Tag: quinoa

Meatless Monday Recipes: Brussels Sprouts with Kumquat and Feta Glaze courtesy of inSHAPE

Let’s just say right off the bat: meat is totally over-rated. Unless you are a body builder or into heavy athletic training, you almost assuredly consume too much protein. Dinner does NOT have to include a piece of meat, so make the mental shift and go easy on dinners, especially during the week.

Reuben VarzeaLeave a comment

Let’s just say right off the bat: meat is totally over-rated. Unless you are a body builder or into heavy athletic training, you almost assuredly consume too much protein. Dinner does NOT have to include a piece of meat, so make the mental shift and go easy on dinners, especially during the week. This quick dish is totally satisfying as a complete meal and makes use of two plentiful winter produce items: kumquats and brussels sprouts. We served the dish with a serving of quinoa as well, a flavorful and fiber-rich way to end the day.

Continue reading “Meatless Monday Recipes: Brussels Sprouts with Kumquat and Feta Glaze courtesy of inSHAPE” →

Meatless Monday Recipes: Simple Lentil Salad courtesy of inSHAPE

Red lentils are magical on a Meatless Monday plate, and we feature them
this week with quinoa and fresh baby spinach. This recipe takes a mere 20 minutes to prepare…

Reuben VarzeaLeave a comment

Red lentils are magical on a Meatless Monday plate, and we feature them this week with quinoa and fresh baby spinach. This recipe takes a mere 20 minutes to prepare and your whole family will love it!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dry quinoa
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup dried red lentils
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • baby spinach
  • 2 carrots, shredded
  • 2 cucumbers, sliced

Preparation

Prep dry quinoa according to instructions. We like preparing quinoa as simply as possible, with about a tbsp of olive oil, a dash of salt, and nothing else. Most kids can’t distinguish between this preparation of quinoa from rice.

To prepare the red lentils, which will end up serving as the “dressing” of the salad, drizzle remaining olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add onions and saute until they are translucent but watch the heat and reduce to medium or low as necessary. Deglaze with about 2 cups of water, reduce to low heat and add lentils, thyme, and turmeric. Cover and simmer for about 15 min.

While lentils cook, prep salad bowl with spinach, carrots, cucumber, and any other veggie you have. Plate as you like and enjoy!

Find out more about inSHAPE Fitness. Be sure to check them out at www.inshape-fitness.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter. 

Meatless Monday Recipes: Quinoa Quiche courtesy of inSHAPE

Quiche is quick and easy to make, and it satisfies most taste buds with weekday dinner bliss. Sure, you might not break out the quiche for a dinner party, but when you need a quick Meatless Monday idea, quiche pleases the crowd.

Reuben VarzeaLeave a comment

Note from The Foodie Journal: This is my first post of any kind to the site since the bombings in Boston. Thanks to everyone for their notes “checking in”. I didn’t feel right  posting anything last week while all the insanity was going down, but now I feel a desperate need for normalcy. As far as I’m concerned, there is little more normal than food. So, to that end, here is another awesome Meatless Monday recipe from Kim and the great folks at inSHAPE Fitness! Enjoy, and stay safe! [Visit One Fund Boston to help those affected by the attack on April 15th in Boston.]

Quiche is quick and easy to make, and it satisfies most taste buds with weekday dinner bliss. Sure, you might not break out the quiche for a dinner party, but when you need a quick Meatless Monday idea, quiche pleases the crowd. We added quinoa to this version to add crunch but realized that it also provided an earthy, nutty flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 9″ pie crust
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • One medium onion, chopped
  • One red pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 5 medium/large eggs
  • 1 cup Fage greek yogurt (we used 2%)
  • 1/2 cup softened goat cheese
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Drizzle olive oil in a skillet and sauté onion and pepper, until onion is translucent. Don’t burn them! Remove from heat, stir in quinoa and blend completely. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake frozen pie crust for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Lower heat to 350 degrees.

In mixing bowl, beat eggs thoroughly. Add yogurt, goat cheese and pepper and continue blending until smooth and creamy. Fold onion, pepper, and quinoa into egg mixture. Pour into pie crust then sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 45-50 minutes until browned on top.

Find out more about inSHAPE Fitness. Be sure to check them out at www.inshape-fitness.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Meatless Monday Recipes: Quinoa with Pomegranate and Bok Choy courtesy of inSHAPE

Reuben VarzeaLeave a comment

We wanted to offer you a bright, but healthy first choice for Meatless Monday in 2013, and with pomogranates in season, we think that this quinoa salad is a perfect fit! It’s easy to make, stands up to many variations, and tastes wonderful.

Our best nutritional tip for the New Year: dispense with the idea of traditional dinner, with multiple courses and heavy starches. Giving up the late day anchor frees your body up to prepare for the overnight metabolic slowdown, and make better use of food that you consumed earlier in the day.

Quinoa with Pomegranate and Bok Choy
Quinoa with Pomegranate and Bok Choy

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup red quinoa
  • 1 tsp. EVOO
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 ripe pomegranate, peeled
  • 3-4 bunches bok choi, cleaned with bases sliced off
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. EVOO

Preparation:

Quinoa, one of the healthiest whole grains to which you can treat your body, is as easy to prepare as boxed rice. In a sauce pot with a cover, stir grain in with 2 cups of water, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cool for a few minutes then add pomegranate and stir gently. Set aside.

In a skillet over high heat, sautee onion until pieces are fairly transluscent. Lower heat to medium, add bok choi, blend with onions and cover.

Plate veggies over quinoa and serve.

Find out more about inSHAPE Fitness. Be sure to check them out at www.inshape-fitness.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.