quinoa

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.

Warm Breakfast Quinoa with Agave and Cinnamon

January 2, 2013 by Erica

It probably comes as no surprise (given the name of this blog) that I’ve wanted to post this recipe for quite some time.

The problem was pictures. It’s really hard to take a picture of anything in a bowl with an iPhone, because the lens distorts everything and makes it look like you’re eating out of funhouse dishes.

Not that these are the best pictures ever (still learning… lots), but with my spiffy new camera, they at least accurately portray this meal in all its whole grain glory without making it look like I shot them through a funhouse mirror.

Anyway, about this quinoa. When I was down in Moab with my parents in September, we got breakfast (and lunch) both days from the Love Muffin Cafe, an adorable cafe on Main St. that I had never been to before. If you’re ever in Moab, I highly recommend it! They have the best ever breakfast quinoa (that Mom and I ate both days) and that I just had to recreate when I came home. Actually, in the car on the way home from that Moab trip, Mom and I discussed blog names, and I had this dish in mind when I registered this domain name a few weeks later. :) I intended for this to be my first post! But like I said… the pictures.

I’ve tried making other breakfast quinoa recipes before, but they never turned out well enough to start my day with. Thank goodness the Love Muffin Cafe came along! I would have been stuck in a never-ending cycle of oatmeal and Cheerios. Well actually, I still kinda am, but now I have this to mix it up with.

The recipe is simple: quinoa, agave, cinnamon, nuts and fruit, and a splash of milk.

If you’re wanting to eat healthier, eat more whole grains, or eat better breakfasts this year, this is pretty much the best place you can start! I’ve never tried another grain here, but if you prefer farro, wheat berries, etc. you could definitely try substituting that. I don’t recommend using white quinoa, though… it doesn’t have the same rich nutty flavor as red quinoa. Rainbow or black would probably be OK, though.

Warm Breakfast Quinoa with Agave and Cinnamon

Inspired by the Love Muffin Cafe in Moab, UT

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked red quinoa (this can be prepared ahead of time)

1 Tbsp agave syrup

heavy sprinkle of cinnamon

small handful of chopped walnuts (toasting is optional)

handful of seasonal fruit such as pomegranate arils or strawberries and blueberries

splash (1-2 Tbsp) of milk (I use plain unsweetened almond milk)

Instructions:

If using leftover quinoa, microwave until warm.

Mix warm quinoa with agave and sprinkle with cinnamon. Top with walnuts and fruit. Pour a splash of milk over the top and stir – the milk will coat everything with the agave and cinnamon. Serve!

Time:

<5 minutes if quinoa is cooked ahead of time, 20-25 minutes if cooking quinoa

Asian Orange Ginger Dressing

November 5, 2012 by Erica

Sometimes a girl just needs a salad for dinner. Like after Halloween. Or eating this cake.

Those aren’t Nate’s favorite nights, I have to say.

This orange and ginger dressing is more exciting than your standard salad dressing, though. Even Nate gives it the thumbs-up (and then asks about dessert). I like to make it to top a grain and veggie salad (the recipe for that is below, too), but it would also be delicious on a spinach salad, noodle dish, or even tofu (I’m going to try that next!).

I recommend it when you want something super flavorful and a little different from the norm… and when you plan on eating cake later.

Asian Orange Ginger Dressing on Grain and Veggie Salad

makes about ¾ cup dressing

For the dressing:
zest and juice of 1 orange
1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 Tbsp freshly grated/chopped ginger
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp canola or other vegetable oil
1.5-2 Tbsp reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce

For the salad (adapted from Oh She Glows):
1 cup uncooked quinoa, drained and rinsed
1 cup uncooked wheatberries, drained and rinsed
1 cup shelled edamame
1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped or grated
1 red pepper, diced
½ head broccoli, stems removed and chopped into small pieces
½ cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Cook quinoa and wheatberries according to package directions. (I prefer to do this the night before.)

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. If you have an immersion blender, this is a great time to use it. If not, you can use a regular blender or simply mince the garlic and ginger extra fine, then shake or whisk. Taste and adjust – you may like a bit more tamari or a bit more oil.

Toss veggies and cooked grains in a large salad bowl. Serve dressing alongside.

Enjoy after a weekend of cake! This will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Autumn Harvest Quinoa

October 31, 2012 by Erica

There’s been a lot of quinoa around here recently… in my defense, it’s in the URL and everything.

When I made this stuffed acorn squash a few weeks ago, I got a little bit obsessed with the quinoa stuffing. I wanted to make it again, without all that filling squash, so that I could eat more of it! The apples and slow-cooked onions in Emily’s original recipe were delicious, but I added a few things to this version (toasted walnuts and roasted sweet potato) and think it’s even more amazing than before. I also used a mix of red and white quinoa when I made this. The red stuff tastes nuttier to me, but the white is about 1/3 of the price, so I like to mix!

I’m not going to lie, there’s a lot going on when you make this, especially if you haven’t toasted the walnuts beforehand. (But I would NOT leave out toasting the nuts – they add a ton of flavor.) If anything, you could leave out the sweet potato, or cook your pot of quinoa the night before, so that you don’t have 2 things in the oven and 3 pots on the stovetop. Clearly I did not plan that far ahead, and my tiny kitchen was a war zone with quinoa in every crevice when I was done.

This would make an awesome Thanksgiving side dish! I loved this recipe and plan on making it again this fall… as soon as I make my way through all the leftovers from the first batch! This recipe makes a really large amount.

P.S. I hesitated to put an entire tablespoon of cinnamon in the dressing, but don’t be afraid – it’s going on a huge amount of quinoa.

Autumn Harvest Quinoa

Adapted from Daily Garnish

Serves 8-10 as a side dish

Ingredients:

For the quinoa:
2 cups dried quinoa, rinsed (I used a combo of red and white)
1 large sweet potato
1 ½ large yellow onions, diced
2 large or 3 small apples, diced but not peeled (I used Gala)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

For the dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt

Balsamic reduction or balsamic vinegar to finish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. Peel and dice the sweet potato into about 3/4-inch chunks. Place on baking sheet, drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt, and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until sweet potato is fork-tender. Set aside.

Add quinoa along with 2.5 cups of water to a small pot. Simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Drain any remaining water if necessary.

Add a bit of olive oil to a large pan and saute the onions on medium heat until a bit browned, about 10-15 minutes. At this point, add the diced apples and continue sauteing until they are softened. Add the cranberries, walnuts, cooked quinoa and sweet potato chunks and stir gently.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over the quinoa mixture and stir to combine. Saute about 2 more minutes, until everything is heated through.

Serve along with balsamic reduction or balsamic vinegar to top. The balsamic isn’t necessary, but it adds a sweetness that I like.

Enjoy, and have a happy Halloween!

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