Pineapple Pickled Onion Salsa, by Diane

I had some leftover pulled pork from an event this weekend and decided to make lettuce cup tacos, and wanted to make a quick salsa to go with it. This wound up being so good I kept eating it plain with a spoon! It was super quick to make. Yum!

Ingredients:

Tomato (I used plum and grape here), small diced

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

Diced pickled onions (I do a quick pickle by slicing them and placing them into a jar covered with white vinegar, shake twice daily and ready after 1 day but can leave for longer!)

1 handful chopped cilantro

1 lime squeezed

1 small can crushed pineapple, liquid removed

1/2 jalepeño, seeds removed and diced small

Salt, pepper

Directions: Mix well, adjust to taste, enjoy!

 

Fall Sausage, White Beans, and Kale, by Diane

 

I whipped this up for dinners this week and it was really easy quick and delicious! I had some leftover white wine from a party this weekend and thought to use it here, and this is good alone or with a crusty bread!

Ingredients:

Pre-cooked chicken apple sausage (I got one with bourbon in it too!), sliced into coins

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 large bunch kale, leaves removed and chopped (discard stems)

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup white wine

1 cup chicken broth

Seasonings: salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, powdered rosemary

Directions:

1. In a large pan, brown sausage over medium heat. 

2. Add in shallots and garlic and a little broth to deglaze the pan and cook until browned. 

3. Add beans and a little more broth, cook for about 2 minutes and add seasonings and stir.

4. Deglaze the pan with wine and remaining broth, bring heat up to a low simmer.

5. Add kale and cook until kale is wilted and liquid is mostly cooked out. 

Chipotle Chicken Crunch Salad, by Diane

This recipe is from @ice.karimcooks on IG, who makes high protein meal bowls (which have been a game changer for meal prepping during my busy week!). This one could not have been easier to make! I made a few changes to the dressing and I LOVE it so I'll post it below. As a side note, I've been making my own dressings for a bit now off some of these recipes, and they are actually so much better than store bought. I didn't believe it when people said that, but this salad pack came with a dressing I assumed would be better and I tasted it after the one I made and I could taste all the oil, sugar, and chemicals- it immediately got tossed! A pretty neat experiment as it turns out. I also changed the cooked chicken for pre-sliced grilled chicken for ease and taste. Finally, I added pepitas for crunch to make it healthier and avocado would be great in here as well, but the tortillas it came with were also delicious! This was a total crunchy cold winner perfect for summer! The crunchy cabbage and tortilla strips with the grilled chicken and corn and the spice of cilantro and cool cilantro- perfection!

Ingredients:

2 bags Chipotle Cheddar salad bag mixes

2 bags cooked grilled chicken strips

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

3 ears fresh corn, charred over flame then cut from kernel

1 bunch scallions, white and green sliced (save about 3 tbsp of the green parts for the dressing)

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup roasted pepitas

Dressing: 8oz plain greek yogurt, green scallions, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 chipotle in adobo pepper, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp honey, 1/2 lime juiced

Directions:

1. Combine the salad mix and cheese with the chicken, beans, corn, scallions and cilantro, mix well and set aside. (For meal prepping I left the salad and cilantro separate to be added later so it wouldn't get soggy).

2. Combine the dressing ingredients and blend well until smooth, adjust for taste, toss with salad. 

3. Top salad with crunchy tortilla chips in salad mix and pepitas, toss well and enjoy!

Protein Beef Taco Bowls, by Diane

I have been seeing high protein beef bowls all over my instagram, and they have really been helping lately in my diet. I saw this one from Chelsea's Messy Apron, and a sauce by Get On My Plate, and decided to combo them together! This was really really good, and I loved how healthy and filling these were! They were also super easy to prep for batch cooking and tasted great all week! (note- I ran out of avocado for this photo but it's in the recipe!)

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef, grass fed

Taco seasoning (I made my own with paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and I like mexican oregano and a dash of cinnamon here)

2 sweet potatoes, cubed

EVOO

3 ears corn, roasted and cut off cob

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup cilantro, rough chopped

1/2 avocado, sliced

Sauce: 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 1/2 chili in adobo, 1/2 lime juice, 2 tbsp cilantro, 1 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Blend the sauce well and set aside in the fridge. 

2. Heat a large saucepan to medium, brown and drain the beef, and mix in taco seasoning to taste. Set aside.

3. While the beef is cooking, roast sweet potatoes tossed in EVOO and taco seasoning at 400 (I airfried them for 25 min) until soft.

4. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Enjoy!

