Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Share your favorite recipes with us !

I saw this on Facebook. Looks good.

Found this on the net. This looks like another nice way to use quinoa for breakfast and use up ripe bananas.


Apple Banana Quinoa Breakfast Cups

Yield: 12

--Ingredients

½ cup applesauce
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
1 banana for slicing
1 cup cooked quinoa (about ½ cup dry)
2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 apple, peeled and chopped

--Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin (I use olive oil).
2.Cook the quinoa. Bring ¾ up water to a boil, pour in ½ cup dry quinoa, reduce to a simmer until fluffy—about 12 minutes.
3.Mix applesauce, mashed banana, almond milk, honey and vanilla in a bowl.
4.Mix dry ingredients (quinoa, oats, cinnamon) in a separate bowl. Slowly stir the wet into the dry until fully combined.
5.Peel core and chop up an apple. Mix the apple chunks into the bowl.
6.Fill each of the muffin cups to the top with the quinoa mixture. Add a banana slice or two to the top of each.
7.Bake for 20-25 minutes.
8.Let cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy one warm!

--Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat leftovers in the microwave before eating. You can also add some crushed pecans or walnuts to these--experiment!

Good for those that don't do wheat.



Quinoa Almond Flour Pancakes

Prep time 15 mins

Cook time 15 mins

Total time 30 mins

I have included weights for the cooked quinoa and almond flour as the moisture content of both may affect the consistency of the batter. Start with ½ cup milk and use more if needed to reach a thick batter consistency. These are delicate pancakes, so flip carefully.


Serves: 8 servings (16 pancakes)


Ingredients
�1 cup cooked white quinoa (4.7 ounces)
�1 cup almond flour (1.9 ounces - I used Honeyville)
�4 tablespoons coconut oil
�2 eggs
•�-1 cup almond milk, depending on consistency desired
�4 teaspoons baking powder
�2 tablespoons maple syrup
�1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•� teaspoon salt



Directions
1.Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Lightly grease skillet with coconut oil and pour batter into skillet (~ ¼ cup for each pancake). Cook until browned on bottom; flip and cook other side until browned.

Sounds like a healthy way to have pancakes! Yes!

Thanks!! They look delicious!!

What is quinoa? Is it similar to barley or couscous?

Julia wrote: "What is quinoa? Is it similar to barley or couscous?"

Yes, it's a grain. A little pricey I think but worth a try.

Thx Bobbie!

83 Healthy Recipe Substitutions

Not sure the entire link opened for me. Did they explain why red wine in lieu of white wine?

Madrano wrote: "Not sure the entire link opened for me. Did they explain why red wine in lieu of white wine?"

77. Red wine for white wine

While white wine is usually lower in calories, red offers health benefits unmatched by the white stuff, including cancer-fighting compounds and natural cholesterol checks.

Thank you, Alias. I don't think the link fully opened for me, as i mostly just saw photos of one item subbing for another, no explanations.

I like avocados on bread. I don't usually use butter (don't like the oily feeling) and avocado adds that creaminess to a sandwich without the oily feel.

Mashed avocado is also a good substitute for the mayonnaise in tuna salad....but the green colour is a bit off-putting at first. The taste is great, though.

I'll have to try the pureed avocado in brownies idea that's mentioned in the article. That would be an interesting switch.

I've never had the zucchini ribbons but use spaghetti squash to substitute for pasta. It's very tasty with a tomato based sauce.

I'm going to try the grated cauliflower for rice switch soon. I love mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes.

Steel-cut oats are so good!

Great tips! Thanks, Alias.

I love avocados. Believe it or not I just recently started to eat them. I never had them growing up.

My niece does the cauliflower for rice thing. Her husband loves it.

I have a spiralizer. The $15 kind. I love it. I find if I mix the zucchini with some pasta 50/50 it's perfect and cuts the calories of the meal a lot.

Those spiralizers look like such fun! I just turn to Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta.

I never had avocados growing up either. I need to eat them more because I like them....but for some reason I don't bother to buy them often. Maybe it's because I use half and then forget to use the other half before it gets all black.

Petra, your green tuna salad comment made me think of the first time I put a beet in hummus. It turned out bright pink like pay-doh!

Julie wrote: "I never had avocados growing up either. I need to eat them more because I like them....but for some reason I don't bother to buy them often. Maybe it's because I use half and then forget to use the..."

I usually eat half. The other day I tried something and it worked ! I scooped out the unused portion cut into chunks and put it in a very tiny Tupperware. It's small so it filled it up to the top. Maybe because there was little air, it stayed perfect for the next day.

In the past I tried using lemon to retard it getting black. That really didn't work well. I also tried plastic wrap and that also didn't work.

madrano wrote: "Those spiralizers look like such fun! I just turn to Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta."

