measuring and chopping ingredients, we paused for a quick cheers because soon it would be time to eat!

Now mix the lime, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, black pepper, and onions into a small bowl. Then take the chicken, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro and mix into a large bowl. Here's a sneak peak at our technique:

Now you can pour the "dressing" atop the veggie mix and stir it all up.

It was our first time using napa cabbage, and it was fantastic. It has a nice crisp feel, and basically a hybrid between cabbage and romaine lettuce. After a quick 40 minute prep time, we were ready to eat... and as you can see here... Eating is serious business!

The salad is light and fresh. If desired it is great with some sweet chili sauce instead of the sugar. Brandon, sorry you missed out to watch the Tigers lose! :) The Gamecocks will dominate come Saturday! Enjoy this recipe and "Lettuce eat!" -Nicole Johnson

Spinach Salad with Peaches, Goat Cheese, & Walnuts...and Oatmeal Bread

This weekend was so busy, I only had time to make one thing. Friday we ordered Mustard Seed takeout and waited for B's friends to come in town. I had sesame crusted chicken with a raspberry soy sauce, sweet potatoes, and fresh veggies. He had the Pad Thai. It was delicious, as always, and I wish I took pictures for you guys. It wouldn't have been as pretty in takeout box though. We went out downtown and dragged ourselves out of bed the next morning to go to the beach. Later that night we all went to Brandon's Palmetto Society End of Summer Party. Then Sunday I finally got to make something!!

We made this salad before and I was obsessed with it. It came out just as good the second time. The dressing makes about 5-6 servings, so you can cut it in half. I wanted extra for the next day.

Ingredients:
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
5 tsp fresh lemon juice
5 tsp honey
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste (I only added pepper this time)
90z bag spinach leaves -- about 3 servings
Leftover Rotisserie chicken
1-2 peaches, sliced into bite-size chunks
Goat Cheese
Walnuts

Directions:
Mince the garlic, and whisk the next 7 ingredients together. Toss chicken and peaches over a bed of spinach. Sprinkle walnuts and crumbled goat cheese on top. Drizzle the dressing over all of it and enjoy!

You can't see his face, but we all know who the goat cheese addict is. Look at this mess! Guilty! As for his punishment (and my pleasure), I made him lick it all off! Wasn't much punishment for him though.



And now the bread...oh my stumpy little bread. I'd like to thank Erica from Itzy's Kitchen for posting this bread recipe! You can see hers here and laugh at mine below. I don't know what happened, but it looks like it didn't rise enough. I added flax seeds to my recipe and it tasted delicious. Half the stump was gone by the end of the night!



Hope everyone had a good weekend!