Awaremed Medical Institute

User Friendly Recipes

Easy Healthy

GRANOLA

Ingredients:

• 12 c. rolled oats (Certified Gluten Free if sensitive to gluten)
• 3 c. coconut.  (I prefer the coconut that is unsweetened and in large flakes)
• 2 cups nuts and seeds.  Chop nuts (almonds, pecans, cashews, walnuts, macadamia, filberts, brazilnuts, sunflower, pumpkinseeds, sesame, etc.).
• ¼ cup oil (cold pressed sunflower, coconut oil)
• ¾ c. honey
• ½ to ¾ cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, etc.)
• Variations:  To change the flavor you can add: 1 tsp. cinnamon, vanilla, almond extract, orange extract, cardamom, nutmeg, other spices.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place oats, coconut, nuts, seeds, oil, and honey in roasting pan. Mix all ingredients with your hands until well mixed.  Bake for 30 minutes, then stir.  Bake for 15 minutes then stir.  Bake for 10 minutes then stir.  Bake for 5 minutes and stir.  Granola is complete when golden brown.
Remove from oven.  Stir in dried fruit.  Kl;Eat. 

Variations:

• Can be eaten with milk, kefir or yogurt of any sort:  cow, goat, almond, oat, rice, hemp, coconut, etc.
• Great with fresh fruit or applesauce too.
• Can add flax or hemp seeds to boost omega 3 fatty acids.
• Can cook with water to eat as a hot cereal. Typically about 2.5 parts water to 1 part granola.  Takes about 15 minutes.  (If you soak it overnight, takes about 5 minutes to cook

YOGURT

Timeframe: 8-24 hours

Special Equipment:

• Quart/liter jar
• Insulated Cooler or Yogurt Maker

Ingredients (enough to make 1 quart):

• 1 quart or liter of whole milk
• 1 tbsp/15 ml fresh live-culture plain yogurt for starter culture

Directions:

• Preheat the jar and insulated cooler with hot water so that they will not drain heat from the yogurt and it can stay warm to ferment.
• Heat the milk until bubbles begin to form.  If you use a thermometer, heat milk to 180 o  F (82o C).  Use gentle heat, and stir frequently to avoid burning the milk.  The heating is not absolutely necessary, but it results in a thicker yogurt.
• Cool the milk to 110o  F (43o  C), or the point where it feels hot, but it is not hard to keep your (clean!) finger in it.  You can speed the cooling process by setting the pot with the hot milk into a bowl or pot of cold water.  Don’t let the milk get too cool; the yogurt cultures are most active in the above-body-temperature range.
• Mix starter yogurt into the milk.  Use just 1 Tbsp (15 ml.) per quart.  I used to use more starter, assuming that more is better, until I consulted my number one kitchen book, The Joy of Cooking (1964 Edition), known affectionately as “Joy” in our kitchen.  “you may wonder why so little starter is used and think that a little more will produce a better result.  It won’t. The bacillus, if crowded, gives a sour, watery product.  But if the culture has sufficient Lebensraum (German for “room to live”), it will be rich, mild, and creamy.” Mix the starter thoroughly into the milk, and pour the mixture into the preheated jar.
• Cap the jar and place it in the pre-heated insulated cooler.  If much space remains in the cooler, fill it with bottles of hot water (not too hot to touch) and/or towels.  Close the cooler.  Place the cooler in a warm spot where it will not be disturbed. “Yogurt has the added idiosyncrasy that it doesn’t care to be jostled while growing,” note Joy.
• Check the yogurt after 8-12 hours.  It should have a tangy flavor and some thickness.  If it isn’t thick (hasn’t “yoged”), warm it up by filling the insulated cooler with hot water around the jar of yogurt, adding more starter, and leaving it 4 to 8 more hours. You can leave it to ferment longer if you wish.  It will become more sour as more of the milk’s lactose is converted into lactic acid.  A longer fermentation period can often make yogurt digestible even for lactose-intolerant individuals.
• Yogurt can store in the refrigerator for weeks, though its flavor will become more sour over time.  Save some of the yogurt to use as a starter for the next batch.

Recipe used with permission from:  Sandor Katz’s Wild Fermentation, Chelsea Green Publishing, 2003,  p. 76-77.

