Mushroom Quinoa {Gluten-Free}

This mushroom quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) makes a great side dish and pairs really well with chicken or turkey!  It has more protein than other grains and is a good source of fiber. Click over to type2diabetes.com to see my recipe. Enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Mushroom and Kale Quinoa with Chicken {Gluten Free}

Who doesn't love a simple supper?  This is an easy and delicious one pot meal for dinner tonight. Have you tried quinoa yet?  Quinoa is a nutritious, protein packed, gluten-free grain that we love and it's a great addition to this dish. You could also try millet or even a pasta such as couscous if you prefer.  Kale is a great fall veggie that really stands up well and offers a healthy punch of vitamins and minerals. I used Lacinato Kale also known as "dinosaur" kale, which is a fitting name as it looks a bit prehistoric.  Swiss Chard or spinach would be yummy also, just reduce the cook time a bit.  Go ahead, try a few new ingredients for dinner tonight. Enjoy!

Recipe: (serves 4)
Ingredients:
olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or about 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
salt and pepper
8 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 slice bacon, chopped (optional)
1 cup uncooked quinoa
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or you can use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or Italian Seasoning
1 bunch Lacinato Kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped (after washing kale try holding the stem end in one hand and running your fingers down the stalk removing the leaves from the stem as you go, this is a bit faster than trying the cut the stems out)

Directions:
1. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper cook, turning occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes until they have some nice color on them. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat and to the same pan add the mushrooms and garlic and an additional drizzle of olive oil, saute 2-3 minutes. Add the bacon and continue sauteing until bacon is cooked and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add dry quinoa to the pan to lightly toast for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add lemon juice, chicken broth, herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces back to the pan, placing them down into the quinoa, bring to a gentle boil. Cover pan and reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked through to an internal temperature of 165'F.
4. Add in the chopped kale with stems removed, stir gently. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes until the kale is tender. Serve hot and enjoy! ...click here for the recipe!

Quinoa Soup with Beef

This is a hearty meat and potato soup with quinoa for something different. It's simmered a long time over low heat to get the meat really tender. You can add any vegetables you like. Be sure to season this as you go and try adding some jalapeños if you like your soup spicy, enjoy!

Recipe: (Serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoons paprika
3/4 - 1 pound beef tenderloin, cubed into small bite size pieces
4 cups Organic Beef Broth
3 cups water
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (I used 1/2 yellow and 1/2 red)
8 small Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
2 cups cooked quinoa (prepared per package instructions)
2 cups fresh or frozen green peas (or you favorite vegetable, diced)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
avocado for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add scallions and garlic and sauté until tender 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin and paprika, cook ~1 minute until spices are fragrant. Lightly salt and pepper the meat and add to the pot, brown slightly on all sides no more than 2 minutes.

2. Add broth, water, carrots, celery, bell pepper and a dash of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low about 1 1/2 hours, until meat is tender.*

3. Add potatoes, cooked quinoa, peas, garlic powder, a dash of salt and pepper and simmer another 30 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and sliced avocado.

*This soup can be made in advance the night before; prepare it through step 2, cover and refrigerate.  On the day you are planning to serve it, warm soup on stove top, add potatoes, cooked quinoa and peas and cook as per step 3 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and potatoes are cooked. ...click here for the recipe!

Quinoa Stir-Fry

I chuckled alittle to myself when I heard a lady ask the clerk in Trader Joe's, "could you help me find the 'quinn-oh-ah'?".  Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is a tasty grain that has more protein than most other grains but is somewhat unknown.   Good for her for trying someting new!  You can often find it in the bulk bins of most markets.  It has a delicate flavor similar to rice or couscous.  You can use it in soups, salads, breads or even as a breakfast cereal.  This stir-fry was delicious and I couldn't help but smile as our 3 year old shouted, "this stuff is really delicious Mom".  Add whatever vegetables you like, I hope you give it a try.  Enjoy!

Recipe: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 cup Organic Quinoa
2 cups Low-Sodium chicken broth
1-1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless, chicken breast tenders
olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
4 oz Crimini mushrooms, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil, julienned, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Place 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of chicken broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until all broth is absorbed about 10-15 minutes.  When done, the grain will appear soft and translucent, and the germ ring will be visible along the outside edge.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, season the chicken tenders lightly on both sides with salt and pepper, grill on a grill pan or flat skillet over medium-high heat about 3-4 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 165'F.  Set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots and mushrooms, saute for 5-7 minutes.  Dice the chicken tenders into one-inch pieces.  Add the chicken, minced garlic and Italian Seasoning to the vegetables in the pan and reduce the heat to low, saute another 2-3 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the quinoa, stir to combine; garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil. *substitute vegetable broth and omit the chicken to make this dish vegetarian.
Recipe adapted from Trader Joe's Organic Quinoa box recipe ...click here for the recipe!

Beef and Barley Soup

Look at us branching out again, this time with beef. This is a hearty stand alone soup that is perfect for a winter dinner. Start out with an inexpensive cut of meat and by slow cooking it you end up with a deliciously rich soup filled with tender bites of beef. Plan ahead for this dinner as it needs about an hour to simmer and develop all the flavors. We actually made this a day ahead for dinner tonight, just popped it out of the fridge, reheated on the stove and voilà, dinner is ready.

Recipe: (serves 6)
Ingredients:
olive oil
1/2 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, diced
10 ounces crimini mushrooms
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced, plus one stalk for the chef to munch on while cooking
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low-sodium Organic Beef broth
one 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with their juices
1/2 cup pearled barley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)

Directions:
1. Season meat lightly with salt and pepper and add to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides, just about 2-3 minutes, be careful not to overcook it, remove from pot and set aside.

2. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pot. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until soft and the onions are translucent, ~ 5 minutes. Add the other vegetables and garlic stirring occasionally, cook another 5 minutes. Add the beef broth, tomatoes, browned meat, barley and thyme and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer about 45-50 minutes until the meat is tender and the barley is cooked through. Taste stew and season with salt and pepper if needed. ...click here for the recipe!