Summer Stir-fry with Coconut Quinoa: 15 Dollars... 15 Minutes... Done!

If you are what you eat, then I am one big rotisserie chicken. My childhood dinners revolved around lemon-pepper chicken from the local grocery store. Sharona (as we lovingly call my mom) has always been a practical woman - in fact, we tease that she is practical to a fault. While you'd think this character trait would manifest itself in a financial sense, it was most obvious on the dinner table... in the form of a rotisserie chicken.

If I asked her today why she subjected us to so much poultry, I'm sure she would say something to the effect of "Why would I spend hours prepping, seasoning and roasting a chicken myself when I could just grab one in the grocery store check-out line and heat that sucker up?"

Touché, Sharona. Touché.

See how big that bow is? I won't even start on the lace collar.

I see her point. I really do! Wasting an afternoon cooking a chicken is completely impractical. Not to mention, it's HOT down South (no need to linger in the kitchen longer than you have to). But man, I despise rotisserie chicken almost as much as the ginormous hair bows and matching dresses she dolled me up in for Sunday School! 

So... for me and my family (which currently consists of 1 fiancé and 1 cat-dog), a practical dinner means anything BUT chicken! Today, I thought I'd walk you through a quick 15-minute meal that will only set you back $15 (or less!).

...and just so we don't hurt her feelings too much, we're going to "Southern-ize" it by adding some okra and green beans (but definitely not some chicken)! 

Ready for Summer Stir-fry with Coconut Quinoa? Let's get started...

You'll need 2 (16 oz.) bags of frozen green veggies (or fresh! even better!) - we chose organic green beans and okra.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of quinoa...

...with 2 cups of coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes (no peeking).

Meanwhile, sauté 4 cloves of garlic in 2 Tbs. of sesame oil over medium-high heat.

Add both bags of frozen veggies and mix well.

As the veggies cook, pour in a bit more sesame oil (approx. 1-2 Tbs)...

...and 3 Tbs. soy sauce.

Add sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

Looking good!

Cover the pan and let the veggies steam for 2-3 minutes.

Remove the lid and add 1 heaping Tbs. of honey (raw and local if you have it!).

Let the veggies cook for a few more minutes until done. Right before serving, add a few more splashes of coconut milk and allow to warm through.

Serve over the coconut quinoa with a large slice of lime and a sprinkling of black sesame seeds. This recipe will make 2-3 servings.

And of course, no meal is practical unless it's also nutritious! 

OKRA - One of my favorite vegetables! The vitamin A in okra helps maintain healthy mucus membranes and gives your skin that healthy glow! Okra is also full of antioxidants, which control inflammation within the body, and it has even been shown to aid in blood sugar stabilization.

GREEN BEANS - Green beans are packed with fiber, which keeps your digestive system in proper order, as well as protein, which helps your body repair and build muscle tissue. The high antioxidant content in green beans also plays a major role in strengthening the immune system and keeping you healthy!

COCONUT MILK - Coconut is a great source of healthy, plant-based fats. It's been shown to regulate blood sugar, improve calcium and magnesium absorption in the body, boost the thyroid and help support the immune system.

QUINOA - Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids (amino acids are essential for building and repairing muscles, tissues and organs). Plus, quinoa is packed with antioxidants which work to prevent damage to cells by cancer-causing free radicals.

With all these amazing health benefits, no need to feel shy about diving into your dinner!

Friends Who Cook: Simply Delicious Mediterranean Grain Salad

You remember my guest contributor Sarah Kagan, the Costa Rican jungle cook and blogger behind Beyond the Batter? Well, today I'd like to sing her praises... toot her horn, if you will. Sarah and I were on a conference call after work on Wednesday and while we were on the call, she whipped up the most fabulous, healthy dinner for me right before my eyes. I held the phone, and she made the dinner. 

Clearly I lucked out on this deal.

When a recipe is simple, part of me assumes that it must not be that good. To me, the complication factor of a recipe lends the dish distinct flavors and textures, whereas simple recipes oftentimes fall short.

But boy was I wrong. I literally had seconds... then thirds of this dish. It was a healthy indulgence, as opposed to my utter gluttony at Farmstead last week.

So, because this dish literally took her 20 minutes to make and was deemed 'oh so delicious' by yours truly, she's allowing me to share the secret recipe. I told you she's a doll.

Oh... and did I mention Sarah just completed another half marathon last weekend in DC?!? She runs AND she cooks! Some people just have it all!

Cook 1 cup of dry grains according to package directions. We used freekeh because we had a free sample from the Vegetarian Food Festival, but you could use brown rice, quinoa, barley, millet... anything really! Quick Tip: When you place a clean dish towel under the lid for the last few minutes, it helps the grains fluff up better!

While the grains are cooking, dice 2 yellow, orange or red bell peppers and finely chop a large handful of fresh basil (there is no exact measurement here, the more the merrier). Combine the peppers and basil in a large mixing bowl.

Add a large handful of pistachios. Any nut will work here... be creative!

 Once the grains are cooked, add them to the bowl and mix well. Dress it with a mixture of 4 Tbs olive oil, 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar, 1-2 Tbs. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. If you need more dressing, just work based off these proportions.

We served our grains with roasted asparagus (easy recipe here) and an avocado, grapefruit and radish salad. Oh... and a glass of red wine. What's dinner without that?

Have a lovely weekend!!

Spaghetti Squash: A Healthy Twist on a Classic Meal!