Variations on making yogurt:

• You can also make yogurt in a yogurt maker.
• Paula Bartholomy, MS, CN takes a quart jar and puts it on her yogurt maker and covers the entire thing with a bowl.
• I’ve covered a jar with a towel and put it into a gas oven with the pilot light on.
• Wrap a heating pad around it. Set heating pad on low.  Cover with a towel.
• I’ve also left jars near heating vents covered with a towel.

CHICKEN STOCK

Ingredients:

• Bones from poultry, fish, beef, lamb, shellfish or whole chicken or whole carcass (remove meat when cooked – about 1 hour)
• 8-10 cups of water
• 1–2 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar
• 1–2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 Carrots
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks celery
• ½ c. fresh Parsley chopped or 2 tbsp dried parsley
• 1-2 tsp sage
• 1-2 tsp rosemary
• 1-2 tsp thyme
• 2-3  bay leaves
• 2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar or 1 lemon

Directions:

Put all ingredients into pot. Bring to boil. 
Let simmer on low for several hours (4–24) or in crock pot on low. 
Remove bones and skim off fat.

Uses for broth:

• Use as stock for soup.
• Drink as a warm beverage.
• Use as the cooking liquid for vegetables and grains.
• Make gravy from the fats.

RAW FLAX CRACKERS

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flax seeds
• 1 red bell pepper
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 cups fresh tomatoes
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove of fresh garlic +/or ½ large onion, chopped

Directions:

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor. Add water if a little too dry.
Press mixture flat onto a Paraflexx sheet into a large square or rectangle, making sure that the mixture stands only 1/8 to 1/16 inches thick. (The thicker the cracker the harder to eat and the longer to dry).
Score the size of crackers you’d like with a knife or spatula before dehydrating.
Dehydrate around 115°F - 125°F overnight and flip over once one side is dry. Dry to completion.
Store in an airtight container.

BETTER BUTTER FOR THE GUT WITH GHEE

Ghee is another name for clarified butter and is a traditional healing food in India. It is made by heating butter until it liquefies into a golden liquid. The milk solids are removed, making it suitable for those who are lactose intolerant. It may be purchased in health food stores.

Ghee contains a combination of saturated and unsaturated fats. About two thirds of its fat content is saturated, and one third is mono- and polyunsaturated. Of the saturated fat content, most of it is of the short-chained variety (including butyric acid), making it easily digestible. Ghee also contains antioxidants, conjugated linoleic acid, and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Ingredients:

• 1 small jar (1/2 lb) organic GHEE, softened at room temperature
• 1/2 cup olive oil, extra virgin, cold pressed
• 3 teaspoons friendly bacteria B.bifidum (suggest Bifidus powder) (Lipski suggests changing to L. plantarum, or a combination of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacilli.)
• 3 teaspoons colostrum powder (suggest Colostrum powder)
• 2 teaspoons L-glutamine powder (suggest Glutamine powder)
• 6 tablets zinc carnosine (suggest Zinc Carnosine tablets), crushed to powder
• 1 tablespoon raw honey or agave nectar, organic preferred (OPTIONAL)

Directions:

Mix with a whisk or food processor briefly until evenly mixed. Refrigerate. It will store in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. Use 1–2 tablespoons daily on warm food as a butter substitute. Good on warm vegetables, brown rice, and winter squash. Enjoy!

Description of ingredients:

• Clarified Butter: This is a rich source of butyric acid, which is a short-chain fatty acid that supports the health and healing of cells in the small and large intestines and serves the natural processes of aerobic energy metabolism. Short-chain fatty acids can have the protective ability of impeding the proliferation of damaging cells in the colon, and they have been associated with helping to maintain healthy blood lipid and sugar levels.
• L-Glutamine: The gastrointestinal tract is by far the greatest user of glutamine in the body; the cells in the intestine use glutamine as their principal metabolic fuel. Most of the research on glutamine is connected to maintaining intestinal permeability.
• Colostrum: Immune factors in colostrum can help balance and support a healthy immune system; which is the key to good health.
• Zinc Carnosine: A specific chelate of zinc known as zinc carnosine has been used as an antiulcer/mucosal healing drug in Japan for several years. It has demonstrated prevention of stress-induced ulcers.
• Recipe provided by Sam Queen, Institute for Health Realities, Colorado Springs, CO.

