Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

From Food & Wine

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups quinoa
Salt
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 large Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
8 packed cups baby greens, such as arugula or kale (about 6 ounces)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the quinoa and toast over moderate heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer the quinoa for 16 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff the quinoa, spread it out on a baking sheet and refrigerate until it is chilled, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once, until golden and softened. Let cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil with the vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Add the quinoa, sweet potatoes, apples, parsley, onion and greens and toss well. Serve right away.

MAKE AHEAD The quinoa and sweet potatoes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Green Smoothie

From Yoga Journal

*1 avocado, flesh only
*1 piece of fruit (apple, banana, pear or cantaloupe)
*1 cucumber
*1 handful of greens (kale or spinach)
*orange juice

Oatmeal-Rhubarb Porridge

Serves 2
From Eating Well Magazine

*1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
*1/2 cup orange juice
*1 cup oats
*1 cup 1/2" pieces rhubarb, fresh or frozen
*1/2 tsp cinnamon
*pinch of salt
*2 tbsp pure maple syrup
*2 tbsp pecans, toasted and chopped

Combine milk, juice, oats, rhubarb, cinnamon and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover, cooking at a very gentle bubble, stirring frequently, until oats and rhubarb are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in sweetener and top with nuts.

Pear Sauce

From Everyday Food
Makes 2 cups

*4 firm, ripe Bosc pears, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
*1 tsp grated lemon zest
*juice of one lemon
*1/8 tsp salt
*1-2 tbsp honey

In a medium sauce with a lid, combine pears, 1/4 cup water, lemon zest, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until pears are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and mash coarsely with the back of a spoon. Cook pears to preferred chunkiness, or process until smooth in food processor.

Quinoa Cakes

Makes about 12
From Everyday Food

*1 cup cooked quinoa (or brown rice)
*3/4 cup flour
*2 tsp baking powder
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 large egg, plus one large egg white
*1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
*1/4 cup low fat milk
*2 tbsp pure maple syrup
*fruit for serving

In a medium bowl, whisk together quinoa, flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, butter, milk and syrup until smooth. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk to combine.

Lightly coat a non stick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium high. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons into skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on top. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside. Repeat until you've used all the batter. Serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit.

Florentine Hash Skillet

Serves 2
From Eating Well

*olive oil
*1 cup frozen shredded hash browns
* 1 cup spinach
*2 eggs
*salt and pepper
*1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Spread hash browns and then spinach out in the skillet. Crack the eggs on top and sprinkle with salt, pepper and cheese. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook until hash browns are browned, eggs are set and cheese is melted, about 5-8 minutes.

Scrambled Eggs in Toast Cups

From Everyday Food Magazine
Serves 2

*2 slices bread
*2 tbsp butter, softened
*3 eggs
*salt and pepper
*fresh herbs, chopped

Preheat oven to 400. Butter both sides of each slice of bread and firmly press into two 8 oz. custard cups or a jumbo muffin tin. Bake until crisp, 15 minutes; set aside. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs in a nonstick skillet until eggs are just set. Spoon eggs into toast cups; garnish with herbs.

Breakfast Bulgur Porridge

From Everyday Food Magazine
Serves 2

*1 cup milk, plus more for serving
*1/2 cup bulgur
*1/4 raisins
*salt
*1 tbsp brown sugar
*fresh fruit for serving

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, bulgur, raisins, salt and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until bulgur is tender and mixture is the consistency of oatmeal, 10 to 15 minutes.

Divide between two bowls, sprinkle with brown sugar. Serve warm with fresh fruit and milk to taste.

Strawberry-Watermelon Smoothie with Ginger

From Bon Apetit Magazine
Serves 2

*3 cups 1-inch cubes seedless watermelon
*2 cups frozen strawberries
*1 1/2 tsp finely grated, peeled fresh ginger
*1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Breeding-Style Oatmeal

Serves 2

*1 cup milk or water
*1/2 cup rolled oats
*1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts
*1/2 cup dried cranberries
*2 tsp pure honey

1. In a saucepan, bring the milk/water to a boil. Stir in oats and heat on medium until oats have absorbed most of the liquid, 3-5 minutes. Turn off heat and cover saucepan for 3-5 minutes.

