Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

HOORAY for awesome recipes!!  I have been trying out new ones a lot lately and luckily finding some gems!

Tonight I made Quinoa Stuffed Peppers and they were a hit!  Hubby even enjoyed them.  They are packed with veggies - which makes me super excited and they pack protein from black beans and quinoa.  I think next time I will use Daiya in lieu of the regular cheese to make it vegan.  Now, if only I could get my son to eat these. 

So here is the recipe – It calls for 4 peppers (so you get 8 halves, obviously) but the mixture makes way more than that.  You can either buy twice as many peppers as it calls for, or save/freeze the rest of the mixture for quick/easy prep next time. 

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
• 2 Tbs. ground cumin
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)
• 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¾ cup quinoa - uncooked
• 3 large carrots, grated (about 1 ½ cups)
• 1 ½ cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided (or other cheese of your choice)
• 4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

2. Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots, and 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. 

3. Meanwhile, cut your bell peppers lengthwise, remove the seeds and ribs and microwave them all together for about 5 minutes – then boil them for a few minutes.

4. When quinoa is done, stir 1 cup of cheese in to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.

5. Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish.  Bake for about 10 minutes, then sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. remaining cheese if desired. 5-10 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving. 

Here is the photo from the website I got the recipe off of:

And of course, here is my crappy cell phone shot of the ones I made.  ;)

I left the cheese off of the tops of some and thought they tasted really good that way/didn't need the extra added.

Cashew-Zucchini Soup

I am so excited to post this recipe.  I am fully aware that it is almost summer (today it was actually even 90° in Minnesota) and people don't typically eat soup when it's hot out... but this soup is that good.  A friend of mine is doing the Beachbody Ultimate Reset which this recipe is a part of the meal plan.  She loved it and shared the it with me.  I was in love, too.  So much that I picked up more ingredients to make another batch, and made it the same day.  Now I'm posting it here with my review and variations. 

Here was her original recipe:
"1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked for an hour in enough water to cover them)
1 large or 2 small zucchini (cubed and steamed)
Basil or dill or whatever fresh herb you prefer. I love basil!
Himalayan Salt 
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend to smooth consistency. Add water to desired consistency.
Transfer to saucepan and gently heat. Do not boil. Optional--add extra steamed veggies once your soup is blended -  I used broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, carrots, zucchini.
MAKES ONE SERVING."


So the first time I made it almost exactly like this except I added a few of the steamed broccoli flowerets and cauliflower pieces to the blender when I blended it all up and added the rest at the end.  I also didn't need to heat it at all because the veggies were still hot from being steamed.  Lastly, doubled the recipe because I love leftovers.  After I blended it all up/before I added the extra veggies at the end, I tried a bite of the smooth, creamy bright green mixture, and it was sensational!  It was like it melted in my mouth!!!   Just simple ingredients, healthy vegetables at that.. but the medley made tasted heavenly!  Then I added the extra veggies, and it was awesome.  If you are one of those people who kind of need to "chew" your food in order to feel full (like if you don't feel full from smoothies or shakes) this may be the way to go for you.   I know the bright green color is different, but seriously, this will melt in your mouth!!!

For me, I sort of preferred the smooth, creamy deliciousness that I fell in love with at first bite, and told myself that the next time I made it, I would blend everything.  


Well I had forgotten that I needed to run to the store to pick up some things for a BBQ tomorrow, so while I was there and was buying a huge container of fresh basil for a caprese salad, I decided I would get the other ingredients to make the soup again, tonight... since I had all that basil.  :)   (and really, all I needed to buy besides the basil was 2 zucchinis because I had the other ingredients at home still)


Here's what I did this time:

All of the ingredients.  The ones on the cutting board are about to be chopped up & steamed. The large container in the back is fresh basil, I didn't use all of this, only maybe 1/2 cup loosely packed.  I also only used about 1/2 of that head of cauliflower, but since I planned to blend everything, I used about 3/4 to 1 cup of soaked cashews, to balance all the extra veggies. 

