Quinoa Caprese Salad

I am always trying to come up with quick dishes to add to the dinner meal besides potato, rice, pasta. I love quinoa for many reasons, one of which is that it is quick cooking. What to add with it to give it some flavor though can be a dilemma. Tonight I tried cooking quinoa in the rice cooker while I went for a run after work. Success! I came back to find the cooker in warming mode and the quinoa cooked perfectly. I threw some cherry tomatoes into the cooker with the quinoa while it was still hot so they would cook slightly. Summer tomatoes always belong with fresh basil, olive oil and mozzarella cheese in my opinion, so a quinoa caprese salad was born. It was a great side dish to some broiled salmon and will be a delicious lunch tomorrow. Enjoy!

Quinoa Caprese Salad
Serves 4 as a side dish

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, finely diced
handful of fresh basil, cut into ribbons
2 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small pieces

1. Add quinoa and broth to the bowl of a rice cooker and cook on the "white rice" setting.  Alternately, add quinoa and broth to a medium pot. Cover, bring to a boil and then decrease heat to low and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes or until broth is absorbed.
2. Once quinoa is cooked, add cherry tomatoes and cover to allow tomatoes to cook and become soft.
3. Drizzle quinoa with olive oil and add garlic, basil and mozzarella. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be served warm or cold.

Brussels Sprouts & Mushroom Saute with Quinoa

I had been thinking about this dish all week before I actually made it. There were some mushrooms  in the refrigerator along with some Brussels sprouts. For some reason the idea of sauteing them together sounded good and the dish evolved from there. It ended up exactly how I imagined- better actually. I love combining different textures, so this dish does not disappoint. There is a base of quinoa, the wilted greens, and some crunch from cashews and a little bacon. When I was done eating I wished I could eat it all over again. This is a very simple, yet satisfying meal. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts and Mushroom Saute with Quinoa
Serves 2 (the picture above was amounts for 1 serving)

3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tbsp oil (I use grapeseed)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock
~1 pound Brussels sprouts, cut into strips as above (~ 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup cashews, toasted
splash of white wine (optional or chicken stock)

1. In a pot heat oil and add quinoa and cook until lightly toasted. (This adds more depth of flavor to the quinoa). Once toasted, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp and then remove pieces to a paper towel. Leave enough fat in the pan to cover the bottom. If not using bacon, heat 1 tbsp oil or enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. Add Brussels sprouts and mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until greens are slightly wilted and mushrooms are cooked. Add splash of wine and/ or chicken broth and cook until liquid is gone, 1-2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fill bottom of a bowl with cooked quinoa, top with Brussels sprout mixture, garnish with bacon (if using) and cashews.

Nutrition Analysis: Per serving-Calories 390, Total Fat 12g, Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 10mg, Total Carbohydrate 51g, Dietary Fiber 13g, Sugar 7g, Protein 17g
Vitamin A 20%, Vitamin C 330%, Calcium 8%, Iron 20%

Breakfast Smoothies

Probably about 2 years ago I started making smoothies for quick breakfasts. The ingredients have evolved depending on what I was into at the time. The result has always been something fruity and filling- perfect for a breakfast on the run. This one may not have the best coloring, but that is because it is full of nutritious ingredients and will be sure to start your day off right!

You can easily make your own breakfast smoothie with ingredients you have on hand. Currently we are having smoothies with spinach or kale, kefir, almond milk, frozen strawberries, ground flaxseed and vanilla protein powder. That combination might not sound the best to you, so how about frozen banana and a dollop of peanut or almond butter and a drizzle of honey?

The other part of making a smoothie is having some type of drink blender. You can spend hundreds of dollars on various blenders. While I personally would love to own a Vitamix or Blendtec, I use a $15 drink mixer from Target. It works just fine for this task.

The addition of spinach or kale is new for us. I wasn't sure about raw spinach for breakfast,  but it literally blends in and does not add any type of leafy flavor to the smoothie. It is a very tasty and easy way to get in some extra vegetables (even if it does make the color of the smoothie slightly less appealing when combined with fruit). Time to pull out your blender!

Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie
1 serving

1 cup raw spinach or kale
1/2 cup strawberry kefir (or yogurt)
1/2 cup plain almond milk (or any other type of milk)
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder*
3/4 cup frozen strawberries(or any type of frozen fruit)
1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1. In a blender, combine spinach, kefier and almond milk. Blend until spinach is combined with the liquids. Add protein powder, flax and frozen fruit. Blend until smooth.