2. Stir in nuts, fruit and honey. Divide between two bowls.

Variations:
*Substitute fresh apples or pears for the cranberries
*Substitute pure maple syrup or brown sugar for the honey

Rachel's Bran Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

*1 1/2 cups wheat bran
*1 cup low fat buttermilk
* 1/3 cup canola oil
*1 egg
*2/3 cup brown sugar
*1/2 tsp vanilla extract
*1/2 cup all purpose flour
*1/2 cup whole wheat flour
*1 tsp baking soda
*1 tsp baking powder
*1/2 tsp salt
*2/3 cup raisins
*1 cup grated carrot

1. Preheat oven to 375 F and grease muffin cups.
2. Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk in a large bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, beat together oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and add to buttermilk/bran mixture. Stir in raisins and carrots. In a small bowl, sift together flours, soda, powder and salt. Stir into bran mixture, until just blended. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. DO NOT OVERMIX!
4. Bake for 14 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!

*To freeze, follow recipe exactly, but put muffin tin into freezer after all ingredients are combined. When ready to bake, heat oven to 375, and bake muffins for 19 minutes.

*Variations: replace carrots and raisins with nuts and fruit that's in-season.

Carrot Bread

From my mother
Makes 1 loaf

*1 cup sugar
*3/4 cup cooking oil
*2 eggs
*1/4 tsp salt
*1 1/2 cup grated carrots
*1/2 cup walnuts
*1 tsp soda
*1 1/2 cups flour
*1/2 tsp cinnamon
*1/2 tsp nutmeg

Mix sugar and oil together. Add eggs and salt, mix well. Stir in carrots and nuts. Sift together dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients. Stir only until well-mixed. Pour batter into greased 9"x3" loaf pan. Bake at 350 for one hour.

Zucchini Bread

From my mother
Makes 2 loaves

*3 cups flour
*2 tsp baking soda
*1 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp baking powder
*3/4 cup chopped pecans
*3 eggs
*2 cups sugar
*1 cup vegetable oil
*2 tsp vanilla extract
*2 cups shredded zucchini
*1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained

Combine dry ingredients and pecans, set aside. Beat eggs lightly in a large mixing bowl; add sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple. Add dry ingredients, stirring only until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter into 2 well-greased and floured 8"x4x3" loaf pans. Bake at 350 for one hour. Cool 10 minutes in pans; turn out on rack and allow bread to cool completely.

Tortilla de Patatas

*1 large potato, peeled and diced
*3 eggs
*1/2 onion, chopped
*3/4 cup olive oil
*salt

Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan and then fry the potatoes until almost soft. Add the onion and fry until all are soft. Drain the oil.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork and add salt to taste. Add potatoes and onion and mix well. Heat a little oil in a frying pan on moderate heat and pour in the egg mixture. Once the bottom of the omelet has set, turn the heat down low and cover the pan. After 10 minutes, turn the omelet and continue frying until it has set all the way through.

Basic Applesauce

From Everyday Food Magazine

*3 lbs. apples, a combination of gala, golden delicious and mcintosh
*1 cinnamon stick
*3/4 cup water
*2 tsp lemon juice

Peel, core and cut apples into 1/2" think slices. In large saucepan, combine apples, cinnamon stick and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick. Stir in lemon juice.

Honey & Goat Cheese-Filled Fig Muffins

From Eating Well Magazine
Makes 1 dozen muffins
Time: 1 hour

*3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
*2 tbsp honey
*1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
*1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, divided
*2 cups white whole-wheat flour
*1 1/2 baking powder
*1/2 tsp baking soda
*1/4 tsp salt
*2 large eggs
*1 large egg white
*3/4 cup packed brown sugar
*1 cup buttermilk
*1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cup chopped dried figs
*3 tbsp turbinado (or granulated) sugar

1. Preheat oven to 425. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Thoroughly combine goat cheese, honey, lemon zest and 1/4 tsp vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs and egg white in a medium bowl; add brown sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, one minute. Gradually whisk in buttermilk and oil until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in figs.
4. Spoon half the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Add one generous teaspoon of the reserved cheese filling to the center of each muffin and cover with the remaining batter (the filling should not be visible). Sprinkle muffins with sugar.
5. Bake the muffins until the edges start to brown and the tops spring back when gently pressed, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.