At a recent menu discussion, my friend suggested we include a quinoa salad and I found myself instinctively responding with a categorical No. I guess, I had just a few too many bland quinoa salads lately. Little did I know that once I tried this quinoa and grape salad from Katie Quinn Davies’ latest book “What Katie Ate on the Weekend”, I’d be converted back to finding quinoa party salads not just an “ok option”, but actually a delicious hit. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Don’t Ditch The Quinoa Just Yet”
Tag: Quinoa
Make Space for Quinoa Pizza Crusts
It usually happens in one of two ways. Either, a recipe jumps at me out of a cook book or magazine and I go home with the urge to immediately experiment with it, or it grows on me over time until I finally try it. Quinoa pizza falls into this latter category. I’ve heard of it, I’ve seen it, I meant to try it, but when my friend Karyn praised it, I just had to see what the hype was all about. And boy, do I understand it now. And if you give this quinoa pizza crust a try, so will you. Come and cook with us!
The recipe seems easy enough if a little time consuming as the quinoa needs to soak for about 8 hours. So we prepare it in the morning if we want pizza for dinner. After the soak, the quinoa gets blended with water, spices and herbs until it forms a pancake batter. Pour it, bake it, top it and you have yourself a delicious gluten free pizza that surprisingly doesn’t really taste like quinoa at all.
Next up will be cauliflower pizza crusts. In the meantime, let me know what you think of the quinoa option. We love it. Come and cook with us!
Spring for Green
The change happens suddenly. One day you crave hearty food that warms your body and soul and the next day you wake up to Spring. In Northern California it has finally arrived. Well, maybe winter never really came. But that’s another story. Let’s just say that when we planned our menu for St.Patrick’s we opted for a pesto pasta. When the actual day finally rolled around, I suddenly found myself opting for a lighter, fresher and more season-appropriate meal featuring leafy greens, shoots and fresh herbs in a perfectly Green Avocado Quinoa salad – an instant classic. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Spring for Green”
What’s New on the Menu?
One of the reasons I love my mom’s cooking is that she is the queen of mixing things up. Never will you see the same dish twice within a short period of time. In fact, I never hear even the slightest hint of indecision when it comes to picking her next meal. She just knows, always changing things up, cooking with the seasons and making the most of what she has around. It’s a skill and while I try to use my full repertoire of cook books, I sure could use a little help in keeping the menu new and interesting. Which is why I love the pile of recipe ideas on my desk. These words on paper scream out to me. They want a chance to turn into successful and well-liked dishes so that they can move from anonymity to prominence in my beloved recipe box. This is how I keep things interesting for the boys who are the ultimate hungry guinea-pigs, and luckily very rewarding in their role. Today I’d like to share a few of my latest discoveries which are taking up permanent residency in our menu of ideas. Hope you take them into consideration as well. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “What’s New on the Menu?”
Quick Quinoa and Vegetable Bowl (à la Café Gratitude)
In several locations in California (both Northern and Southern) there is a great vegan café called Café Gratitude. Its raw and cooked vegan and vegetarian items are thoughtfully prepared, and delicious. One item on the menu that Kathrin and I love is the vegetable grain bowl. This week we pay homage to that delicious dish with our own preparation – the Quick Quinoa and Vegetable bowl. This dish, while not quite a 15 minute “Dinner Winner”, deserves to be in that category for it’s simple preparation, easy adaptability, and delicious results. Continue reading “Quick Quinoa and Vegetable Bowl (à la Café Gratitude)”
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