Nutrition Analysis:
Total Calories-260, Total fat- 7g, Saturated Fat- 3.5g, Cholesterol- 50mg, Sodium-230mg, Total Carbohydrate- 32g, Dietary Fiber- 6g, Sugar- 19g, Protein 19g
Vitamin A 60%, Vitamin C 110%, Calcium 25%, Iron 8%

Almond Butter Banana Smoothie
1 serving

1 cup raw spinach or kale
1 cup plain almond milk (or any type of milk)
1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder*
1/2 large banana, frozen
1 tbsp ground chia seed (or flaxseed)
1 tbsp almond butter (or peanut)
1 tsp raw honey

1. In a blender combine spinach and milk. Add protein powder, banana, nut butter, chia, and honey. Blend until smooth and combined. Add ice cubes and blend if a thicker consistency is desired.

Nutrition Analysis: 
Total Calories- 330, Total fat-14g, Saturated fat- 1.5g, Cholesterol-15mg, Sodium- 270mg, Total Carbohydrate- 40g, Dietary Fiber- 7g, Sugar, 23g, Protein 17g
Vitamin A-60%, Vitamin C- 40%, Calcium 15%, Iron 8%

*A full scoop of protein powder could be used for extra protein if desired.

Dill Pickle Dip

Super Bowl Sunday- it is so interesting to me how what an event today has become. Even people who don't watch a minute of regular season NFL football come together and watch the Super Bowl. It really is America's sport and something that seems to bring everyone together- even it is just to see the commercials!

Two years ago we were fortunate to actually go to Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, TX with my dad and brother. For the weeks and days leading up to the game it is a mix of nervousness, unbelief, excitement and anticipation. It was fun to see fellow fans dressed in green and gold all around town in the days before the game. On game day, we arrived early, parked several miles away from the stadium (to avoid the $100 parking fees!), ate a quiet lunch at Panera of all places and then joined the crowds entering the stadium. Aside from it taking 5 hours for my husband and I to actually get in to our seats (yes, 5 hours! We were part of the seating snafu that affected hundreds of fans) it was a very memorable day. It is an extraordinary feeling being at the Super Bowl when your team wins. A mixture of happiness and relief, definitely unlike attending any regular season game. I will always remember turning around to see my dad and brother's faces after the Packers won- pure joy!

Today, when the Packers aren't playing, the outcome is not important to me. We are having some friends over, playing commercial bingo, eating brats and having this dill pickle dip.  Dill pickle dip has been a tradition in my mom's family for at least all of my life (almost 30 years!) and probably longer. I have no idea who started it, but it has been at every Thanksgiving, Christmas and family gathering that I can remember. Aaron now likes it and has started requesting it for our own gatherings. It is typically served with potato chips, but it is also great with carrot and celery sticks. You don't have to be a dill pickle lover (Aaron isn't) to like this dip. The tangyness of the cream cheese mixed with dill, garlic, and Worcestershire just make it a flavorful addition to salty snacks and is somehow different from just biting into a whole dill pickle.

The ingredient list is small, and this is simple and quick to make. I have listed the ingredients and approximate amounts, but taste testing is required to get the flavor just right how you like it. Enjoy!

Dill Pickle Dip

1 block regular or light cream cheese, softened
6+ medium dill pickles, grated
1+ tbsp pickle juice from jar
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork. Taste with a potato chip and add more pickles, pickle juice, garlic and Worcestershire as desired (I ended up adding 2 more pickles, a little  more juice, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire and another sprinkle of garlic powder). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Serve with potato chips and veggies.

Moong Dal with Spinach

I know this doesn't look like much, but trust me, it is delicious. There is rice on the bottom, creamy lentils, spinach and a unique spice combination that makes the flavor unique and very satisfying. This has been a perfect winter lunch this week.

Last year a friend and I took an Indian spices cooking class through Minneapolis Community Education. The instructor was fantastic- teaching us about different spices, having us complete at least part of a dish, having us eat a complete meal and then discussing how each dish is made and the spices in each one. It was very hands on and I left with a wealth of knowledge.

After this class, I felt confident enough to go to an Indian grocery store and fine the appropriate ingredients to made wonderful dal's and curries. This particular dish uses "panch puran" a  combination of spices that are not meant to be used raw or ground. Their are meant to be heated in oil and allowed to pop and bloom. It is a pretty neat technique and that adds incredible flavor.

I also learned about these "bay leaves" which are larger than my hand. These are really "cassia leaf" which is the leaf of a cinnamon tree. Definitely not to be substituted for the typical American bay leaf!
I only made a couple of changes to this recipe from class. It is easy to make and just requires a couple of Indian spices. It is nutritious and perfect for these cold January days.

