Vegan

Tropical Chopped Salad with Mango, Pineapple, and Coconut

February 18, 2013 by Erica

It’s that time of year again… the time when we’re still in the depths of winter, and I start dreaming of the beach.

The mountains are beautiful in the winter, the skiing is great, the food is hearty, blah blah blah. It’s cold and I need a vacation.

This weekend, in an attempt to find the warm weather, Nate and I drove down to Zion National Park for some sun and hiking. Hopefully I’ll have a post with pictures for you later in the week! But I don’t even have a long weekend, so this morning I’m back at work, chugging away. A little weekend getaway to southern Utah was lovely, but something longer and more tropical would be right up my alley at the moment.

Enter this tropical salad. I went to the store and bought everything I could find that was delicious, in season, and from a warm location (sorry, sustainability), chopped it up, and put it in a bowl. Then I ate it and fantasized that I was sipping a pina colada on a beach, rather than eating salad out of a Tupperware in my office break room. It was so delicious that it almost worked.

This salad is just what you need at this time of year. Pineapple, mango, coconut, macadamia nuts, avocado? Yes yes yes! I enjoyed mine drizzled with olive oil and a few squeezes of lime, which I would recommend. You could also use your favorite dressing here!

Now to plan my summer beach vacation. Only 5 1/2 more months…

Tropical Chopped Salad with Mango, Pineapple, and Coconut

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the salad:
½ cup uncooked quinoa
4-5 cups shredded red leaf or romaine lettuce
1 mango, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped pineapple (about ¼ large pineapple)
1 cup finely chopped jicama
1 avocado, finely chopped
½ cup roasted unsalted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
½ cup flaked coconut, toasted
2-3 green onions, sliced

For dressing:
drizzle of olive oil
squeeze of lime juice
(or your favorite dressing)

Instructions:

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Add to a large bowl with all other salad ingredients. Toss and serve. Drizzle each serving with olive oil and lime juice.

Time:

30 minutes

Coconut Quinoa Banana Bread (Vegan)

February 15, 2013 by Erica

What’s that you say? Quinoa in my banana bread?

I know, it sounds weird.

Actually, I had never heard of quinoa banana bread until a funny thing started happening recently. Remember those funny search terms I posted about earlier in the week? Well, this was one of those! I began noticing that people searching for ‘vegan quinoa banana bread’ were landing on my vegan but non-quinoa banana bread recipe. Whatttt.

Being a search engine marketer, I understand why this is happening. I have a vegan banana bread recipe, and my blog name contains ‘quinoa,’ so Google thinks my site might be relevant. But of course, I don’t have what these people are looking for! And I decided that was wrong of me… even if I’ve never heard of quinoa banana bread. My blog does have quinoa in the title, after all, so I should probably incorporate it into a few more recipes :) Also, I was pretty curious to see how this might turn out! So I ran to the kitchen and whipped up this vegan coconut quinoa banana bread.

Last week, when I posted a beet cake, I told you right up front that you can taste the beets. That was my way of building credibility so that when I say you can’t taste the quinoa in this banana bread, you’ll believe me. Smart, right? But seriously! This banana bread has some great texture from the oats, shredded coconut, and quinoa, but it doesn’t have any odd quinoa flavor, which I personally feel (despite my love of quinoa) would be unwelcome in my banana bread.

This is one dense and chewy banana bread, so be prepared. I love the nutty oats and shredded coconut in here, and the quinoa adds the chewy texture that I would usually add nuts and raisins to get. My favorite way to enjoy it is heated up and spread with coconut butter. Thank you, Google searchers of quinoa banana bread – you’ve turned me on to something great!

In my hunt for the perfect quinoa banana bread recipe, I did come across several that are made with quinoa flour or quinoa flakes. I haven’t tried one of those, because I had quinoa on hand, and was too lazy to go to the store just to buy an obscure ingredient. The Kitchn just posted an ingredient spotlight on quinoa flakes, so I’m curious. Have you ever made anything (especially banana bread) with quinoa flour or flakes? Next time I’m at Whole Foods, I may have to pick some up and develop a different banana bread recipe using one of those!

For now, enjoy this banana bread with coconut and whole quinoa grains. And have a great weekend!

4.7 from 7 reviews

Coconut Quinoa Banana Bread (Vegan)

Hands-on time

25 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

This dense banana bread is flecked with nutty oats and shredded coconut for texture. Cooked quinoa adds chewiness and whole grains. Enjoy it heated up and spread with coconut butter!

Author: Erica

Yields: 1 loaf (about 12 slices)

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (about 1 1/2 cups cooked)
3 very ripe bananas
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats + another small handful for topping
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut + another small handful for topping
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1/4 cup coconut milk

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions. (I bring it to a boil with 3/4 cup of water, then simmer for 15 minutes and fluff with a fork, but I know some people prefer to use more water, probably depending on the stove.) Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a loaf pan.
In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Stir in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, shredded coconut, flaxseed, and cooked quinoa. Dump into the large bowl of wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in the coconut milk.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until top of loaf is golden brown and sides are pulled away from the pan, 45-50 minutes.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before serving. Keeps wrapped in tin foil in the fridge for several days.

