Quinoa (- Mac) and Cheese

  

It's one of those old time American favorites, mac and cheese! Unfortunately a lot of American crime scene is really unhealthy so I do what I do best try to recreate to make them healthy! is this is only version number one because of course we all know mac and cheese can be made in a variety of ways! Let the fun begin! 

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp olive oil
1 jalapeño
1c onion
2 tbsp garlic
1c Quinoa
1c skim milk
1c Water
1/2c Chicken Broth
2 tsp Basil
Pepper
Salt
Red pepper flakes
1/2 white cheddar or pepper jack
1/2c Parmesan cheese

1.

Sautee oil, onion, garlic, jalapeño.

We like food a little spicy in our house so if you don't want it to have a kick I suggest not using the jalapeno.

2.

Thoroughly rinse the Quinoa and add it to the pan along with the chicken broth, milk and water. Cook on med-low heat until the Quinoa is translucent with white rings on the outside. Apx 15 mins.

3. 

Now add in the herbs, spices and your cheese* choices mix well and let it simmer.
Let it reduce until its the thickness that you desire.
*white cheese has less fat and calories

Enjoy this taste healthier version of Mac and cheese!  Its so good that its hard to have 1 serving! Share it so you don't over eat!

Love,  Tabitha

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6.0

Amount Per Serving

Calories 243

Total Fat 10 g

Saturated Fat 5 g

Monounsaturated Fat 1 g

Total Carbohydrate 27 g

Dietary Fiber 3 g

Sugars 1 g

Protein 14 g

Southwest Quinoa Bake

My husband and I have be come devout fans of quinoa. This grain is so incredibly good for you but the unique texture add a little pizazz to all sorts of dishes. I also really like how it takes on the flavor you give it. Its a neat mixture, to me, between a rice and pasta. This dish also incorporates are favorite things all in one :) I found this online somewhere and of course altered it ... I can never leave a recipe the way I find it.

Ingredients:

1/2 c Quinoa
3/4 c Chicken Broth
1/2 an Onion
1 Jalapeño
Minced 2 tbsp Garlic
2 Bell peppers (I like to use a little of all 3 colors, its prettier)
2 c cooked Black beans
1/2 lb Ground turkey or diced chicken
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Cayenne
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 c Cheese (your choice)

 

Step 1: 

Dice up your onion, jalapeño and garlic then toss it in a LARGE pan and set to med heat

Step 2:

Dice all your bell peppers, apx 1/2 cup of each color (red, yellow & green) and put them into a small dry pan on medium heat. 

Step 3:

Rinse your quinoa and put into a small pot with chicken broth. Set stove to medium heat, cover and let simmer about 10 minutes

Step 4: 

Pay attention to bell peppers as they roast in a dry pan. Flip occasionally, so they brown  evenly. Once its done (apx 15 mins total time) put into a bowl on the side.

Step 5:

Now that everything is on the stove and in progress add the ground turkey or chicken, black beans and 1/2 of dry spices to the large pan with your onion, jalapeno and garlic.

* you can make it vegetarian style too and its still delicious!!

Step 6:

When the bell peppers are done roasting set them aside in a bowl. In the same pan add your cooked quinoa and 1/2 of dry spices spices. This will toast the quinoa, cook for approximately 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Step 7:

Layer away in an 8x8 pan!
Meat mixture frist followed by, quinoa, roasted peppers and cheese! You can pick whatever cheese suits you, but I use pepper jack.

Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and dish is hot. Apx 10 minutes. 

Lastly, slice and devour!

Qunioa, Nut & Fruit protein bar.

Cabinet clean out ROUND 2! After the Almond, Oat and Grain bar I had to keep going... Some of this and that. Uhhh I've had these raisins for too long. But I was also careful not to make them taste the same cause I wanted something nutty and earthy again but different.

Ingredients:

1/2c sunflower seeds
1/2c walnuts 
1/4c dried raisins & cranberries
1/3c vanilla whey
1/4c almond meal
1 tbsp ground flax soaked in water
1/4c cooked quinoa
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp agave
2 whole egg whites

Step 1:
Rinse the quinoa and set on the stove to medium heat with enough water to cover quinoa.

Step 2:
In a small bowl place ground flax seed and cover with water. Let it sit

Step 3:

In a large mixing bowl add the rest of the dry ingredients, mix well. Next add the wet indredients including
the cooked quinoa and flax.

Mix well. Then press all the ingredients into an 8x8 pan. 

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes

Or until they are golden brown 

Slice and store in the refrigerator. 

YUM! Enjoy!

 Nutrition Facts

Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
Calories 197
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11 g	17 %
Saturated Fat 1 g	5 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 g	0 %
Sodium 46 mg	2 %
Potassium 240 mg	7 %
Total Carbohydrate 18 g	6 %
Dietary Fiber 3 g	10 %
Sugars 12 g
Protein 10 g	19 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	9 %
Calcium	1 %
Iron	40 %

 * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Quinoa Turkey Stuffed Bell Pepper

So I'm preparing for a competition but I know my husband doesn't want to eat boring meals every night so I took a wonderful stuffed bell pepper recipe by Emeril Lagasse that I've used for many years and altered it. I had to make it competition meal friendly with lots of nutrients and low fat so here it is! Nothing like what I used to make but still very delicious!

Ingredients:

1 c Onion
1/2 c Red Bell Peppers
1 TBSP Garlic
1 TBSP Parsley
1/2 tsp Coriander
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Basil
Pinch Red Pepper flakes
1 lb ground Turkey
3-6 green Bell Peppers

Finely dice your onion and bell pepper and place in a hot skillet with olive oil and garlic.  Cook until onions are translucent.

Next add one pound of ground turkey and spices. 

In another pot on the stove to cook your quinoa and chicken broth until the King what is a little translucent on the edges.

Once its done add to quinoa and tomato paste to your turkey vegetable mixture.

Cover and let it simmer.

Pull out another large pot, fill it with water and set it to high while the water is heating remove the tops and seeds of your green bell peppers.

Place bell peppers in boiling water for approximately 5 minutes or until slightly soft.
Fill peppers with quinoa turkey mixture and top with any type of cheese that you enjoy in this case I used provolone.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes at 350 F or until the cheese is melted.

This recipe will easily fill 6 green bell peppers but I only filled 3 the filling is great for leftovers if you don't have 6 people to feed.

 

ENJOY!