Moong Dal with Spinach*
Makes 4-6 cups
Adapted from Chef Gayle

1/2 tsp oil (I used grapeseed oil)
1 medium piece of cassia leaf
1 cup moong dal
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp oil (canola, vegetable, grapeseed-something light, not olive oil) or ghee
2 tsp panch puran
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
2 cups fresh spinach
fresh lime, cut into wedges
cooked brown rice or naan to serve with the dal

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the 1/2 tsp oil and when headed, add cassia leaf and moong dal. Sautee lightly for about 3 minutes
2. Add water, tumeric and salt to the dal. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook until dal is soft (~35 minutes). Stir occasionally and add more water if needed.
3. Once the dal is cooked, stir in the coconut milk and allow to simmer for several minutes.
4. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. When heated, add 1 tbsp oil. Once the oil is heated and shimmering, add the panch purah and temper until the mustard seeds pop- be very careful not to allow this to go to far and burn or the flavor will be bitter. This step only should take 60 seconds or so. Remove from heat and add cayenne.
5. Add the panch purah mixture to the dal and stir to combine.
6. Remove the cassia leaf and add the spinach. Cook for several minutes until the spinach is wilted.
7. Serve over cooked brown rice or naan and a wedge of lime.

*This dish can be made in advance and probably tastes better since the flavors are able to develop

Fall Kale Salad

Lately my meals have included a lot of squash. I have tried new recipes and have been experimenting which is very fun for me.  I am learning to love squash and I'm not complaining. Last week we enjoyed a butternut squash lasagna (recipe may be posted soon!) that was unlike any lasagna I have ever had, but it was flavorful and satisfying and I did not miss the meat or a tomato sauce at all. With all of the squash around here, there have not been as many greens. This week I felt like my body was needing some more green vs orange. So I bought some kale and it has been going into everything from smoothies to soups. Kale is surprisingly energizing in our morning smoothies, or at least it felt like it on the day we tried it. I was less hungry during the day and did not even think about needing another cup of coffee like I do most days. Who knew?! With this pumpkin soup, I decided to make a raw kale salad. Normally I would never think of eating kale raw, but when I was in Philadelphia a few weeks ago I had a raw kale salad at Fork that was incredible! The secret to a raw kale salad not being tough, bitter and less than palatable is a nice massage. Massaging the oil or dressing into the leaves and allowing them to sit for a little while takes away some of the bitterness and softens the leaves. This is a hands on salad that is a nice change from romaine or spinach. Enjoy!

Fall Kale Salad

Kale leaves (dinosaur or lacinato is my favorite variety), washed and torn or chopped into fork size pieces
Dried cranberries (soak in orange juice for 30 minutes or overnight for even more flavor punch)
Carrots, thinly sliced or diced
Almond slices, dry toasted
Dijon Vinaigrette

Massage vinaigrette into kale leaves for several minutes or until leaves begin to soften. Allow to sit for 20 minutes or even a few hours. Add other toppings as desired.

Gluten Free Maple-Cinnamon Granola

My favorite breakfast has always been yogurt. When I wouldn't drink milk growing up, I would always eat yogurt and "bodadah" (granola). In high school when I went through a cereal hating phase, I would still eat yogurt. I eat yogurt in the morning several days per week, I usually have another one as a snack at work and I also freeze yogurt for popsicles.

I recently received a yogurt maker for a birthday gift. I can make my own yogurt anytime now and I can be sure it doesn't have any preservatives or additives. It is delicious and also fun for me to be able to make it at home!

As much as I like yogurt by itself, I also like it with a crunch element. This granola is very healthy and tasty. It is just nuts and some coconut, so it is gluten free as well. I would also be great mixed into oatmeal or even having a handful for a snack. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Maple-Cinnamon Granola

Adapted from The Metabolism Miracle

2 cups nuts of your choice (I used pecans, walnuts, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds. Flax seeds and pumpkin seeds would also be good)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 egg white
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used a maple-agave blend syrup from Trader Joes)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1. Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Combine nuts and coconut in a bowl. Add the egg white and stir to combine
3. In a separate bowl combine the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon
4. Pour cinnamon mixture over the nuts and stir to combine
5. Distribute nuts in a layer on the parchment paper
6. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until toasted and starting to brown. Stir every 10 minutes until done.
7. Allow to cool on a cooking rack. Store in an airtight container.