Being Steamed.  I added the carrot and cauliflower first, because they are harder and take longer to steam.  Then after a few minutes added the zucchini and broccoli.

All in the Vitamix, ready to be blended!  (note, I added the spinach last/didn't steam it because it would blend up regardless and figured it would preserve more nutrients this way)

Blended up!

Portioned.  I know it looks like some kind of ecto-cooler or something, but if you have a love for healthy food, and are open minded to try new foods, I promise you will love this. 

I'm going to freeze some to see how it comes out.

The ONLY thing I don't like about my Vitamix is the odd shape of the container, and the fact that the bottom/blade doesn't come off to it's really hard to scrape everything out of it even with a rubber spatula.  :(   I do want to try it with a food processor too but my food processor isn't as big. 

So there you have it.  Spring (or summer or winter or fall) soup... So delicious!  I hope you try this, and if you do, please post a comment with your review.  :)

A different kind of pasta

Obviously everyone has had the well known favorite pasta - spaghetti with red sauce.  And it's definitely delicious, I don't deny that for one second.  But I recently came across a recipe for a pasta sauce that has a Mexican twist on it.  And it uses black beans to add heartiness and protein where most vegetarian pastas might lack it.  When I first tried it, it was good, but it was missing ...something.  I knew it would be very good with the addition of shredded cheddar cheese (I was right) but I didn't want to depend on cheese to love the recipe, because I want to eventually cut dairy out of my diet.  So when I was having the leftovers, I tried it with a little bit of freshly made guacamole (just simple mashed avocado+pressed garlic+salt) and it was a winner!!   Also you can freeze the sauce if you make a lot and can't use it up before it goes bad.  I love recipes that freeze well! 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Medium onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (4.5oz) can green chiles
1 Tsp chili powder
1 Tsp ground cumin
1/2 Tsp sugar
1/4 Tsp fresh chopped oregano
1 (14.5oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

12 oz. whole wheat pasta

Garnish(es)
1-2 large avocados, mashed
1-2 cloves of garlic, pressed
dash of salt

OR Shredded cheese, for topping



Directions:

If topping with guacamole, first cut avocado in half, scoop it out and mash it up in a small bowl.  Add pressed garlic and salt, mix all together and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt and cook pasta according to instructions on the box.

Meanwhile, preheat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute for 1-2 minutes, when onions begin to turn translucent add the garlic and saute until fragrant, an additional 1-2 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and sugar and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. 

Remove 1 cup of the tomato mixture from the pan and place in a medium bowl along with 3/4 of the can of black beans.  Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until desired consistency is achieved.  (if you don't have an immersion blender you can use a food processor, magic bullet or blender)   Return the mixture to the skillet, along with the 1/4 can black beans and oregano and stir together. 

Divide the pasta evenly among the plates and spoon the black bean sauce over the pasta.  Top with cilantro either the guacamole or cheese and devour!

First (cell phone) picture of pasta topped with guacamole
 

Picture of it all mixed together. It doesn't look as appetizing all mixed up, but it was delicious!

 Recipe source: Adapted from branny boils over originally from American Dry Bean Board

Vegetarian on a Disneyland Vacation

So my family and I just got back from a trip to California.  We were there for four days.  We went to Disneyland, California Adventure Park, two beaches and did some sightseeing around Hollywood Blvd and Beverly Hills.  Before going on our trip, eating was something I was nervous about.  Unlike here, I was not familiar with where I could find a decent meatless meal.  Especially in Disneyland.  And healthy - I like to eat healthy too, but amusement park food doesn't strike me as healthy or meatless.  So I did a little bit of research online ahead of time as to where to eat in the parks that had vegetarian options and made a mental note of them.  But finding them might turn out to be another story, ya know?