Texas Style Chili, by Diane

 

I got this recipe from Kelly's Clean Kitchen, and she has won several chili cookoff awards with it. I was interested in the roast meat vs ground beef, and it has several different ingredients in it I wanted to try. I made a few corrections in terms of liquid because the recipe called for way too much and I'm glad I did, and I know texas chili does not have lots of beans but I wound up adding in more to make this more of a meal. Unfortunately, this was just ok. I wouldn't make it again- but I will be eating it all week... 

Ingredients:

2 lb chuck roast, cut in one inch cubes

Salt and Pepper

Avocado Oil

1 white onion, diced

2 bell peppers, diced (I used one red and one green)

1 poblano pepper, diced (I blistered the skin of this)

1 jalepeno pepper, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans, drained (I wound up adding a can of pinto too)

1 can hatch chiles

4 cups beef stock

1 tbsp fish sauce

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chipotle powder

2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp cumin

1 bay leaf

 1 lime, juiced (I skipped this it was already tangy and liquidy)

1/4 cup cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat oil and brown beef on all sides, set aside.

2. Add onions, bell pepper and poblano to the pot and cook until translucent. Add salt, jalenpeno and garlic and cook 2 min.

3. Add remaining ingredients through bay leaf and return beef to the pot, bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 2 hours or until beef is tender. (it says to cook with top on but the liquid was already too much so I skipped this)

4. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Mexican Chicken Salad, by Diane

 

This recipe comes from @dayamifrommiami on IG, and I thought it was such a creative high protein recipe for lunches this week! It was super easy, and so so good. I loved it on its own, with chips, and lettuce cups! I also loved the swap of greek yogurt for mayo. YUM. I added the poblano and green onions and they were a great addition! I also removed the avocado so it would last all week, and took out the cheese bc I didn't want it but it did have queso fresco in the original recipe.

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

2 8oz cups greek yogurt, plain

1 lime, juiced

1 can fire roasted corn

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts chopped

1 poblano, fire roasted (I use my gas burner for this until black and blistered), diced

Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin

Directions: Mix well and enjoy!

Fish Taco Bowls 2.0, by Diane

 

This weekend I was at the beach and got some blackened bass with peach salsa, with a side of corn and coleslaw. I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I decided to mix it all up into a bowl and it was soooo good I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since! I decided to create my own version with cod and mango salsa and it was so great! Plus it was a great meal prep recipe as it got better in the fridge each day, and was a cold dish to eat on hot days. Yum!

(I saw there was another recipe on the blog for fish taco bowls, so these are titled 2.0!)

Ingredients:

Fish (I chose frozen cod filets that I defrosted, next time I'd use fresh)

Seasoning (I used garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cumin and merken from Chile but you could use chili powder instead)

Avocado spray oil

Salsa: 2 mangos diced, 2 tomatoes diced, 1 can black beans, 1 can corn, 1 red onion diced, 1 bunch cilantro chopped, 1 lime juiced, salt

Red cabbage shredded

Dressing: 1 cup greek yogurt plain, 1 bunch cilantro with stems, 2 garlic cloves, salt and pepper, 1 lime juiced

Directions:

1. Make the salsa and dressings ahead of time and let them marry in the fridge. I did mine the night before. They get better this way!

2. Season the fish and spray with avocado oil on each side, then air fry at 350 for 15 min or until the fish is 145 internally and flaky. 

3. Serve in a bowl with cabbage, salsa, fish and dressing!

Grinder Bean Salad, by Diane

 

This is one of the best things I have ever eaten!!! I cannot get over how good this is, it's like the world's best italian hoagie on steroids with a spoon. I follow @viotletwitchel on instagram and she makes a new dense bean salad each week for lunches. This is a blend of two of her latest recipes, and holy moly I'm obsessed. She said she ate this for lunch three weeks in a row, and I can see why. This would also be great for potlucks and picnics too! This is highly customizable and I am thinking of experimenting with cucumber, olive, artichoke hearts...already dreaming of future lunches!

My two notes: she includes parsley in this, which I did, but it was WAY too overpowering so next time I'll likely add dried parsley to the dressing. And, she adds the mozzarella balls and says it keeps all week, but by day 3 the cheese started getting watery and gross. So, next time I'd add fresh cheese each day and store it separate.

