Quinoa With Kale And Walnuts

 

Nutrient rich kale, abundant in vitamins A, C and K as well as fiber and iron, is a leafy green vegetable with a slightly earthy flavor.  It is very low in calories, yet very high in nutrients.  I am trying to find creative ways to incorporate more of it into my diet.

I came up with this recipe as a spinoff of the chicken vegetable couscous dish I posted back on March 19th.  I love having dishes like this on hand in the fridge throughout the week.  It can serve it’s purpose as a last minute side dish for a quick meal or as a whole meal itself (which is usually how I eat it).  I knew I wanted to have kale in this dish so from that point on I tried to include other things to complement the kale in color, texture and flavor.   

Just thinking about how healthy this meal is can actually be overwhelming!  Quinoa, as many of you might already know is a superfood.  It is a protien containing all nine essential amino acids.  Kale, as I briefly mentioned above is very rich in vitamins and nutrients.  It is also one of the best sources of beta-carotene making it a warrior in the fight against different types of cancers.  And get this, it actually fights fat. 

Hallelujah.

Typically, I don’t create my own recipes, however, I think I did an ok job on this one.  I hope you think so as well.

Here’s what you will need to serve 3-4 people, as a side dish….

 

6 cups kale, stems removed, finely chopped (1 medium head)

1 cup quinoa

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 lemon, zested

juice of one large lemon

1/3 cup white wine

1/3 cup (heaping) chopped walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup (heaping) corn kernels

1/3 cup parsley

pinch freshly grated nutmeg

salt & pepper

 

Cook quinoa according to the package directions, using chicken stock in place of water.  (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups of stock, bring to a boil, cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat olive oil, add onions and red pepper flakes and saute for 3 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and lemon zest, cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add white wine, stir and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.   Add salt & pepper.

Add kale, 1/2 of the lemon juice and the pinch of nutmeg.  Stir to combine and allow to cook over a low flame for 5-7 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Now is the time to add those corn kernels.

Add the cooked quinoa to the kale mixture and gently combine.  Turn off the heat and add the remaining lemon juice, parsley and toasted walnuts.  Taste and add more salt & pepper, if needed.

Chimichurri Sauce

 

Originally from Argentina, chimichurri is a marinade and sauce traditionally served with grilled meats.  It is somewhat similar to an Italian pesto without the cheese and nuts that thicken it.   Also, chimichurri is made with parsley and cilantro instead of basil.  It is bright and fresh with a hint of tang and heat. 

I am so happy that I found this recipe and gave it a try.  My favorite way to serve this is over loin lamb chops, I feel the pairing of lamb and this sauce is a marriage made in heaven.  I also love to toss grilled shrimp with a few tablespoons of this sauce…so yummy!  I have also drizzled it over an oven roasted chicken breast. It is such a versatile sauce. 

I want to point out that if you are going to make this sauce ahead of time, or are planning on making extra to keep in the fridge please be aware that the vinegar does become more prominant as it sits.  If you are going to be eating it all at once, go ahead and use all the vinegar in this recipe.  If not, you might want to cut back a touch. 

It takes all of three minutes to prepare this chimichurri sauce.  Here’s what you will need…

 

1 cup parsley (packed)

1/4 cup cilantro (packed)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar (use slightly less)

2 small cloves garlic

1/2 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp lemon juice

 

Place all ingredients into a food processor and mix until well combined.  If the vinegar is too much, you can add a bit more olive oil.

Bow Tie Pasta With Broccoli

 

 

A few days ago we had some gorgeous, spring like weather here in NYC that really inspired me to make this dish, one that I usually prepare in the summertime.   I was feeling nostalgic.

I love pasta and cannot imagine a life without it…which means I’m definitely not a contender for the carb-free diet.  I do, however, try not to eat a ton of it.  Everything in moderation, that’s my motto.  Not only is pasta delicious, it’s also very versatile, quick and usually rather easy to make. 

This recipe, adapted from Ina Garten,  is so simple and quick to prepare.  Literally, in the time it takes you to cook the pasta, the dish is complete.  I also like this recipe because, although it tastes spectacular freshly made, it makes great leftovers, served warm or at room temperature, making this a great option for a picnic or for taking to the beach (which I’ve done several times) for a light lunch.   Ina’s recipe calls for plain bow tie pasta, I use the tri color instead because I think it looks more fun and interesting.  And life should be more fun and interesting.

