Recipes

20-Minute Creamy Quinoa with Mushrooms and Kale

This is an easy to prepare 20 minute entre. Quinoa is packed with protein. Cremini mushrooms are a very good source of B-vitamins and iron and kale is loaded with anti-oxidant vitamins and folate making this a very well rounded vegetarian main dish. I’ve used plain Mediterranean style yogurt in place of sour cream to make this dish “creamy”. To make a vegan version swap yogurt for a non-dairy sour cream (available at most health food stores).

A gluten-free 20-minute meal created by Rebecca Sutherland at Vive Nutrition

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8oz pkg sliced cremini mushrooms
1 tsp dried basil, 1-2 tbsp fresh if you have it
1 tsp dried oregano, 1-2 tbsp fresh if you have it
1 bunch kale, chopped. If you don’t have kale use whatever green veggie you have on hand, spinach, broccoli, swiss chard
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
3/4 cup plain yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions
Bring water and quinoa to a boil and then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes. While quinoa is cooking dice onion and heat oil in a large frying pan that has a lid (often called a chicken fryer, not that I’ve ever fried a chicken in mine!). Sauté onions until they begin to soften, add garlic, mushrooms and spices and continue to sauté. Chop kale as the onions and mushrooms cook and then add to the pan and cover with the lid. Let steam for 5 minutes, lift lid and stir in cherry tomatoes, cooked quinoa and yogurt. Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with a little grated parmesan cheese if you’d like.

 

Tomato Cucumber Rice Salad

A quick-to-prepare cold rice dish with mint and a lemon dressing. It’s a great way to use leftover rice and makes a great weekday lunch. The tomatoes and cucumbers are colourful and you can easily double the recipe for a group (picnics, barbecues etc.). It’s also a good make-ahead meal – the flavours really come together overnight!

A gluten-free, dairy-free recipe, adapted by Rebecca at Vive Nutrition, from the Herbal D-tox Cookbook For Cleansing.

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked rice (I used brown basmati but any long grain rice will do) or 3 cups leftover rice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved if they are big (use any tomatoes - whatever you’ve got on hand)
1 cup diced cucumber (you can use zucchini in the summer when it’s fresh)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbsp green onion, chopped, white and green parts
Optional Protein - 1 can rinsed chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Cook rice according to directions (1 1/2 cups to 2 cups of water depending on the type of rice, white or brown). Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl or jar mix olive oil and lemon juice.
In a large bowl mix rice, tomatoes, cucumber, mint and sunflower seeds.
Pour dressing over and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Variations
You can add avocado. Change the mint to cilantro and the lemon to lime. Add cumin and cayenne to the dressing. Add a rinsed can of black beans instead of chickpeas to increase the protein in this salad.