Ingredients:

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 can white cannellini beans

1/2 lb each deli turkey and salami, diced (I chose black pepper turkey and genoa salami for flavor)

1 small jar roasted sweet peppers, drained and chopped

1/4 cup banana peppers, chopped

1 package small mozzarella balls

1/2 red onion, diced

1/4 cup capers

1 cup colored cherry tomatoes, halved 

1 red bell pepper, diced (I skipped this)

Dressing: 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I only had ACV which worked great!), 1/2 cup EVOO, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dijon, salt and pepper

Directions:

Toss dressing together and toss over remaining ingredients, mix well and chill!

Red Lentil and Kale Stew, by Cheryl

I came across this recipe when I was reading my Eating Well magazine, which to be honest I don't know why they keep being sent to me since I canceled that a while ago. Anyway, this looked like a delicious, healthy, and comforting dish. I even added sausage to appease the hubby. Unfortunately, it was just okay. We ate it and it was fine, but it's not something I would make again. The leftovers are still sitting in the fridge and I made it 4 days ago. I felt like there was way too much broth for the lentils.. they got lost in there so I couldn't taste them at all. So this is one you can skip... I have plenty of other healthy stews and soups that are way more delicious. Yum? 

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks

1 tbsp EVOO

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

3 cups veggie or chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes

3/4 cup red lentils

4 ounces baby kale

1/2 cup whole milk

2 tbsp butter

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: 

1) Steam potatoes for about 15 minutes or until tender. 

2) Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, tomatoes and lentils and bring to a simmer over high heat. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in kale. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

3) Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot; add milk, butter and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each pepper and salt. Mash to desired consistency. Stir in Parmesan.

4) Serve the stew over mashed potatoes. 

Smoky Fiesta Chili, by Diane

 

I created this recipe offhand when I went off a 9 week anti-inflammatory protocol and missed tomatoes, corn, and beans! This is really really good, pretty healthy, and very easy to make. It’s great for the colder weather, and because it’s so multi-colored it looks like a fiesta!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 lb ground turkey

20 sweet peppers, sliced

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14.5 oz can kidney beans

1 14.5 oz can black beans

1 14.5 oz can sweet corn

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles

2 14.5 oz cans tomato sauce

2 stalks green onions, sliced

1 square bakers chocolate

1 tbsp cumin

2 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tbsp each onion and garlic powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp Tony Chacere’s (adjust to taste)

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot to medium high, melt the coconut oil and add in turkey. Break up with the back of a spoon, cook until browned and drain (save the juices).

2. Add the juices back to the pot and cook the peppers, yellow onion, and garlic until soft. 

3. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings as needed. 

Moroccan Quinoa Chickpea Salad, by Cheryl

This is a fantastic meal to have for lunch or as a dinner side! The flavors are so warm and the different ingredients pop in your mouth while eating it. It was super easy too as it's all made in one pot. Healthy, easy, and delicious! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, finely diced
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
olive oil

Directions:

1) Heat oil over medium heat. When oil is hot add onions and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the spices and cook for 30 seconds more.

2) Add in the broth and quinoa and mix until combined. Cook for 15 minutes (I needed to cook it for 25-30). Fluff with a fork.

3) Stir in the cranberries, chickpeas, and parsley and mix. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with toasted almonds and parsley.

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers, by Cheryl

I'm not even sure how I came across this recipe or why. I already have a recipe for stuffed peppers, but this one looked like it would take way less time given that I didn't have to cook anything beforehand except the rice. We also recently stayed on a farm in Windham, NY for a skiing weekend and they had a "meat shed" where we bought some delicious ground beef that would work perfectly for this dish. And it did! There was something very savory about this recipe and even though there is a cup of cheese in the mix it didn't seem cheesy at all... in fact, no one even knew there was cheese mixed in there. I'm definitely making this again! Yum!


Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 15oz can black beans
1 15 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
1 cup cooked white rice (I used brown)
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted (I used canned)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
salt
black pepper
4 bell peppers, tops and seeds removed
1 tbsp chopped cilantro, for garnish
Optional toppings: sour cream, avocado, etc.

Directions:

1) In a large bowl combine beef with beans, tomatoes, 1 cup of cheese, corn, rice, and spices. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Stuff peppers with beef mixture and place them in the crockpot, open side up. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

3) When peppers are tender, top peppers with the remaining cheese and cover. Cook on low for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

4) Garnish with cilantro and other toppings and serve.

Roasted Vegetable and White Bean Salad, by Cheryl

As I was plating it... I wanted to show you the pretty veggies!

The finished version. Should have put more herbs on it!

