Quinoa Archives - Cats Love Cooking

Posted on December 28, 2015 Posted by cats

Quinoa Bircher with Persimmons & Petals

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Would it be presuming of us to think that a few of you are reading this post in horizontal position? We are imagining you lying on the couch with a big bowl of Christmas food leftovers balancing on a pillow next to you and a pile of cookies on the sofa table? It’s how these days between Christmas and New Year usually are spent. And rightfully so, after all the holiday craziness it’s nice to just doze away for a while.

But sometime soon you will probably start feeling for something fresh again. Regardless if it is tomorrow or next year, we’ve got the perfect recipe for you. It’s a true breakfast revelation, and such a pretty one as well.

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First time we tried quinoa bircher was at one of the many trendy Melbourne cafes, one year ago, and then again at Satan’s Coffee Corner (that name!) in Barcelona. We knew that we had stumbled over something great and have since then been experimenting with our own quinoa/buckwheat/oat bircher recipes. Simply explained, this bircher is made by mixing quick-cooked quinoa (making it more crunchy than mushy) with oats, yogurt (or coconut yogurt), vanilla and ginger. Then we top it with ripe persimmons, nut butter, bee pollen and these beautiful edible flower petals that we found at a local store. The result is a creamy and fresh breakfast that is super satisfying and really delicious. The petals actually taste surprisingly good – very flower-y – and suits this dish really well, but we mostly use them because they are pretty. If you can’t find any, feel free to make this dish without them.

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With this post, we also want to wish you all a happy end of the year and hope that you will get a great start of the next one! We are honestly so happy and grateful to have you reading our posts and trying our recipes. We have a bunch of special and exciting things (new book coming out!) for you in 2016, so stay with us.

Big big LOVE!
/David, Luise, Elsa & Isac!

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Quinoa & Oat Bircher with Persimmons & Petals
Serves 2-4

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa + 1 cup water (or 1 cup leftover cooked quinoa/millet/buckwheat)
1 pinch sea salt
1 cup rolled oats or jumbo oats
2 cups unsweetened creamy greek yogurt or non-dairy ‘yogurt’
1/4 tsp ground vanilla or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger

Optional toppings
persimmon or other seasonal fruit
nut butter
bee pollen
dried flower petals
maple syrup

Quick-cooked quinoa: Place 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa, 1 cup water and a pinch of salt in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat immediately to a bare simmer and let gently cook for about 8 minutes. The texture should be soft with a crunchy feeling (think al dente). Drain the excess water and set aside to cool in a mixing bowl.

Combine the quick-cooked quinoa with oats and stir in yogurt, vanilla and ginger. Serve in two large bowls or four smaller and top with thinly sliced persimmon, nut butter, bee pollen and petals. Drizzle over a teaspoon maple syrup if you prefer it a little sweeter.

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. This recipe is ideal for preparing ahead stored in a sealed jar and then have the toppings added right before serving.

PS! I’m suspecting that we’ll get some questions about the bowls. They are from Danish ceramics KH Würtz and they are just as gorgeous IRL.

Green Kitchen Stories

Posted on December 6, 2015 Posted by cats

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Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls with Popped Quinoa

Buckeye Balls with Popped Quinoa | Disclosure: This recipe was created for Ancient Harvest. See below for more details. |

Date and Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls

The majority of time, if I’m going to make holiday cookies, I’ll make them with all the butter and sweetener. To me, the occasional cookie during the holidays doesn’t warrant a special “healthy” cookie. It’s a treat and meant to be a something special which is why you won’t really find any cookies marked as healthy around this site. However, there are a couple of treats I can’t make because I’ll eat them all. In one sitting. The traditional buckeye (a peanut butter ball with chocolate coating) is one of those treats. I’m a sucker for peanut butter and chocolate.

This particular recipe is a riff from Edible Perspective’s date buckeye ball with peanuts and A Couple Cook’s variation on that buckeye ball. My added ingredient? Popped quinoa. It adds a nice crunch to the texture (not found in traditional buckeye recipes, but still good). Plus, it keeps with the healthy theme of these treats! Read more and see the recipe.

The post Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls with Popped Quinoa appeared first on Naturally Ella.

Naturally Ella

Posted on November 29, 2015 Posted by cats

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Quinoa Falafel

Quinoa Falafel Salad

| Disclosure: This recipe was created for Ancient Harvest. See below for more details. |

One of the earliest items I learned to make when I first started cooking happened to be baked falafels. I had fallen in love with falafels thanks to a local Greek restaurant near school but once I moved away, I had major falafel withdraw. And so, I decided to learn to make them at home, only slightly healthier. I’d be lying if I said the baked version was just as good as the fully fried version, which is why in this recipe, I split the difference and do a shallow fry. You will also notice that I didn’t go the traditional route and use dried chickpeas. This is for one primary reason: I have a hard time planning ahead and when I want to eat falafels, I want them now. I use the oven to help dry out the chickpeas slightly, which helps keep the moisture levels a bit closer to the traditional recipe. While this recipe can be made without the quinoa, I like the extra bit of texture the cooked quinoa provides. Read more and see the recipe.