Here’s what you will need to serve about 2-3 people.

 

1 large head broccoli florets (or 2 medium), cut up into florets

1/2 – 3/4 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta, tri color

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 lemon, zested

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

freshly grated parmesan cheese (a few teaspoons)

salt & pepper to taste

 

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.  Add the pasta and cook according to directions on the box, shorting the cooking time by 3 minutes.  So, roughly 9 minutes into the cooking time, add the broccoli directly to the pot with the pasta.  After 3 minutes remove all the pasta and broccoli with a large slotted spoon and add to the butter and garlic mixture in the skillet.  Reserve all the pasta water.

As the pasta is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry saute pan for a few minutes, tossing occassionally.

Still, while the pasta is cooking, in a large saute pan, heat the butter and oil over a medium low heat, add the garlic and lemon zest and saute for 1 minute.  Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, salt & pepper. 

After you have added all the pasta and broccoli to the skillet turn the heat back on and mix together for 1 minute.  Turn heat off and add the pignoli nuts and the grated parmesan.  Toss to combine.  If needed, add some of the pasta water to help loosen the sauce a bit more.  I usually add approximately 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water.

Frittata

 

A frittata is an open-faced Italian omelette traditionally filled with leftover meat and vegetables.  Growing up in an Italian household, we ate alot of these.  Frittatas are delicious served warm out of the oven, but also work well served at room temperature making it a good meal to serve any time of day.  It could be a wonderful breakfast, a great lunch or even a light dinner perhaps served with a side salad.  Extremely versatile.

There are infinite ingredient combinations for frittatas.   You can throw in whatever you have leftover from previous meals.  You can use various ingredients or use just one.  You can make an all veggie version, keeping things on the healthy side or you can be a little sinful and add some meat like bacon or sausage. 

This combination is one of my favorites and I make it repeatedly.  I use broccoli, red potatoes and bacon.  If I have leftover mushrooms on hand, I put those in as well. 

After the frittata comes out of the oven I allow it to come to room temperature.  I cut it into four large wedges and individually wrap them in saran wrap, storing in the fridge.  They will last up to 3-4 days.  Whenever I want to eat one I just pop it into the microwave for about one minute.  Easy!

Here’s what you will need to make one 10 inch frittata…

 

5 whole eggs

3 egg whites

2 tbsp ricotta cheese

2 tbsp milk

6 slices of low sodium bacon

2 cups steamed broccoli, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)

one medium red potato

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 tbsp parmesano reggiano

salt & pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut potato in half lengthwise, put in a pot and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil and cook until a knife inserted into the potato slides out easily, roughly 15 minutes.  Remove from pot and allow to cool.  Slice each potato half (widthwise) into thin half moon shapes. Steam broccoli until bright green and tender, about 10 minutes, chop.

In a large oven safe, non-stick skillet cook bacon slices until done, but not very crispy, turning occassionally.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool.  Chop into 1 inch wide pieces.  Wipe out skillet leaving just a slight residue of bacon fat on the pan.  If you are using mushrooms add them to the pan now and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes.  To the pan add the potato slices, chopped broccoli and bacon.  Allow to cook together over a LOW flame, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.

In a large bowl add the eggs, egg whites, ricotta, milk, parsley, cheese and salt & pepper.  Whisk until combined and the ricotta is no longer in clumps.  Over a LOW flame, pour the egg mixture on top of the broccoli mixture and stir slowly to combine all ingredients.  You will slowly stir the mixture for about 1 minute slightly cooking the eggs.  Once you notice the egg mixture is thickening stop stirring and flatten down the ingredients gently with the back of the spatula.  Continue to cook over the low flame for about 5 minutes, or until you notice it firming up and the eggs are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.  The center of the frittata will still be liquidy. 

Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until the center of the frittata is no longer liquidy.  I then like to turn on the broiler and cook for about 1 minute, allowing the top to turn a light golden brown color.  The frittata will puff up slightly.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  As it cools it will de-puff, don’t worry, that’s normal.

**If you don’t have an oven safe skillet (yours has a plastic handle) wrap the handle completely with aluminum foil before putting it into the oven.