Jon and I recently watched Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat on Netflix. Have you seen it? The chef, Samin Nosrat, travels the world to explore the four basic keys to wonderful cooking and says if you can master these four things then you can master cooking! It was really interesting and I learned a lot from it. I'm really interested in getting her cookbook now since the recipes that she showcased on the series looked really good. One of them being this roasted vegetable and bean salad. The vinaigrette definitely makes the vegetables pop and the beans went wonderfully with it. The only thing I didn't include was the feta cheese since I felt like I didn't really need it. I heated some up the next day with a couple of poached eggs and it was delish! A great way to get some delicious fresh veggies in. Yum!

Ingredients (modified from here):

1 bunch carrots
1 small head cauliflower
1 pound brussel sprouts, halved
2 cups cooked white beans
4 oz French feta cheese
Cilantro leaves, dill, mint leaves
red wine vinaigrette
     - 1/8 cup diced shallot
     - 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
     - 1/4 cup olive oil
     - salt, pepper

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425.

2) Toss Brussel sprouts with salt and olive oil. Place on baking sheet with flat sides down. Do the same with the other vegetables keeping enough space between the veggies so they have enough air to cook. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, checking after about 12 minutes.

3) Reserving the cooking liquid, drain beans and place in large bowl. Dress with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette and season with salt and spices.

4) Layer the salad: cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, carrots on the bottom. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with zatar spices, the spoon beans over vegetables. Sprinkle with large spoonfuls of feta.

5) In another bowl dress the herbs with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Place atop the salad and serve immediately.

For the vinaigrette:

1) Let the shallots sit in a bowl or jar for 15 minutes with the red wine vinegar. Then add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir or shake to combine then taste and adjust as needed.

OMG Chili, by Cheryl

Looks too good to be my picture! It's from here

I love this chili! This might be the best chili recipe I've made yet. The beer and coffee base makes this super flavorful (and coming from someone that doesn't like coffee that's saying a lot!). I love the addition of the chocolate and brown sugar as it adds a unique sweetness to the dish. I didn't add too much spice to it since I was serving it to the kids, but some heat would be nice in it! Definitely make this! Yum!

Ingredients (from here):

olive oil
ground beef or turkey
1 large onion, finely chopped
1- 12 oz bottle of beer
1 big can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 serrano pepper
1.5 tbsp cumin
1.5 tsp coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt
1 can kidney beans
1 can cannellini beans

Directions:

1) Place a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Brown the meat and transfer to a plate.

2) Add a little olive oil and the onions and cook for a minute. Take two large sips of beer and add the rest. Stir in the tomatoes, coffee, and, tomato paste.

3) Add the brown sugar, chile sauce, cocoa powder, hot pepper, cumin, coriander, salt, and kidney beans. Return the meat to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for one hour.

4) Add the white beans, stir, and continue to simmer for 1-2 hours. Adjust salt and cayenne pepper as needed.

Avocado Bean "Alfredo" Sauce, by Cheryl

Um, yum!! This is such a healthy alternative to a standard alfredo sauce that is full of cheese and cream. The white beans blend really well to provide a nice base for the sauce (as well as added protein) and the avocado adds a whole other level of creaminess to the dish. I combined two recipes when I made this and since the dish was green anyway, I blended some spinach into the mix in order to add some greens. I put in about a quarter cup of shredded quattro formaggio, but you can easily eliminate that and the taste will still be there. We had this with whole wheat gnocchi and for leftovers the next day I made it with whole wheat rotini. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can white beans
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4-1/2 cup milk (whatever you need to use to make it thinner)
1 avocado
spinach or kale
salt and pepper to taste
pasta or gnocchi

Directions:

1) Melt butter in a pan. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a food processor.

2) Add the white beans, broth, avocado, and spinach to the processor. Blend until creamy. Add milk until it loosens out some.

3) Transfer to a pan to heat up slightly. Add cheese if desired and mix. Add the pasta or gnocchi to the pan and coat well. Top with shredded cheese, or not!

Crockpot White Chicken Chili, by Cheryl

I tried to add quinoa to soak up some liquid, but it didn't have time to fully let it absorb :/

No, just no. I feel like this had so much promise, but it was way too thin to be a chili and lacked that hearty taste. And speaking of taste there was a lot to be desired. I did not like it, Jon thought it was okay, and Julia picked out the chicken and just ate that. At least it was easy to make. Yum? No.

Ingredients (recipe from here):

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans white beans (cannellini, Great Northern, etc.)
2 small cans diced chilis
3 cloves minced garlic
1 small onion, finely diced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano,
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
fresh lime wedges
toppings: avocado, sour cream, cheese, etc.

