Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This one is a great dish for potlucks and make-ahead meals for the week as it seems to only get better in the fridge! And, hear me out, I think it tastes like pizza! 

Going Vegan (and sneak peak recipes for Red and White Quinoa Salad and Tropical Fruit Cobbler)

If you haven't heard already, my good friend Gerrie and I have written a new book.  It's more than a cookbook, its a book about, well,  Going Vegan.  Let me tell you a little bit more about it.

Preorder Going Vegan now!

I am super, super excited about this new book. Why? Because it is so much more than a cookbook. You see, I co-penned Going Vegan with an amazing friend and colleague, Gerrie Lynn Adams. Gerrie is "one of those" vegans. One who cooks without added sugar, oil, or salt. Since you know me, you know that is certainly not my way of cooking...or eating. But, Gerrie knows what she's talking about! As a food scientist and nutritionist, Gerrie has taught me so much about how one can cure what ails them through the food choices that they make. And I was honored to be able to teach Gerrie about some of the horrors of factory farming, animal rights, and the effects animal agriculture has on our environment. And that is exactly the point of this book.

Cold Multigrain Salad

Here's a sneak-peak at one of the recipes from The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, it will be in the chapter about substituting fat in your diet. This one has no added fats!

This Cold Multigrain Salad has no added fats and is full of nutrition.

Cold Multigrain Salad
Low Fat-Corn Free-Nut Free

WARNING: This makes a butt ton of salad...really. Like, so much you can take it to "Food Not Bombs" and feed all of downtown. I make this salad when I am going to a potluck or get together and let the old ladies swoon at the fact that it has less than 1 gram of fat per serving with 2 grams of fiber and 2.5 grams of protein and only 75 calories, which means it only has 1 WW point!

For the Salad:
1 cup dry pearled barley
1 cup dry red quinoa (white will work just fine as well)
1 cup dry wild rice blend
1/3 cup (1 ounce, 28 g) finely chopped green onion
1 shallot, diced
1 bell pepper, cored and seeded, diced (any color is fine)
2 tablespoons (30 g) minced garlic
1 ounce (28 g) finely chopped fresh parsley (about 1 packed cup)

For the dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup Agave nectar
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the salad, first prepare all of your grains. This can take awhile, so it's best to do some of the work in advance. For barley, the ratio is 1 cup barley to 3 cups lightly salted water. For the rice and the quinoa the ratio is 1 cup grain to 2 cups lightly salted water. It is not recommended to cook the grains together. You can, however, cook them in the oven at the same time. Mix the proper ratios, each into a separate covered oven safe casserole and bake at 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) until water is absorbed and grains are tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Fluff with a fork. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Once grains are prepared, mix them all together in a large mixing bowl. Add in the green onion, shallot, bell pepper, garlic and parsley.

To make the dressing, whisk togehter the vinegar, Bragg's, agave, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a separate small bowl.

Add dressing to salad, and toss to mix.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Yield: 24 servings

MexiQuinoa

Try this healthy side dish instead of Mexican Rice with your next Mex-style dinner. It tastes good cold too!

MexiQuinoa is an awesome alternative to Spanish Rice!

MexiQuinoa
Ingredients (makes about 8 servings)
2 cups dry quinoa
4 cups water
15 oz can of corn (about 2 cups), drained
15 oz can of black beans (pinto would work well too), drained
4 oz can of nacho sliced jalapenos, drained
1 cup chunky salsa, of choice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (or lime juice)
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregeno (or 1 tbsp fresh)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional add-ins:
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
extra chopped tomatoes

Directions
In a sauce pot, bring water to boil. Add quinoa, return to boil, then reduce heat and cover to cook, about 10-12 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from Heat. Fluff with a fork, cover and let sit another ten minutes. While quinoa is cooking you can mix all the other ingredients together in a large bowl. When quinoa is ready, mix it into the other ingredients and serve. Tastes great as a hot dish, but even better the next day after all of the flavors have really melded together!

Yield: 8 Servings