Key Lime Cheesecake Bars (gluten free)

Summer appears to be here! I love the sun, heat and warmth and I can't seem to get enough! My apartment garden is planted, I made my first trip to the farmer's market yesterday and went on a bike ride by the lake where hundreds of people were laying out on beach towels trying to soak up all of the warmth we missed during the winter months. Summer makes me think of crisp salads, fresh fruit, and cold desserts. Lime cheesecake fits right in.

This past weekend we were in Houston, TX for a funeral. Although we were there for a sad reason it was very nice to visit with Aaron's family and to have some delicious food! I had requested some authentic Mexican while we were there. Growing up in Montana I wonder about the Mexican food that I grew up with and how authentic it really is/was. I wanted some real TexMex and I was not disappointed!

We were treated to a fajita feast complete with rice, beans, tortillas, salsa, guacamole, sauteed onions, beef, shrimp and chicken. It was so delicious and something I could eat everyday I think! Of course our trip also included a visit to Fiesta for fresh tortillas. Unfortunately, the store we went to this time did not make any on site, but they did have key limes. . . for $0.88! Yes, $0.88 for that entire bag pictured above. Those are something I will likely not find in abundance in Minnesota, so I brought a bag home. What a better way to use some of them, then a key lime cheesecake! The flavor of lime to me screams summer, so these were a great way to kick off the season. They do have a strong lime flavor which pairs very nicely with the blackberries I found at the market yesterday. You could of course make these with out key limes, but they do have a slightly sweeter flavor that works great in a dessert. Enjoy!

Key Lime Cheesecake Bars with Almond Meal Crust
Makes: 16 bars

For the crust:
2 cups almond meal
6 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp granulated sugar

For the bars:
8oz light cream cheese
4 oz light sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup key lime juice (juice from~8 key limes or 2 regular limes or use bottled lime juice)
zest from 4 key limes or 1 large lime

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients for the crust and press into an 8x8 in pan. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes
2. With a mixer and whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese for about 3-5 minutes or until fluffy.
3. Add the egg yolk and mix for another 3 minutes- mixture will be pale yellow.
4. Drizzle in the condensed milk and whisk another 3 minutes.
5. Add lime juice and zest and whisk again until combined.
6. Pour mixture into prepared crust and bake for about 20 minutes or until set. Allow to cool completely and then refrigerate for several hours before serving (I was impatient so I actually put the pan in the freezer for about 90 minutes)

Nutrition Facts- Calories: 190, Total fat: 14g, Saturated fat: 5g, Cholesterol 55g, Sodium 89mg, Total Carbohydrate: 10g, Dietary fiber: 2g, Sugar 7g, Protein: 5g

What about Gluten Free?

What about Gluten Free?

Gluten free has become one of the more popular dietary trends in the past several years.Probably half of the patients I see ask about it or are trying it. I first became interested in this craze in 2009 when I was put in charge of the celiac disease classes at my workplace. I really didn’t know much about it but quickly became fascinated with the amount of information and people being diagnosed with it. The information was so compelling that I even was tested for celiac disease including lab tests and an upper endoscopy! The following is, in my professional option, what you should know (and do) regarding gluten.

• Gluten is a storage protein found in certain grains, including wheat, barley and rye. GLUTEN should not be confused with GLUCOSE (another term for sugar when it is related to our body’s fuel system). Other grains that contain gluten include bran, bulgur, couscous, farina, durum, orzo, graham, panko, spelt, semolina, udon, and malt. Gluten is very prevalent in the typical American diet. In ancient times, diets included more variety in the types of grains that were eaten. In recent times however, we have primarily limited our grain consumption to wheat and other gluten containing grains. Why this is I am not sure. As we know, wheat flour is a very easy grain to bake with and so maybe it’s ability to be so versatile is the reason it gained popularity. Wheat flour is now used in most snack foods, baked goods, and most cereals. Plus it is used as an anti-caking agent in mixed spices and soups.Malt and malt flavoring also contain gluten. Take a look at a box of corn flakes (corn is naturally gluten free) or many other cereals and you will see “malt flavoring” in the ingredient list. Also, beer is made from malt, making it another gluten-containing product. Gluten is a large molecule that can be difficult to digest for many people, especially with repeated over consumption. With the prevalence of gluten in our food supply, understandably, people can develop an intolerance to gluten.

• Celiac disease is an auto-immune disease in which the body attacks gluten in the digestive track. Our digestive track is full of millions of tiny fingers called villi. These villi are responsible for absorbing nutrients from our food. If someone has celiac disease and consumes gluten, the body reacts, essentially destroying those villi.  A healthy digestive tract looks more like a plush carpet and in untreated celiac disease it looks more like a hardwood floor. Left untreated, the person can experience serious nutritional deficiencies and a host of other symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, weight loss/gain, headaches, skin rashes, and growth problems in children. For a person with celiac disease it is imperative that they follow a gluten free diet. Even the tiniest amount of gluten in their food can set off a reaction that may leave them sick for weeks. By following a gluten free diet, a person with celiac disease can heal their digestive tract to look and work normally again.