Thai Coconut Lentils with Kale

February 11, 2013 by Erica

Let’s talk lentils.

Just by talking about them, I think we’re getting the week off to a healthier start than we otherwise would. Don’t you?

It is, of course, the week of Valentine’s Day, so I have a hunch we’re all going to be eating our fair share of chocolate over the next few days. It can’t hurt to eat some green stuff now, before the Hershey’s kisses and Ferrero Rochers set in. (Mmmm Ferrero Rochers.)

Lentils are one of my favorite bases for a quick and healthy meal. They’re filling yet light, chock full of protein, take on pretty much any flavor you want, and taste great with lots of veggies. Lindsay from Pinch of Yum is in love with lentils too, and her lentil creations are some of my favorites. A little while ago I was craving some gingery lentils, and this is the dish I came up with.

This is a great weeknight meal, and to make it even quicker, you can cook your lentils ahead of time. (I usually do this the night before, or in the morning while I’m showering and getting ready.) Everything comes together very quickly once the lentils are cooked, so you can have dinner on the table in 15 minutes if you plan ahead! Now that is a great start to the week.

Thai Coconut Lentils with Kale

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 cup dried green or brown lentils

1 Tbsp coconut oil

2 Tbsp tom ka paste (spicy coconut paste, found in Asian markets)

2 small cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp minced or grated ginger

6 green onions, sliced, divided

1 14-oz can lite coconut milk

1 bunch curly kale, rinsed and torn into bite-sized pieces

Instructions:

Cook lentils according to package directions. (I like to bring mine to a boil with 1 1/2 cups water, simmer for 40 minutes, then drain excess water.) This can also be done ahead of time.

Heat coconut oil in a large pan or skillet over medium heat. Once melted, mash the tom ka paste into the coconut oil. Stir in the minced garlic and ginger and half of the sliced green onions. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the coconut milk and heat through. Once hot, add the kale and cooked lentils. Continue sauteing, stirring frequently, until kale leaves are softened and bright green.

Serve immediately, topped with remaining green onions. Enjoy!

Time:

50 minutes (15 minutes if the lentils are already cooked)

Vegan Three-Bean Chili

January 28, 2013 by Erica

Vegan Three-Bean Chili | coffeeandquinoa.com

Good morning.

It’s Monday.

And I need another weekend to recover from my weekend. Because it looked something like this:

Vegan Three-Bean Chili | coffeeandquinoa.com

How exciting is my life when an “exhausting weekend” means I stayed in my apartment and cooked the whole time?

I’m 25, not 85, I swear.

I did get out this weekend, too – to hang out with some friends, get my snow tires put on (finallyyyy, and just in time for more snow!), and see a Sundance movie with Nate.

Vegan Three Bean Chili | coffeeandquinoa.com

But for the most part, I spent the weekend cooking. And it goes without saying that when I’m cooking, I’m also sampling the food I’m making. This weekend involved its fair share of sampling… as you may be able to tell from the kitchen photo above.

So I could use something healthy to start the week off with. This vegan chili, chock full of veggies and three types of beans, is just what I have in mind.

Vegan Three-Bean Chili | coffeeandquinoa.com

There are many delicious chili recipes out there, but this is my favorite veg-based one. It has similar flavors to the ground beef chili I grew up with, but subs veggies and more beans for the beef.

This is not your simmer-all-day type of chili; it’s what I would call a weeknight chili, because it’s done in an hour start to finish. And more than half of that time is hands-off, with your chili bubbling on the stove while you come over and wash my dishes for me.

If chili is not what you’re craving on a Monday morning, just keep it in mind, because remember? Sunday is the Super Bowl. And chili is cheap, easy to make, and tastes even better reheated. The number of people you can feed with this is only limited by the size of your biggest pot.

Have a great start to your week!

Vegan Three-Bean Chili | coffeeandquinoa.com

Vegan Three-Bean Chili

Adapted from Oh She Glows

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 red peppers, diced

16 oz. white mushrooms, sliced

1 14.5-oz. can black beans (low-sodium if possible)

1 14.5-oz. can kidney beans (low-sodium if possible)

1 14.5-oz. can cannellini beans (low-sodium if possible)

1 28-oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes in juice

juice of 1 lime

2 Tbsp chia seeds

3 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp dried oregano

sprinkle of cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the onion, carrots, and bell peppers and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes.

Serve chili on its own, with rice, or over a potato for a hearty winter meal!

Time:

1 hour

Cauliflower Steaks with Charred Red Pepper Sauce and Lentils

January 25, 2013 by Erica

Cauliflower Steak with Lentils and Charred Red Pepper Steak Sauce | coffeeandquinoa.com

There was a time in the life of this blog – called December – when I felt like all I was posting were desserts and snacks. Crostini, popcorn, cake, hummus – I was posting some of my favorite recipes, but I wasn’t posting the healthy meals that I actually cook when I come home from work at night.