Gluten-Free Recipes

APPETIZERS

Walnut spread   (yields 2.5 cups)

• 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper

Drain beans, reserving liquid. In food processor, combine ¼ cup reserved liquid with remaining ingredients. Cover and process, scraping down sides and adding liquid as needed to make a smooth mixture. Store in refrigerator for 4-5 days. Serve with rice crackers and/or raw baby carrots, cucumber sticks, and fresh string beans (or any raw veggie you like).

Marinated Veggies

Marinade:

• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (any vinegar is fine, balsamic is very full-flavored)
• 1 tsp. each dried oregano and basil (or 2 tbsp chopped fresh)
• 2 cloves garlic, slivered
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 can artichoke hearts in water, cut in halves or quarters
• 1 can hearts of palm, cut into ¼-inch slices
• 1 can pitted black olives
• ½ lb. mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

Mix marinade ingredients in a jar. Mix veggies in a bowl and pour marinade over. Marinate 8-24 hours, (toss frequently).  Serve with toothpicks. (Leftover marinade can be used as salad dressing).

SOUPS

Autumn Bean Soup (serves 6 )

• 2 cups white kidney beans (canellini); include any liquid from all beans
• 1-2 cups kidney or red beans (canned or cooked from dry)
• 11/2-2 cups chick peas (garbanzos-canned or cooked from dry)
• 2-3 cups fresh spinach or escarole, washed, drained and chopped OR
• 10-oz. frozen chopped spinach
• 4 cups chicken broth (read ingredients to be sure it is gluten-free)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• Pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

Combine all ingredients and simmer until onions are soft, about 45 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Asian Gazpacho  (serves 6)

• 6 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped or one 28-oz. can chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. dry sherry
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 4 scallions, white part only
• 4 thin slivers of fresh ginger
• ¼- ½ tsp. Chinese chili sauce, to taste
• 2 limes

Place the tomatoes, over low heat, in a 2 or 3 quart sauce pan.  Add vegetable broth, sherry, cilantro, soy sauce, scallions, and ginger.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.   Puree in a food processor or blender.  Chill. Just before serving, stir in chili sauce.  Grate the peel of one lime and add to the soup.  Squeeze the juice from both of the limes into the soup.

Creamy Cold Tomato Soup  (serves 5)

• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 cups tomato juice
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dill weed
• sliced mushrooms or tomato chunks for garnish

Combine all ingredients (except yogurt) in small amounts in blender and blend until smooth.  Use salt sparingly if needed, and pepper.  Whisk in yogurt.  Chill several hours before serving and garnish as desired with mushrooms or tomato.

Lentil Soup - Serves 4

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, sliced or chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 ½ cups red and/or green lentils, well rinsed
• 2 quarts water or broth
• Pinch thyme or any herbs of your choice
• Salt to taste

Combine first 6 ingredients and bring to boil.  Add seasonings.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are soft.  Green lentils need about 45 minutes to 1 hour, while red lentils only need 20-30 minutes.  Puree half of the soup in the blender if you prefer a creamy soup.

Quinoa Vegetable Soup (serves 4-6 )

• 4 cups water
• ¼ cup quinoa (well rinsed)
• ½ cup carrots, diced
• ¼ cup celery, diced
• 2 Tbsp. onion, chopped
• ¼ cup green pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• ½ cup tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup cabbage, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• parsley, chopped

Sauté quinoa, carrots, celery, onions, green pepper and garlic in oil until golden brown.  Add water, tomatoes and cabbage and bring to a boil.  Simmer 20 to 30 minutes or until tender.  Season to taste and garnish with parsley.
For variations, try adding some of your other favorite vegetables, chopped and sautéed.

Curried Cream of Broccoli Soup (serves 4-5 )

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• ¼ tsp. powdered cumin
• 1 bunch broccoli, trimmed and chopped (may substitute 2 pkg. frozen chopped
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup low fat milk or evaporated skim milk
• 1 cup part skim ricotta
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in soup pot and sauté onion in it with curry and cumin until limp.  Add broccoli, stock and water.  Simmer, covered until tender (about 15 minutes).
Combine milk and ricotta in blender or processor.  Then add to soup.  If you prefer, you may blend the whole soup, leaving a few whole pieces of broccoli for garnish.  Reheat, but do not boil.
Cauliflower may be combined with broccoli for a different flavor.