• Currently 1 in 100 people has been diagnosed with celiac disease. It is genetic meaning you must have the genes- HLADQA and HLADQ2 in order to have celiac disease. What you may not know is that 30% of the population has the genes for this disease. So a larger percentage of the population could have celiac disease and this is maybe why it is becoming more common. Typically there is a “trigger” that causes a person with the genes for celiac disease to convert to actually having the disease. We don’t know exactly what triggers it but some ideas include experiencing a particular traumatic or stressful event, surgery, pregnancy, viral infection, another autoimmune diseases (such as type 1 diabetes), antibiotic overuse (think about the antibiotics in our food supply and the prevalence of people seeing doctors and taking antibiotics these days), and overconsumption of gluten.

• The gold standard for diagnosis of celiac disease is to have an upper endoscopy with biopsy. A gastroenterologist can take a sample of the intestine and have it tested for celiac disease damage. There are also blood tests that are usually taken which can be suggestive but not diagnostic. It is important to have the official diagnosis of celiac disease so that you know for sure how closely you need to follow a gluten free diet. If a person does not have the disease, they may consume gluten and feel some symptoms if they have an intolerance to gluten. If a person has the disease and continues to consume gluten (even in small amounts) they could be doing damage to their intestines and overall health. I have had several patients who do not experience any symptoms, yet tested positive for celiac disease.  Most people do have severe symptoms, making it easier to stick to the diet, but still it is important to know for sure whether it is a disease or intolerance.  Since it is genetic, if a person does test positive then they know that family members should be made aware as well.

• What should you do? Realize that for many people, gluten free is more than a fad and the latest weight loss trend, it is a matter of extreme importance and priority. If you think you might have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance see a gastroenterologist and have the appropriate tests. Do I recommend the average person go completely gluten free? No. For the person without celiac disease, a gluten free diet is not necessarily healthier. Many gluten free packaged products are high in fat, sugar and carbohydrate. I have had many patients gain weight and have higher blood sugars after starting to eat gluten-free. Instead focus on eating a balanced diet. Some people do lose weight on a gluten free diet because they focus on the naturally gluten free foods like- fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, legumes, nuts, and other whole grains while eating  less processed and packaged foods.  I do promote eating and experimenting with a variety of grains. I currently have almond meal, millet flour and rye flour I am excited to try. There is no need to just eat wheat- many other grains are more nutritious and flavorful like quinoa, teff, millet, chia, flax, and amaranth as examples.  Don’t be afraid to try something new and embrace some of the gluten free grains but also do not let yourself be caught up in a diet craze unless it is necessary to your health.

A Few Recommended Resources:

• Good to The Grain- cookbook focusing on baking with a variety of grains
• www.101cookbooks.com Excellent blog with many recipes that use different grains. Also check out her cookbooks Super Natural Everyday and Super Natural Cooking
• Gluten Free Girl- This book really sparked my interest in celiac disease. It is the story of Shauna’s relationship with food, life and diagnosis with celiac disease. She also writes a blog with her husband

References for this Article:

Celiac Disease & Gluten Free Diet Information

www.celiac.com

Gluten-Free Diet, Shelly Case

Gluten Intolerance Group

 www.gluten.net

University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center

www.celiacdisease.net

Red River Celiacs Gluten Intolerance Education Conference Fargo, ND 2009

American Dietetic Association

www.eatright.org

Gluten Free Recipes from Fresh Fare:

• Bacon, Beans & Potatoes 
• Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
• Beans & Rice
• Black Bean Brownies 
• Caprese Salad
• Crispy Tofu
• Crock Pot Beans
• Dal Makhani (Creamy Black Lentils)
• Guacamole 
• Kale Chips
• Mango Edamame Salsa
• Parmesan Potato Strips
• Quinoa Tabouli
• Roasted Broccoli
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts 
• Roasted Tilapia
• Roasted Radish Medley
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Russell Pico de Gallo 
• Saturday Morning Frittata
• Shrimp and Grits
• Spiced Applesauce 
• Steak Fajitas 
• Steak Salad Bowl
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Veggie Stir-fry With Egg
• Whole Grain Waffles
• Winter Squash Medley
• Zucchini Quinoa Salad
• Zucchini Saute