The post Quinoa Falafel appeared first on Naturally Ella.

Naturally Ella

Posted on October 26, 2015 Posted by cats

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Cauliflower Stir fry with Quinoa

| Disclosure: This recipe was created for Ancient Harvest. See below for more details. |

In terms of kitchen equipment, I like to err on the side of minimal. I keep a few kitchen gadgets (primarily waffle maker, food processor, and stand mixer) but for the most part, I love recipes that use a pan, maybe two, and that’s it. I think that’s why I tend towards cooking more than baking- usually less mess and less clean-up. However, one extra pan I always have on hand is a wok because a stir fry happens at least twice a week (although more and more I’m just using my seasoned steel pans for stir fry too).

See the Recipe.

The post Cauliflower Stir fry with Quinoa appeared first on Naturally Ella.

Naturally Ella

Posted on September 20, 2015 Posted by cats

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Ginger Carrot Salad with Quinoa

Ginger Carrot Salad with Quinoa | http://naturallyella.com

| Disclosure: This recipe was created for Ancient Harvest. See below for more details. |

Cooked Quinoa | http://naturallyella.com Ginger Carrots with Soy Sauce | http://naturallyella.com

On occasion, one fail in the kitchen can turn into something very unexpected. Take for example, this salad. The shredded carrots started at as a filling for a stuffed pepper. My goal had been to have a breakfast pepper, complete with a baked egg. I tried and tried but the results were always the same- a tough egg yolk. I hated it but I had all of this shredded carrot mixture leftover at which point, I added it to lettuce and called it a day. I’ve since eaten this carrot salad nearly every day for lunch and I don’t regret not getting the pepper to work.

The best part in my mind: if you are using quinoa leftovers, this salad comes together in 5 minutes (and while I recommend you let it sit for a bit, it could really be eaten right away.) But, even if you don’t have extra quinoa sitting around- it’s such a quick cooking grain that it still keeps this meal quick.

See the Recipe.

The post Ginger Carrot Salad with Quinoa appeared first on Naturally Ella.

Naturally Ella

Posted on September 18, 2015 Posted by cats

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Chanterelle, Quinoa & Tofu Stir-Fry

This meal first happened a few days ago when Luise and I worked late and my mom had spent the afternoon with the kids. They had already eaten (this parsnip soup) so we had the rare opportunity to only cook something for ourselves. With no specific plan, we opened the fridge and pulled out some leftover vegetables. A half bag of chanterelles left from a dinner I had during the weekend, a pack of tofu, some greens and a corn cob that we had remaining from our csa box. We fried it up with onion and garlic, added some pre-cooked quinoa (a staple in our fridge), black pepper and lime. We also found a small piece of feta cheese that we crumbled over the stir-fry at the last minute. It was a 10-minute one-pan autumn dinner and it was exactly what we both wanted. Apparently it was also what Elsa wanted, cause she stole the tofu and chanterelles of my plate (even though she claims that she hate both mushrooms and tofu).

A few notes: Vegans can easily just leave out the feta cheese (and perhaps add some more lime and salt for extra flavour). If you are not vegan, I imagine that a poached egg could be nice on top of this. Or just scrambled into the stir-fry, thai style. If you don’t have any quinoa you can use rice or millet instead. And it goes without saying that you can add or subtract almost any vegetables to this, depending on season and availability. Funnel chanterelles are coming to season here in Sweden now, so next time we’ll probably use those instead of the chanterelles.

Chanterelle, Quinoa & Tofu Stir Fry
Serves 4

1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil or olive oil
1 zucchini
1 fennel bulb (with top greens if you can find it)
2 cups / 400 g / 14 oz organic GMO-free firm tofu
10 oz / 300 g fresh chanterelle mushrooms or mushrooms of choice
1-2 tsp sea salt and black pepper, to your preference
2 1/2 cups / 600 ml cooked quinoa, any color (1 cup / 200 g uncooked)
2 large handfuls baby spinach

For serving
4-5 sprigs chopped parsley or fennel top greens (or both!)
3 1/2 oz / 100 g crumbled feta cheese, (optional)
1 corn cob, kernels cut off with a sharp knife.
2 limes, juice

Chop onion and garlic very finely. Heat coconut oil in a skillet on medium to high heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic and let fry until fragrant. Meanwhile chop zucchini and fennel into coarse pieces and cut the tofu into small squares. Add everything to the skillet and stir to combine. Clean the chanterelles with a soft brush (baking brush or toothbrush), if they are very dirty wash them with a little water and dry well. Slice the stem and the cap lengthwise into large pieces and add them to the skillet along with salt and a generous amount of black pepper and sear for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is tender, but still with a chewy texture. Add the cooked quinoa and spinach and combine everything, keep stirring until the spinach is wilted down. Season to taste. Serve in bowls and garnish with a generous amount of finely chopped parsley, feta cheese and corn kernels and squeeze over 1/2 lime per serving.

