Lemon Quinoa Tabouleh

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With both Punxsutawney Phil and Staten Island Chuck in agreement that Spring will be here in short order, I am already looking forward to citrus, tomatoes, fresh herbs and leafy greens!

Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this naturally gluten-free gem of a recipe, bursting with color to the eye, and certainly as colorful to the palate:

Lemon Quinoa Tabouleh

courtesy of The Diva Dish

Ingredients:

1/2 c. dry quinoa
2 c. vegetable broth
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
2 avocados, diced
2 c. spinach, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro*, finely chopped
1/4 c. onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Dressing:

Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. cumin
Dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. 

2. In a large saucepan, soak the quinoa in the vegetable broth for about 15 minutes off the heat. After that, turn on the heat to medium high and let the quinoa come to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to medium-low and let quinoa simmer. Stir every so often, and cook quinoa for about 20-25 minutes, just until the liquid absorbs. With a tiny amount of liquid remaining, remove the quinoa from heat and cover. Set aside to cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, cilantro, onion and garlic. Add the chickpeas and stir until everything is combined. Once the quinoa is cooled, add quinoa to the mixture.

5. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, olive oil, agave and spices together. Pour dressing over the salad mixture, and mix until well combined. Gently mix in the tomatoes and avocado. Allow flavors to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.

*For those who do not care for the taste of cilantro, flat-leaf parsley is a perfect substitute!

BLT Corn Salad Wraps

When I saw this recipe by Joy the Baker, I gasped ... pretty much all of my favorite foods in one bite, folks! Can we say "summer party" please? I cannot wait to whip these up! Make sure to get the full recipe here.

xx JN

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Herbally Speaking: Fresh Basil

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When I hear the word basil I immediately think of fresh pesto or a delicious Caprese salad. But ironically enough, the uses of fresh basil far outweight its common association with Italian cuisine.

In addition to being a sweet, pungent culinary seasoning, basil is also known as a medicinal herb. Basil is a household name, familiar in many a tomato-based dish. However, this herb does complement foods such as meat, poultry, salads, soups and pasta. Not only does basil enhance the flavors of these dishes, but it also is known to aid in digestion.

While doing my research on one of my most favorite herbs, I found it rather interesting that in past centuries basil was frequently used to purify the mind and open the heart, leading herbalists to consider basil a mild antidepressant. Nowadays, basil is recommended as an antispasmodic used to treat motion sickness, vertigo, nausea and other intestinal problems. There is also a connection between the use of basil and subsequent alleviation of headaches and migraines, head colds and other respiratory illnesses. Some use it to ease tension and induce sleep, while others use basil as a kidney and bladder detox.

Homeopathic Uses:

Essential Oil

• Add several drops to your bath to ease tension and raise your spirits
• Dilute oil and use on your skin to treat acne by applying with cotton balls
• Create a tent over a pot of boiling water with several drops of basil oil and inhale for relief of a headache, chest and/or head cold

Basil Infusion Tea
Pour about 1/4 cup of boiling water over 2 tsp. of fresh basil leaves. Steep for 10 minutes and drink the infusion twice daily; after 8 days take a break for 2 weeks, and then repeat the treatment. This tea will aid in digestion as well as treat bladder and kidney inflammation.

My Favorite Recipes:

Over the course of August, I'm trying out your recipes that include this incredible herb! I'll be reporting back on my favorites and sharing them with all of you. In the meanwhile, here are a few of mine:

Homemade Pesto
1/2 cup pine nuts (pignolis)
3 tablespoons diced garlic (typically about 9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves (stems removed), packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the pine nuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is finely pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Serve, or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Tomato Basil Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 medium size onion)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste

Large handful chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (approximately 2 tablespoons)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1-1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet (I use my smaller Le Creuset oval oven). Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. (Do not let the garlic burn!) Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Heirloom Tomato Sandwich with Basil Mayonnaise

Red Potato Salad

It's that time of year ... block parties, summer BBQ's, holiday weekends & family reunions. Here's one side-dish that never fails to please - I made it for the family this weekend and wanted to share it with you!

Red Potato Salad
Serves 6 to 8

3 pounds red potatoes
1 cup real mayonnaise (there is no substitute here)
1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock
2 TBS Dijon mustard
2 TBS whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced red onion
salt & pepper

Wash the potatoes with the skins on and place in a large stock pot with 2 tablespoons salt. Cover with water.

Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a large colander and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Leave the potatoes to steam for about 15-20 more minutes. They will be tender, but firm.

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, white wine or stock, Dijon and whole-grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Return to the fridge.

Once you are able to handle the potatoes with your hands, cut them into large, bite-sized pieces. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Chop the celery and red onion and set aside.

Pour a good portion of the dressing over the potatoes. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons salt and another teaspoon of pepper. Toss the ingredients well, cover and refrigerate. Keep the leftover dressing and use it to moisten the salad before serving.

Avocado Wasabi Salad

The moment I spied this recipe for Avocado Wasabi Salad this morning, I have been salivating ever since! Avocado + Wasabi + Salad = Delish!

(Thank you, VeganYumYum!)

Avocado Wasabi Salad
Serves 4-6
Salad greens of your choice
1 Carrot, shredded
2 tsp Vegetable Oil, divided
1/2 to 3/4 Cup Broccoli, chopped small
1/3 Cup Toasted Slivered Almonds
Wasabi Chickpeas (recipe below)
Avocado Wasabi dressing, (recipe below)
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Wasabi-Tamari Chickpeas
1 tsp Oil
1 Cup Chickpeas
1 tsp Wasabi Powder
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 Tbs Low Sodium Tamari/Soy Sauce

Avocado Wasabi Dressing
1 Ripe Avocado, diced
2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
3 Tbs Hummus, plain or garlic
1 tsp Stoneground Mustard
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Wasabi Powder
1/4 to 1/3 Cup Vegetable oil

Begin by whisking the dressing ingredients together, except for the oil. Whisk until smooth. If your avocado isn’t super ripe, you may wish to blend the dressing in a food processor. Slowly add oil until emulsified and the dressing is smooth, refrigerate until ready to use.

Toast your almonds in a dry pan over medium heat if they are not already toasted. Set aside.

In the same pan, add 1 tsp of oil and add broccoli. Sautee over high heat until the broccoli is beginning to color in spots and is bright green, but still tender-crisp. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside.

Add the second teaspoon of oil to the same pan and add the chickpeas. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook the chickpeas until they are golden on all sides, using a spatula to loosen them as necessary, but don’t worry if they stick a little. Add the wasabi powder, sugar, and tamari and stir well. Remove from pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, add your salad greens. Add the broccoli, 3/4 of the chickpeas, 3/4 of the almonds, and 3/4 of the carrots. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Plate the salad, and garnish the top with the remaining chickpeas, almonds and carrots. Crack fresh black pepper over the top. Serve immediately.

If you are serving the salad later, do not add the dressing until the last minute.