I saw on TV the Vegetti for $25 that looks even better then their old $15 one. The new one holds the veggie and you turn a crank to spiralize the veggie. I would go with this one if I was buying a new one.

I think it is the same company but I can't find it online.

Anyway, I have some left over spaghetti. I think I will pick up some zucchini or yellow squash and mix the two. Thanks for making me think of it. :)

Alias Reader wrote: "In the past I tried using lemon to retard it getting black. That really didn't work well. I also tried plastic wrap and that also didn't work. ..."

I use plastic wrap and keep the skin on and as long as the wrap is touching the surface everywhere, it lasts for a day or two. But I always forget about it.

Glad to have been of assistance, Alias.

About storing avocados, long ago we learned two things. The first is to store the half with the pit still in it. I guess that retards the change and keeps it as firm as when it is cut. The second is to wrap it tightly, not like a tent but conforming to the shape. We also add lemon or lime juice, which helps in our case. And we rarely keep it more than 48 hours.

Sometimes (particularly if they are going softer than we want), we mash them up and freeze them tightly. We then thaw & use for guacamole or as a spread. I only learned that idea three years ago.

-avocados

I did wrap tightly with the wrap. It still left the top layer brown. It was fine under that, however.

I never thought of freezing them. Thanks for the idea.

When I used the method with the small jar none of it browned. I did use it the next day.

I didn't have avocado growing up either and I have had all the issues previously expressed. But -- I haven't tried the small Tupperware or mashing and freezing. So now to the next experiment. I have two rock hard avocados in my kitchen so it will be soon.

The only reason i thought to freeze the avocado was because our local store sold it that way. I figured i could do the same & it was ideal for thawing as toppings for casseroles, as well as other things. Yum!

Bobbie, over the last two years we've run into avocados which never softened. They began to wither (hard wither, if that's the way to describe it) without ever getting soft enough to eat. It has been weird. We tried all tricks--putting them in paper bags, sometimes adding apples to the bags, for instance, but without success. Now we avoid buying avocados from that particular store.

I am going to have to remember to freeze my avocado when I don't get around to using the other half. Thanks!

Julie wrote: "Petra, your green tuna salad comment made me think of the first time I put a beet in hummus. It turned out bright pink like pay-doh!
..."

LOL! Did you eat it, Julie?
I sometimes have a hard time eating something "weird". I get over it quickly enough but the green tuna salad took a moment or two before I could take a bite of my sandwich.
I also tried barley tea once and had a hard time making myself make a cup because the teabag was so huge. LOL! I took that teabag out of the box a half dozen times before I could put it into the pot and pour water over it. Then it took a few minutes before I could bring the cup to my lips. It's a nice tea, by the way.
I make myself laugh (at myself) sometimes! :D

Yep. And I made it again! It was a good way to use up the beets from my CSA when I don't care for beets. It was kind of fun actually..... :-)

Smiling at your barely tea story, Petra. I'm quite like you. And, Julie, beets are still something i cannot imagine eating voluntarily.

I read "beet" and my brain jumped to the Go-Gos' "We Got the Beat". It's been a crazy week, and it's only Wednesday. :)

That reminds me, I've been meaning to look up a local CSA to join, maybe find produce my toddler (and husband) will actually try. With full expectation that most will end up in the blender...

You guys are crazy (LOL!)......young, baby beets are the best. So sweet and tasty. The big ones can be nasty, I must admit.
The thing with beets is that I never know what to serve them with except poultry. They are too sweet to fit with a lot of meats.
I usually boil them up, cool them, cube and use them in salads.

I love beets ! I buy the Trader Joe's already cooked and vacuum packed ones.

I eat them cold and top them with red onion and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

I like beets but the preparation is daunting. So those already cooked get my attention even though there they sit at the farmer's market in the summer.

I just throw them into a pot of salted water. Skinning is done afterwards when it just slips right off.
Once they are cooked, they can be prepared any way: hot with a sauce or cold, cubed and in salads.

To be honest the beets i have consumed are the pickled kinds. They still taste like dirt, imo. But i haven't tried the baby beets, as they seem to be a rather new development, along the lines of the baby zucchini, et. al.

I don't care for pickled beets.

The Trader Joe's beets are baby beets from France.

I would note if you are cooking fresh beets the leaves can also be cooked an eaten. I've read that they are nutritious.

I would just sauté the leaves in a bit of virgin olive oil and garlic

Pickled beets were a staple in my family -- once upon a time in my childhood, when pickled other things were a regular part of my diet.

My mom's family would purchased from the grocery store a jar of pickled-beets. But after reading the label, I found high fructose corn syrup. This site uses Apple Cider instead . . .

Alias Reader wrote: "I would note if you are cooking fresh beets the leaves can also be cooked an eaten. I've read that they are nutritious.