Directions:

1) Place chicken at the bottom of the crockpot. Top with chicken broth, white beans, green chilis, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-4 hours. Remove chicken breast and shred. Set aside.

2) With an immersion blender, puree a portion of the chili to thicken it leaving some beans whole. Stir in shredded chicken and cilantro. Portion into bowls and top with a squeeze of lime juice. Add other desired toppings.

Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls, by Cheryl

This may be my new favorite go to weeknight meal! My friend Joy made this meal for us about a week after Madeleine was born and it was delicious. After she gave me the recipe I realized that it was super easy to make as well and I typically have all of the ingredients on hand. I just made this for the first time last week and I was not disappointed. You can eat them in a bowl as is with different toppings, or you can put them in a tortilla and have yourself a nice little burrito! Yum!

Ingredients (serves 6-8) from here:

1-1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup brown rice
1 can black beans
1 can corn
Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, shredded lettuce, salsa, hot sauce, diced green onions

Directions:

1) Combine the chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup chicken stock, chili powder, salt, and cumin in a slow cooker. Make sure the chicken is covered - add more stock if not. Cook for 3-4 hours on low.

2) Remove the lid and add the rice, beans, corn, and remaining chicken broth. Cook for another 3-4 hours on low. Check the rice periodically the last hour and stir once or twice to make sure the rice cooks evenly. Add more stock if it looks dry. If there's still liquid left and the rice is done then cook on high with the lid off until the liquid evaporates. Total cooking time should be 6-8 hours.

3) Using two forks, shred the chicken (either in the slow cooker or on a separate plate). Mix all together. Add salt to taste.

4) Place in bowls with toppings or in tortillas.

Socca (Monaco), by Cheryl

This is post #87 for the year 2015, surpassing our other previous record for the year by 7! Will we add to it before the new year?

I completely skipped over Monaco when making my list of countries for my world cuisine theme. Whoops! At least I wasn't too far past the m's. Anyway, it's time to get back on track with my theme. Socca is a popular street food in Monaco and areas along the French Riviera. It's basically a thin crepe or pancake made from chickpea flour cooked on a griddle. People in Monaco and in southern France like to a hot piece of socca with a cool glass of wine. I did make one minor adjustment - the recipe call for the pan to be placed over a solid bed of coals to cook. I figured that my gas stove came close. They came out a little plain when eaten on their own, but made a really good stand in for bread when we had our salmon chowder. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 cups chickpea flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper

Directions:

1) In a blender mix the flour, oil, water, and salt until smooth.

2) Place a heavy frying pan and griddle over medium heat. Brush surface generously with oil. Pour enough batter to cover the pan surface. Cook until bottom is lightly browned and top is dry to the touch, about 3-4 minutes.

3) Slash pancake into random shaped serving sizes. Eat hot!

Black Bean, Shrimp, & Quinoa Bowl, by Cheryl

This recipe comes from Eating Well magazine. It's really easy to make and is very healthy! This is a great filling too if you want tortillas with it... I had it plain as the bowl, but Jon had it with the tortillas. I made a few adjustments: I added shrimp to make it a little more filling for dinner, and avocado because I can't have a Mexican inspired meal without avocado! I wasn't sure how the cabbage would tie in, but it added a nice flavor and crunch! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage (I found this to be too much)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 medium poblano pepper, chopped
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salsa

Directions (original recipe):

1) Cook quinoa according to package directions. Fluff with fork and stir in cumin. Partially cover and set aside.

2) Whisk rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add cabbage and onion. Toss to coat.

3) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add the poblano pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in beans and chili powder and cook for about 2 more minutes.

4) To serve, layer in each bowl: 3/4 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup bean mixture, and 1/4 cup cheese. Top each portion with cabbage mixture and salsa.

5) I marinated the shrimp in lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and salt, and then cooked in a pan.

Wasabi Chickpea Bites, by Diane

This is a Rachael Ray recipe that caught my eye because it seemed like an idea for a new afternoon snack- I've been bored with all my regular ones lately. This came together easily and tasted like a spicy hummus ball! They are supposed to be coated with sesame seeds but I ran out. I also had to add some salt to this which was missing from the recipe (I've included it below).


Ingredients:

1 15 oz can chickpeas
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp EVOO
1 clove chopped garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp lemon zest (I omitted this, I don't like a lot of lemon flavor)
1/3 cup finely grated carrot
1/3 cup crushed wasabi peas
1/4 sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except the last 3 in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Add in the carrot and peas and mix together.

3. Form into 1/2 inch balls and coat with sesame seeds.

4. Refrigerate to set for 30 minutes, or until firm.