Well almost the whole trip, I turned out to be pleasantly surprised.  The only place I had a really hard time ordering a decent meal was the first restaurant we went to on our first night there, right by our hotel.  Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.   They didn't have a single entree that was meatless.  I thought about ordering one of their salads and just asking for it without the chicken, but 99.999% of the time, places charge you full price for the salad even though you got it without the most expensive part - the meat.  And I hate feeling like a "pest" and asking them to take off some $$.  It's just uncomfortable.  I'm not cheap, I just don't like overpaying for things.  Anyway, I ordered a side of mashed potatoes and a side of steamed broccoli for my "meal".  The broccoli had a lot of butter but oh well.  I do wish I had taken a picture though, because it was huge.  I literally needed a knife and a fork to cut & eat it which made it feel a little more hearty, haha.  :)   

Our continental breakfast at our hotel was easy - it was all meatless and not a lot to choose from.  Fruit Loops, or Raisin Bran cereal, muffins, donuts, toast with butter and/or jelly.  Then there was milk (cow's milk - gross), OJ, apple juice and instant coffee to drink. 

Then, on to Disneyland.  One thing I did learn is that when you have specific dietary preferences or restrictions in a place like that, you don't always eat when you're hungry.  Sometimes you eat when you're near a place that you know you can get a decent meal from, because chances are, you (and the people you're with) are not going to want to trudge back there later when your stomach starts to grumble.  Anyway right when we got inside I noticed several fruit stands that had all kinds of good stuff!  Huge wedges of fresh pineapple, mangoes, grapes, hummus & veggies (score!!) so that was pretty cool.  I got a delicious and huge chunk of pineapple that my husband kept eating...  I should have told him, hands off my "weird vegetarian food" buddy!  ;)   Then, not too much later we came across one of the places I had seen online that serves a Vegan Gumbo in a bread bowl (it's labeled as vegetarian on their menu but it's vegan) as well as a Steak Gumbo and a Clam Chowder.  I wasn't particularly hungry yet, but I knew that would be my only chance to get the Veg Gumbo and luckily, everyone I was with was happy to stop and they all ordered a gumbo or chowder themselves.  Mine was delicious and with my belly topped off, I knew I would be good on the food department for a while.   Yum....

A bit later on, after several rides and standing in line etc, my son started saying he was hungry.  We came across "Pizza Planet" (pizza and pasta) inside of Disneyland's "Tomorrowland" and I brought him in and scoped out the different counters to see if I had any options.  Not only was there a "Venus Vegetarian Pizza" loaded with mushrooms, onions, zucchini and red onions, but they also had meatless pasta and a variety of salads, one of which was meatless and possibly vegan.  I know I should have gotten the salad since it is obviously healthy choice, but the salad was $9 whereas the (huge) veggie pizza slice was only $6 something and I wasn't really in the mood for pasta.  So I got the veggie pizza.  And it was delicious.  (no photo though... I'm learning that people think it's weird when I always take a picture of my food  :)

The next day we went to California Adventure Park.  We started out with our mundane continental breakfast from the hotel and then headed out.  The first thing I came across that sounded good was roasted corn on the cob.  It was okay but not very filling and I was wishing for some dental floss for the next hour and a half.  Then we wandered through "World of Color" and I remembered reading online that they have a place with "picnic meals", one of which was vegetarian.  They also had a PB&J meal for kids.  Awesome.   My husband grumbled about the cost ($15/meal) which, I understand that it seems high but it's Disneyland for one.  Andplusalso we paid $9 for our gumbo the day before, but these picnic meals were more complete with a 'main dish' as well as two sides and a dessert.... and it was high quality food (not the normal, greasy amusement park food) and they came with a drink - which drinks alone in Disney cost around $4 each so I thought the cost was well worth it.  I got the Mediterranean Vegetarian that came with marinated grilled veggies in a whole wheat wrap, with garlic hummus, a side of raw zucchini & squash spagettini w/first pressed lemon infused olive oil, vegetable cous-cous with toasted coriander vinaigrette and lemon layer cake.  Yay!  Tyler got the PB & J kid's meal that came with apple slices, a cupcake and a cool light up bracelet and Mike got fried chicken.  My dad and his girlfriend shared a wild salmon plate.   Here was mine:  (photo courtesy of the Disney website)