Oh, how the times have changed.

I guess that’s called January. And in January, I have posted a record number of healthy, savory recipes – noodle soup, chickpea tacos, even a salad. These are the things I really eat for dinner every night… at least in January. Give me a few more weeks and it’ll be big bowls of pasta and cheese, I’m sure. Actually, I’m definitely going to make some desserts this weekend. But for now, my intentions are good, and my posts are healthy!

Exhibit A:

Cauliflower Steak with Lentils and Charred Red Pepper Steak Sauce | coffeeandquinoa.com

Roasted cauliflower “steaks” over lentils with an amazing charred red pepper “steak” sauce drizzled over the top. See the steam wafting up from those babies? I bet you’ll be home in time for dinner.

Cauliflower seems to be the new vegetable that everyone is pretending is meat. First came portobellos, of course, which I can understand. Now Pinterest is filled with cauliflower steaks. Any guesses as to what we’ll all be calling “steaks” in a few months? My bet is on the eggplant.

Today I’m hopping on the bandwagon, and as you can see, I really am pretending this is meat. I put steak sauce on it and ate it with a steak knife. These knives are like, the sharpest things in the world. They’re awesome but totally unnecessary here. I’ve been using them to cut grapefruit lately. And cauliflower… the other white meat.

Whatever you do, don’t skip this red pepper sauce! I don’t even care what you put it on… fake steaks, pasta, real steaks, pizza, whatever you like. It is out-of-this-world delicious, as Deb will tell you, and it really makes this meal! I made a double batch to ensure leftovers, and I will almost certainly be adapting it to a hearty pasta sauce soon. (As it is, I adapted Deb’s recipe to whatever I had in my pantry/fridge, which did not include Worcestershire sauce or orange juice. Feel free to check out the original recipe linked below.)

Have a fun and relaxing weekend, friends! I will be cooking and baking up a storm (typical) and attending one last Sundance film (my 4th of the week!). I already have another healthy entree lined up for you next week, and hopefully my experimenting this weekend will yield some yummy stuff, too!

Cauliflower Steak with Lentils and Charred Red Pepper Steak Sauce | coffeeandquinoa.com

Cauliflower Steaks with Lentils and Charred Red Pepper Steak Sauce

Steak sauce adapted slightly from the Tasting Table via Smitten Kitchen

Serves 2

Ingredients:

3/4 cup dried lentils

For the cauliflower steaks:

1 head cauliflower
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
sprinkle of salt and pepper

For the charred red pepper steak sauce:

1 red bell pepper
2/3 cup canned diced or crushed tomatoes in their juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp molasses
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp allspice
kosher salt to taste

Instructions:

First, prepare the lentils. (I usually opt to do this the night before or earlier in the week to save time, and then just microwave them right before serving.) Rinse lentils in a strainer. Add to a small pot with 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid.

Next, char the peppers. Preheat your broiler, position a rack near the top of the oven, and line a baking sheet with foil. I like to de-stem my peppers, scrape out the seeds, and cut them into 2-4 pieces before broiling. Just place them skin-side up on the baking sheet. Alternatively, you could broil them whole, turning occasionally, and de-stem and de-seed them afterwards. It should take you about 6 minutes to broil them. Check on them occasionally – most broilers are uneven, and you will probably need to rotate your pan halfway through. Remove your peppers from the baking sheet after broiling; you’ll need the baking sheet for the cauliflower. [Edit: Do not remove the pepper skins. You want to leave them on to get that nice charred flavor in your sauce.]

Preheat oven to 425. (If you have an oven thermometer, be sure to check it! Many ovens will say they are preheated after the broiler has been on, but the bottom of the oven is completely cold. If you don’t have an oven thermometer, just let the oven warm up for a few extra minutes.) Trim the outside leaves from your head of cauliflower. Place it stem down on a cutting board, and cut 4 1/2-inch “steaks” from the center of the cauliflower, the part that connects to the stem. You can also chop up the remaining hunks of cauliflower and roast them too, or you can save them for another use. (May I suggest leek and cauliflower potato skins?) You will probably have 2 really good steaks from the center that won’t fall apart at all, and two others that may fall apart a bit while cooking. That’s OK! Each person gets one nice steak and one that’s in pieces. :)

Place steaks on lined baking sheet. Brush each side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and golden on both sides, about 20 minutes, flipping once (gently!) around the 12-minute mark.

While the oven is preheating and the steaks are cooking, whip up the charred red pepper sauce. You’ve already charred the peppers, so you’ve got a head start. If you have an immersion blender, simply add all ingredients to a small pot and blend until smooth. If using a regular blender, add all ingredients and blend until smooth, then pour into a small pot. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also let it go a little shorter or longer, basically until whenever the cauliflower is done. At this point, you can blend it again to get it extra smooth (easy if you have an immersion blender), or simply serve it as-is.

Serve immediately once cauliflower is done. Place the cauliflower steaks on top of a scoop of lentils, and ladle red pepper sauce over the top.

Enjoy!

Time:

45 minutes

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