Image courtesy of justtosaywetried.tumblr.com

Who here loves spaghetti as much as I do? Spaghetti was ALWAYS my go-to dish in the elementary school cafeteria. When that savory smell started wafting through the halls of my school, I couldn't get to lunch fast enough. Who cared about taco day or sloppy joe day (or my white shirt, for that matter) when there was spaghetti to be eaten! My love for spaghetti didn't stop at school though, spaghetti was a staple in my family. My grandmother made it for us when we went to visit, my mom threw it together for a quick dinner and even my dad had a special spaghetti sauce recipe up his sleeve.

Shamefully, I never knew how to make spaghetti. My version of spaghetti involved a saute pan, a jar of Classico and a package of spaghetti noodles. Walah! Done in under 10 minutes! Now, while a jar of Classico or Prego isn't all that bad in the taste department, let's be honest! Homemade is just SO MUCH BETTER!

Image courtesy of steamykitchen.com

So today, I stole Adam's spaghetti recipe and added my own twist to make it healthier! Have you ever heard of spaghetti squash? This winter squash is pretty unusual. It's a close relative of the melon and the cucumber, but once you cook it, the flesh falls apart into strings of 'spaghetti'. Besides being so fun to make (kids will love scraping the inside and watching it transform into spaghetti), spaghetti squash is an excellent addition to your meal because it's full of...

OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS - I'm sure fish come to mind when you hear the term omega-3's, but fish are not the only way to get them! The omega-3's in spaghetti squash help prevent heart disease, cancer and arthritis inflammation, and the omega-6's found in squash promote brain function.

CAROTENOIDS - Carotenoids are the natural pigments found in plants - they make the tomatoes red and the squash yellow. Spaghetti squash, and other winter squash, are chock full of them. The beta-carotene and alpha-carotene found in spaghetti squash are converted by your body into the form of vitamin A that you need to maintain normal vision and glowing skin. They also act as antioxidants, helping your body prevent and fight inflammation. Now tell me, does your pasta do that?

FOLATE - I talk a lot about folate. The natural form found in food is EXTREMELY important in preventing birth defects and helping the body repair damage. Folate can play a major part in cancer prevention, and you need to make it an important component of your diet. Eating spaghetti squash is an easy way to do just that!

POTASSIUM - Bananas aren't the only good source of potassium! C'mon, you can be a little more creative than that! Spaghetti squash provides a solid contribution to your required daily value of potassium, which your body uses to keep your muscles and nerves functioning! 

VITAMIN C - Your body needs vitamin C to support a healthy immune system. Vitamin C scavenges your body for cancer-causing free radicals and helps to neutralize them. It also makes collagen, a type of skin tissue that aids in wound healing and repair.

So you see, you could make spaghetti the old-fashioned way OR you could increase your meal's nutritional content by substituting spaghetti squash. If you cook it correctly, the squash tastes fairly neutral and won't affect the taste of your favorite dish! Even Adam was pleasantly surprised! 

So here we go... healthy spaghetti with spaghetti squash!

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the outside of the squash and pat it dry.
Then, if you're not a man, find one. Sometimes you need a little extra muscle to cut the squash in half length-wise.

Now get rid of the man (j/k) and scoop out the center.
You'll want that part to look clean and smooth when you're finished.

Fill a baking dish with 1/2 inch of water and lay the squash in (cut side down). Pop into the oven and set your alarm
for 45 minutes. Cooking can take anywhere from 45-60 minutes, so you'll want to check it along the way.
Meanwhile, on to the sauce...

I like to prep everything before I start cooking. NOTE: This recipe is for 1 batch of spaghetti (makes 3-4 servings).
You can easily double to have tomorrow's dinner ready and waiting! Finely chop 2-3 cloves of garlic.

Finely chop 1 medium-sized red onion.

Chop 1 package of white button tomatoes.

Chop 1 can of small black olives (or leave these out if you don't care for them). At this point, you can also
use a potato peeler to peel a few carrots. I use the potato peeler because it gives me see-through slices that I can't
create with just a knife.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1-2 Tbs. of extra virgin olive oil.

Throw in the garlic, red onion, and carrot slices (optional). Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now, instead of using ground beef, we opt for lean ground turkey. I swear you won't notice the difference and
you'll be doing your body a favor.

Add the turkey to the garlic/onion mixture and cook all the way through (approx. 5 minutes - no pink left).
While it's cooking, spice it up a bit with a dash of pepper, garlic salt, dried basil or red pepper (whatever you like)!
Once it's cooked, if your pan is swimming in oil or fat, just dump a bit out (if you don't, the sauce will end up soupy).

Now add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.

Throw in the olives, 1 can of diced tomatoes and 1 large can of crushed tomatoes.

Because I'm obsessed with spices, I add a bit more at this point. Make it your own!

Now I don't believe in sugar, but Adam does. It will make your spaghetti taste a little more sweet. Add 1 Tbs. at your own discretion (by no means is this a requirement). 

While the sauce is heating through, add 1-2 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar.

Once it's heated through, you're done! Look at that beautiful sauce! 

Now for the squash... it's done with you can pull it into strands with a fork and it still retains it's shape. We had a
humongous squash and it took exactly 1 hour. A small or medium squash will be closer to 45 minutes.

Have fun scraping the insides into spaghetti. I recommend putting the strands in a strainer
to remove excess water (just like you'd do for pasta). 

Then plate that healthy spaghetti up and enjoy! Think anyone will notice the difference?