I would just sauté the leaves in a bit of virgin olive oil and garlic ..."

Yep. Just do with the greens what you would do with any greens. I don't like to eat them alone...I usually cook and mix with pasta or put in a soup or something. But I found when I got them in my CSA I had an easier time using the greens than the beet part.

Carol wrote: "My mom's family would purchased from the grocery store a jar of pickled-beets. But after reading the label, I found high fructose corn syrup. This site uses Apple Cider instead . . . ..."

Good warning, Carol ! We have to read all food labels.

Carol wrote: "My mom's family would purchased from the grocery store a jar of pickled-beets. But after reading the label, I found high fructose corn syrup. This site uses Apple Cider instead . . . ..."

When I was eating pickled beets it was a very long time ago and we were not aware of these issues. Now I would take canned beets and take it from there myself.

Trader Joe's has pickled beets. I would think theirs doesn't have HFC. But I would read the label.

Here is a link from Avocado Central on how to freeze avocado and other tips.

Since I like it in a salad, freezing isn't an option.

Alias Reader wrote: "Here is a link from Avocado Central on how to freeze avocado and other tips.

Since I like it in a salad, freezing isn't an option.

..."

Thanks for finding this!

You're welcome. :)

I basically eat no fat greek yogurt, fruit, tsp. each, flax meal, chia seeds, hemp seeds, what germ and some no fat Trader Joe's blueberry ganola or just uncooked oatmeal flakes, a few unsalted pistachio nuts and sometimes a few pieces of dark chocolate (the kind you put in choc. chip cookies) most days of the week. I thought the addition of quinoa was a nice idea. I have to try this.

This person put it into Mason jars. That's a good idea, too.

I usually make mine the night before and put it in a glass Pyrex container. But you can make a few for the week. Quick, easy & healthy !

Found this on facebook--

Most likely, you know that breakfast is an important part of your day. After you have been “fasting� all night, getting in a wholesome and balanced breakfast will jump-start your day by boosting your metabolism and helping fight cravings throughout the day. If you feed yourself first thing, you may be less likely to binge through the day or overeat at lunch or even dinner.

The problem is, it is so common to be in a hurry in the morning. You are running around getting you, and possibly your kids, ready for the day and it gets hectic. So, I want to make it easy on you and offer you a healthy and balanced breakfast option that is not only easy to grab and eat on the go, but perfect for both you and your kids!

This Quinoa Greek Parfait will help jump-start your metabolism and get your day started out right. Make a few for the week so that you can simply grab your parfait and a spoon and enjoy on the go! With the perfect balance of fruit, complex carbs, healthy fats and just under 300 calories, it is the perfect breakfast meal option to ensure you don’t miss out on the most important meal of the day. Give it a try and let me know what you think!





Gina’s Quinoa Greek Parfait

Ingredients

1/4 cup quinoa, cooked
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 packet stevia
1 tablespoon slivered almonds
1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
1/2 banana, sliced
1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup berries of your choice

Directions

Place the cooked quinoa a medium sized bowl and add cinnamon. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the almond milk for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and stevia. Add almond milk to quinoa and mix well. Add a couple of spoons of quinoa to a glass jar and layer slivered almonds, banana slices, yogurt, shredded coconut and berries. Repeat until the jar is full. Top off with berries and pomegranate seeds as the top layer. Enjoy!

Serving Size: 1

Nutritional Information
Calories: 290 calories
Fat: 12 grams
Saturated Fat: 8 grams
Protein: 12 grams
Carbohydrates: 34 grams
Net Carbohydrates: 27 grams
Fiber: 7 grams
Sugar: 14 grams

Neat idea! Thanks for that, Alias. I don't doctor up my greek yogurt as much as you (usually just blueberries & granola) but feel i could benefit from some additions.

I add a lot because I usually skip lunch when I go to the gym 5 days a week. So my breakfast yogurt is usually close to 500 calories.

I figure with the addition of quinoa, I can get down on the Greek yogurt. Maybe half & half.

Usually, I now buy a nut milk to cut my dairy. I still do eat cheese and Greek yogurt.

One odd addition that I sometimes add to my Greek yogurt concoction is the spice turmeric. No, I don't like the taste !
:-( However, I keep reading how terrific it is for inflammation.

I prefer ginger, it is also an anti-inflammatory, for pain relief (muscle/joint pain, menstrual pain, & migraine headaches.)

Ginger helps for fighting cancer, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, indigestion, asthma, bacterial and fungal infections. It is one of the best natural remedies for motion sickness or nausea (pregnancy or chemotherapy.) But if you use it everyday, it can become an allergy issue.

I was trying ginger tea for a bit. I have to get back into that habit. Thanks for the reminder.

Mmmmmm, ginger tea. I am a fan of ginger. Hadn't thought to put it in my yogurt, though.