Beans and Greens Soup - Serves 4-5

• 2 cups cooked white beans
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 medium cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 tsp. salt
• fresh black pepper
• 6 cups water, vegetable, or chicken broth
• ½ lb fresh chopped escarole, spinach, chard, or collards (or a combination)

In a 4-6 quart soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat.  When onions are soft, add bay leaf, celery, carrot, salt and pepper.  Stir and sauté another 5 minutes.  Add broth or water and cover.  Simmer about 20 minutes.  Add cooked beans and your choice of greens.  Cover and continue to simmer, over very low heat, another 15-20 minutes.  Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat.

Vegetarian: Main and Side Dishes

Stir-Fried Tofu with Ginger Broccoli (Serves 4)

• 1 pound extra firm tofu
• 2 tbsp. wheat-free tamari (low sodium soy sauce)
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
• 1 tbsp. arrowroot or cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. dry sherry
• ½ tsp. cayenne or ¼ tsp. hot-pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Slice tofu into cubes. Toss with tamari soy sauce and set aside for 5-10 minutes. In a wok or large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over high heat. When oil is hot, lower heat to medium high and add scallions, ginger, and garlic; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Drain tofu, reserving tamari, and add tofu, stir-frying for 2 more minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using a fork or small whisk, mix reserved tamari with arrowroot or cornstarch, sherry and cayenne in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat another 1 tbsp. oil in wok over high heat. Add broccoli, mushrooms, and bell pepper, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup water and bring to boil. Cover wok and reduce heat to medium, steaming vegetables about 5 minutes until slightly tender. Return tofu to wok.

Stir reserved tamari mixture into wok and cook over medium heat until thickened and thoroughly heated; do not overcook vegetables. Add sesame oil, salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings if you desire a spicier dish. Serve immediately or make ahead and refrigerate until ready to serve. Reheat carefully; flavors are enhanced when the dish sits overnight.

Roasted Veggies (serves 6)

• 1 each red and yellow bell pepper, cut into large chunks
• 2 red or yellow onions, peeled and cut into thick wedges
• 2 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into medium chunks
• 1 medium eggplant or 4 baby eggplants, trimmed and cut into chunks
• 1 fennel bulb, thickly sliced (gives a licorice flavor)
• 2 large tomatoes, quartered or 8 plum tomatoes, halved
• 8 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• ¼ tsp. salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a single layer, spread peppers, onion, zucchini, eggplant, and fennel in lightly oiled shallow roasting pan (you may use any combination of vegetables you desire). Arrange tomato pieces and garlic cloves among the vegetables and brush all with olive oil. Place rosemary sprigs among vegetables and grind some pepper over top. Sprinkle salt over all. Roast for 20-30 minutes, turning vegetables after 15 minutes. Serve immediately or allow to cool and serve at room temperature. Leftovers will enhance a salad or side dish.

Nutty Green Rice - Serves 4

• 1 cup brown basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• ¼ to½ tsp salt
• ½ cup almonds
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 clove garlic
• 1½ Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1½ Tbsp. olive oil
• ½ cucumber, diced
• pepper to taste

Bring water to a boil, add rice and salt, stir and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for another 10 minutes; then remove cover and allow to cool.  While rice is cooking, blend almonds, parsley, garlic, and oil in a food processor.  When rice is cool, stir with nut mixture and add pepper to taste.  Garnish with cucumber if desired.

Brown Rice and Peas - Serves 4

Add 1 cup of green peas (either fresh and lightly steamed or frozen and just defrosted baby peas) to 2 cups of cooked brown rice.  Top with your favorite herbs and flax oil to taste.

Black Bean Stew (4-6 servings)

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and diced
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes or 2 cups fresh plum tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small hot green chili pepper
• 2 (16 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed or 3-4 cups home-cooked black beans
• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced or re-hydrated dried mango
• 1 ripe banana cut into ½” slices
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ tsp sea salt

In large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat, and add onion. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes; stir in garlic and cook another 3 minutes. Stir in yam, bell pepper, tomatoes, chili and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until yams are tender but not soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in beans and simmer gently, uncovered, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in mango and banana and cook 1 minute more, until heated through. Stir in cilantro and salt. If desired, serve over steamed quinoa.