Green Kitchen Stories

Posted on August 28, 2015 Posted by cats

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Quinoa Granola

Maple quinoa granola with yogurt | http://naturallyella.com

| Disclosure: This recipe was created for Ancient Harvest. See below for more details. |

Quinoa Flakes | http://naturallyella.com Maple Almond Quinoa Granola | http://naturallyella.com

For most meals, I like a bit of unpredictability. My lunches are usually off the cuff with whatever I have in the house while my dinners are a bit more planned, but are still usually a trial run or test of a recipe I’m working on. Breakfast, however, is my constant. 95% of the time, it’s oatmeal, eggs, or granola + yogurt with the other 5% reserved for waffles, pancakes, and other rich breakfast foods. Breakfast is very predictable.

I do, however, like to mix things up a bit. My oatmeal toppings vary depending on what’s in season and eggs could take the form of an omelette or egg skillet. My granola is rarely made from just oats and more likely to contain an mix of grains. Or, it may be made entirely from something else, like this quinoa granola.

I have a different quinoa granola on the blog made from whole quinoa but this particular recipe utilizes quinoa flakes. I’ve used my favorite base granola recipe that contains minimal ingredients but provides enough glue to hold everything together. This quinoa granola isn’t overly powerful in flavor but instead, is a nice boost to a morning parfait or granola bowl.

See the Recipe.

The post Quinoa Granola appeared first on Naturally Ella.

Naturally Ella

Posted on August 1, 2015 Posted by cats

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Grilled Vegetables with Quinoa + Tomato Sauce

Grilled Vegetables with Quinoa + Tomato Butter Sauce | A Couple Cooks

In our home, summertime = grill time. It’s one of Alex’s favorite pastimes to fire up our charcoal grill, and one of mine to eat whatever comes off of it. But since grilled food is heavy on the meat and we’re “mainly” vegetarian eaters, how does that work? Is a vegetarian grilled meal a veggie burger or tofu dog?

Vegetarian or plant-based grill recipes can actually be quite creative, we’ve found. A heaping mound of grilled vegetables is one of the best taste treats in the world, each veggie with its own unique charred, smoky flavor. Add some sides with a bit of protein, and you’ve got a fantastic summery patio meal.

After we made this meal on a weeknight and shared a photo of it on Instagram a few weeks ago, several of you asked for the recipe. Your wish is our command! Alex makes this meal frequently in the summer, so I followed him around to document his method.

A few notes on the recipe:

If you make all the components in this recipe, you’ll dirty a fair amount of pots and bowls. If you have a charcoal grill, the recipe takes about 1 hour to make, so make sure to try it on a night where you have sufficient time and energy for cooking and cleanup. We like to make a double or triple batch and have leftovers throughout the week.
Alex can make this recipe by himself quite easily, but I’d need another person’s help to pull this one off. If you’re not a seasoned home cook, you may want to try this with another helper, or make sure to leave yourself sufficient time for the recipe.
You can use any vegetables you’d like or have on hand; we’ve listed the veggies we used below. Some favorites we did list were button mushrooms and green onions, which are also great options.
This recipe uses our version of Marcella Hazan‘s famous tomato butter sauce. To make it vegan, substitute olive oil for the butter (but definitely try the butter if your diet allows!).

If you don’t yet, follow us on Instagram! We love hearing your feedback on what recipes you want to see.

More Vegetarian Grill Recipes

Mains

Sides

Grilled Vegetables with Quinoa + Tomato Butter Sauce

by: a Couple Cooks

Serves: 4

What You Need

2 cups quinoa
3 cups water
28-ounce can diced tomatoes (San Marzano, if possible)
1 yellow onion
½ teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons butter
8 pounds whole vegetables (we used 1 head cauliflower, ½ head broccoli, 1 yellow pepper, 1 green pepper, 2 small zucchini, 2 medium sweet potatoes, 8 small red and purple potatoes, and 1 yellow onion)
3 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil
1 pinch cayenne
15-ounce can cannellini or white beans (optional but recommended)
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

What To Do

Preheat a grill to medium high heat (if you’re using a gas grill, you can preheat a bit later). Start a large pot of water to boil.
Start the tomato sauce: Peel and half the onion. In a small sauce pan, add tomatoes, onion, 5 tablespoons butter, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, while preparing the remainder of the recipe. When the sauce is done, remove the onion.
Start the quinoa and cook it while preparing the remainder of the recipe. When it is done, fluff it with a fork, then cover and leave warm in the pan until serving.
Meanwhile, chop vegetables into large strips or chunks, keeping them fairly large for easy grilling.
When the large pot of water is ready, parboil the crunchier vegetables, such as potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower, until they are softened. We grilled regular potatoes for 12 minutes, sweet potatoes for 8 minutes, and cauliflower and broccoli for 5 minutes in the same pot (simply drop the longest cooking vegetable in and stagger the start times accordingly).
When the vegetables are boiled, place them together with the fresh vegetables in a large bowl. Add up to 3 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil, up to 1 tablespoon kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and 1 pinch cayenne; stir to combine. The veggies should be coated but not soaking in oil and lightly covered in salt.
Drain 1 can of cannellini or white beans. Place the beans on a square of aluminum foil, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon dried basil. Fold over the foil and seal the packet on all sides.
Add the vegetables and packet to the grill; cook until veggies slightly charred and tender, about 8 minutes per side. The bean packet can be removed when warmed.

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