My meal was delicious, healthy and I was good on the food-front for a while.  :)

At some point later on in the day I had a frozen, chocolate banana with peanuts and then around dinner time everyone was getting hungry again.  My dad and his girlfriend chose some burger place near the Aviator part of the park.  I thought "great.. a burger joint."  (that was my sarcasm font)   At first, in looking at the menu, it seemed there were no entrees I could make meatless.  It was either onion rings or a small side of french fries for me..  The larger side of fries came smothered in chili and cheese.  So I was going to get the small fries and I felt a little bummed that we weren't eating anywhere that had anything else for me.  But as we got closer to the counter, I noticed that in small print on the menu, it said "Veggie burgers available upon request."  Score!!!  I don't have to have french fries for dinner!  So I ordered that and they had a "top-it-yourself" bar where I could add sauces, fresh cut veggies etc all to my liking.  Awesome!  Tyler got mac & cheese with a side of applesauce and everyone else got cow-burgers.

Our last day there began just like the rest with fruit loops and muffins, and then we were off to just explore California.  While we were near Hollywood, my dad's girlfriend mentioned some well known hotdog place called Pink's, that she really wanted to go to.  Again I thought, great... a hotdog joint.  I think she read the disappointment on my face because then she mentioned that they even have a vegan hotdog.  ...okay I'm perking up.   We arrived at this small, run down looking place on the side of the street where the line forms on the side walk, and you walk up to the window and order.  And in looking at the menu - again I didn't see any meatless option.   :(   So again, I was going to get fries, or the chips & guacamole I saw on the menu.  But again, at the last minute my dad's gf handed me a more complete paper menu and low and behold, they listed "The Patt Morrison Baja Veggie Dog (VEGAN) topped w/fresh guacamole, chopped tomatoes and chopped onions".  Sweet!!  I was happy.  I ordered that, and a side of chips & guac, which everyone else was eating.   :)  :)   Now, just to give you an idea, this place is not any old hotdog place.. it's crazy.  The line was long despite it being a place seemingly around nothing else, and their menu was insane.  Here is a pic of my dad's gf's hotdog.  It has bacon, (does a hotdog really need bacon??), sauerkraut, chili, relish, sour cream and who knows what else.  

And here was my veggie dog:

It was pretty good.  

At Santa Monica Pier and beach later on that day, there were people walking around selling huge things of fresh fruit.  I got some watermelon that we all loved, but any time Mike or I would take one bite, Tyler would be asking for it back.... he pretty much devoured it all.  :)

 He looks happy... Look at all that watermelon juice.  :)











For dinner we ate at the California Pizza Kitchen which has plenty of veg options.  I got a Wild Mushroom Pizza with a garlic sauce.. I wish I had gotten the Roasted Vegetable Salad I was also eyeing on the menu, instead of the pizza... which was good but really rich and we were eating late that night so something lighter would have been better.  Oh well, good thing there are California Pizza Kitchens in Minnesota.  :)

The next day we were off to the airport bright and early to fly home.  We didn't have time for the crappy wonderful continental breakfast again (thank God!) so we got breakfast at the airport.  I was planning on getting something NOT from McDonald's but was stopping by there to get Egg McMuffins for the hubby, when I noticed that they had a blueberry-banana-walut oatmeal; which we don't have at McD's here in Minnesota to my knowledge.  So I decided to make things easier for myself and order that ... it was delicious, but probably loaded with chemical crap - err, "ingredients".  Tyler insisted he didn't want anything from McDonald's (good boy!) so we stopped at this little stand at one of the gates that had sandwiches and such.  He wanted a fruit cup and an apple juice.  $9.00 later, he got it.  What the heck.  Oh well, it was an airport after all. 


A lot of what I ate probably was not the best in terms of "clean" and a lot of it was not as healthy as I normally prefer to eat.  But I usually okay choices for what I had available.... and it was vacation after all.  ;)   I'm glad to be back home and be able to work out and plan my meals ahead of time now though.  I just really miss the beach.