Quinoa Mexican Style (serves 6, as a side dish)

• ½ pound onions, chopped
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ½ Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup drained canned Italian plum tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato juice from canned tomatoes
• ½-1 whole jalapeno or serrano chili, seeded and chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh coriander

Sauté the onion and garlic in hot oil in a heavy-bottom pot large enough to hold remaining ingredients.  When onion is soft add quinoa, chicken stock, plum tomatoes, tomato juice and chili.  Bring to boil; reduce heat; cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until quinoa is tender.  Sprinkle the coriander over quinoa mixture and serve.

Spiced Lentil Casserole - Serves 4

• 1 ½ cups lentils, rinsed well
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. powdered ginger
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 2 large green apples, washed and diced

Simmer lentils, covered, in 2½ cups water for 30-40 minutes, until tender.  While they are cooking, in a wok or heavy skillet, sauté remaining ingredients, except apples, in oil until tender.  Add water as necessary.  Add apples and cook 10 more minutes covered.  Combine with cooked lentils in a casserole dish.

Chili Pie (6 servings)

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, well drained
• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 beaten eggs

Optional: green pepper and onion rings and salsa for garnish
Preheat oven to 350. In a large saucepan, cook onion in olive oil until softened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt, cooking 1 more minute. Stir in beans, rice, cheese, milk, and eggs. Spread in a 10 inch pie plate and bake, uncovered about 20 minutes or until center is just set. Allow to sit for qo minutes before serving. Garnish with green pepper and onion rings and salsa, if desired.

Salads

Tahini Dressing (serves 12)

• ½ cup extra virgin or light olive oil
• ¼ cup sesame tahini
• 2 to 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• ½ lemon (juiced)
• 2 tbsp. reduced sodium natural soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 1 tsp. dried chives, optional
• Mixed greens

Combine all ingredients in a bottle with a tight lid and shake well.   Pour over salad greens and veggies; toss well.  Will keep for up to 2 weeks, refrigerated.  Shake before each use.

Vinaigrette Dressing - 6 servings (approximately)

Note: ingredient amounts in this recipe are approximate - use more or less of certain ingredients to adapt recipe to your personal taste.

• ¼ cup each flax and extra-virgin olive oils
• 3 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar (preferred because it has the richest flavor)
• 2-3 Tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1-3 cloves fresh garlic (whole pieces for flavor or crushed for stronger taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oregano, basil, parsley, tarragon or any herbs of your choice, fresh or dried

Place vinegar, water and mustard in a tightly capped jar, and shake well to thoroughly dissolve mustard.  Add oil and remaining ingredients and shake well again. Store refrigerated and shake well before using. Dressing will harden when cold; allow 5-10 minutes to re-liquify.

Edamame,Asparagus, and Arugula Salad – (serves 4)

• ½ lb medium asparagus, ends trimmed
• 2 cups shelled frozen edamame, defrosted
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ lb arugula, coarse stems discarded
• ¼ cup shredded or shaved parmesan
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Cut trimmed asparagus stalks into ¼ inch thick slices on a diagonal, leaving 1 inch tips to reserve as garnish. Blanche tips in a 3 qt pot of water for 1 minute only. Remove from water. Toss edamame with blanched asparagus tips and raw sliced stalks with 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Pile arugula in a salad bowl and toss with remaining tbsp olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Top arugula with veggies and sprinkle shredded parmesan (not grated). Drizzle with vinegar.

Quinoa Salad   (Serves 8-10)

• 1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed several times
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas (baby peas are best, just defrosted)
• any leftover veggie is fine to add - be creative (broccoli, asparagus,
• green beans etc)
• ½  cup chopped red onion
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• ½  cup chopped black olives, optional
• ½ - ¾ cup diced mozzarella, optional
• ¼  - ½ cup olive oil
• 2-3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 or 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 2-4 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped or 1 Tbsp. dried
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Quinoa will taste bitter if not well rinsed. Bring 3 cups water or chicken or veggie broth to a boil.  Add rinsed quinoa and bring back to boil. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until liquid is well absorbed.  Transfer to large bowl and allow to cool with a small amount of olive oil stirred in to prevent sticking.   While cooling, mix together remaining oil, vinegar or lemon juice, dill and garlic in a small bowl.  Add to quinoa with remaining ingredients when cool and toss well.  Chill before serving.