Pineapple Thai Fried Quinoa. {PeasandThankYou}

A family favorite!!

1 cup dry quinoa

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup vegetable broth

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup pineapple

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup scrambled tofu (optional)

garnishes: lime wedges, peanuts, cilantro, cherry tomatoes

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat and add quinoa, stirring every minute or so until quinoa is toasted.

Combine coconut milk and vegetable broth and add to quinoa.

Bring to boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with cooking spray or a light spritz of oil and place over medium-high heat. Add green onion, ginger and garlic and saute for a minute or two.

Add peas, pineapple and cilantro and saute for an additional minute.

Add quinoa to the skillet and cook until starting to slightly brown and crisp.

Finish with lime juice and soy sauce and add in scrambled tofu (if using).

Garnish and serve!!

Spicy African Peanut Stew {Peas and Thank You}

This was SO gooooood! I cooked it in the crockpot. Everyone loved. Except Ava. She would have given her first born to NOT eat it. Sigh.

1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1  sweet potato, cubed (approximately 1 cup)

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garam masala (depending on how spicy you like it)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

sweetener to taste (organic sugar or stevia)

dash cinnamon

1 can (14 ounces) organic fire-roasted tomatoes, in juice

1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk

2 cups vegetable broth powder

2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

1/2 cup red lentils, drained and rinsed

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a Crock-Pot and set on high for about half an hour, and then switch to low for an additional 3 to 4 hours. Serve and pass garnishes at the table.

Chef Suggestions

Garnish with chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, dairy-free or organic sour cream or organic plain yogurt.

Smoky Butternut Squash Sauce with Pasta and Kale. {OhSheGlows}

Another yummy one from OhSheGlows. Yummy AND creamy!! They all loved it, except Ava.... but what else is new. Picky little girl.

Garden Enchilada Bake {Peas and Thank You}

This stuff is SO good! The kids all love it, so it's a total win. The only thing I change is adding a can or 2 of black beans. YUM! Good job Mama Pea!

"Zesty quinoa and zucchini, all smothered in cream enchilada sauce, and baked up until bubbly and melty." -from Mama Pea

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cup vegetable broth

1-15 oz. can organic tomato sauce, divided

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, divided

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 zucchini, shredded and squeezed to release all excess moisture

1/3 cup non-dairy cream cheese (i.e. Tofutti)

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup non-dairy mozzarella cheese, shredded

1-3 oz. can sliced olives, drained

1 avocado, sliced

cilantro for garnish

Preheat oven to 375*F.

In a medium stockpot, combine quinoa, broth, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, 2 teaspoons of chili powder and oregano. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat, stir and cover, simmering for 15-20 minutes. Remove lid and cook for an additional minute or two, or until all of the liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is fully cooked. 

Add shredded zucchini, remaining tomato sauce, remaining chili powder, cream cheese, garlic and cumin and heat until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer mixture to a large casserole dish (2 qt. or larger) that has been lightly spritzed with olive oil or cooking spray.

Top casserole with grated cheese and sliced olives. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

To brown the top of the casserole, you can switch the oven over to the broil setting for the last several minutes.

Garnish with avocado slices and fresh cilantro, if desired. 

Roasted Tomato, Garlic & Onion Coconut Soup {OhSheGlows}

This is SO yummy. A little prep work at the beginning of the day, then comes together fast.

Me, Nolan & Coco: loved
Ava: got her 8 bites down
Shayne: TBD

Tortilla Soup. {Happy Herbivore}

This is a family favorite from Happy Herbivore. We LOVE it! I change it up a bit to feed my family with some leftovers. I also add black beans and hominy.... and if I have any leftover Tex-Mex Fried Rice I add that.

1 large sweet onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder (rounded for my family)
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano (rounded for my family)
2 teaspoons ground cumin (rounded for my family)
2 cups vegetable broth (4 cups for my family)
1 15 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies, drained
¼ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 corn tortillas, chopped (4 for my family)
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
¼ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
Crispy tortilla sticks (recipe below)
Avocado, diced
{black beans, hominy or leftover brown rice... for my family}

Line a medium pot with a thin layer of water.

Add onion, then cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook until onion is translucent and most of the water has evaporated.

Add chili powder, marjoram or oregano, and cumin, stirring to cover the onion and garlic with the spices, then continuing to stir until all the liquid has been absorbed and the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth, tomatoes with their juices, and chilies, stirring to combine.

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Transfer half of the mixture to your blender and whiz until smooth, or use and immersion blender to slightly, but not completely, puree the soup.

Return to the pot, add ketchup, 1 cup of water, soy sauce, and corn tortillas.

Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook over medium heat until tortillas have fallen apart and thickened the soup, about 5 to 10 minutes. Use a whisk to help incorporate if necessary.

Add hot sauce, salt, and pepper if desired, Let soup rest 5 minutes.

Stir in cilantro and ladle into bowl. Top with Crispy Tortilla Sticks and serve.

Crispy Tortilla Sticks
Happy Herbivore
Makes 1 cup
About 4 servings

4 6-inch corn tortillas

Preheat toaster oven to 350*F (conventional oven to 325*F).

Grease a cookie sheet or toaster oven tray and set aside.

Cut tortillas in half crosswise, then into 1/8 inch wide strips, about the width of a matchstick.

Transfer to a bowl, spray with cooking spray, and toss to coat.

Repeat a second time, making sure all of the strips are lightly covered.

Place on the cookie sheet or tray in a single layer and bake for 5 minutes, until crispy.

Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing them to crisp up a bit more.

Tingly Szechuan Pepper (Beef) Noodles. {RR}

I knew I had to make this when I caught it on Rachael Ray's show. I had some ground beef in the freezer, so I made the recipe as is. Meat and all. It was so, SO good! And next time I will leave the meat out because the meat wasn't where this dish was getting it's flavors. The spices are amazing!! I cut down on the szechuan because of my 14 months - 8 year old kids. 

While I was cooking, my 4 year old informed us that she would not be eating dinner because "it stinks and I not like it". We negotiated with her and told her she needed to take her bites or she wouldn't have any of the super bowl snacks. She just had finished her first bite when minutes later we turned and looked at her and she was done and was pretty much licking the bowl. Yeah... now that's a good recipe! I took a picture of her holding her empty bowl for future reference to show her when she gives me that stink face and defiant attitude again. Mommies always right. ;)

1 pound dried Chinese noodles or thin spaghetti
{1 pound ground beef (used 1/4 pound)}
1 onion, minced
1 small red chile pepper, such as fresno, minced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 piece (1 inch) ginger, minced
2 teaspoons Szechuan pepper (went with 1 teaspoon so the littles could handle it)
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 to 1/3 cup tamari (dark soy sauce) or Bragg's liquid amino
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
Chili oil or sriracha, for serving

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain.

{{OMIT if doing vegan. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the oil, 3 turns of the pan, over high heat until smoking. Pat the ground beef dry with a paper towel, then crumble it into the hot oil.}}

Heat pan and water to steam-fry the onion, chile, garlic, ginger, Szechuan pepper and five-spice powder to the beef. Stir-fry until the onion is slightly softened, 2 minutes.

Add the drained noodles to the {beef} mixture. Stir in the tamari (or liquid amino). Remove from the heat and toss with the cabbage and scallions. {Serve with the chili oil (or sriracha)... spicy enough, didn't need.}

Southwestern Taquitos.

My sister-in-law, Jenn, told me about this recipe she found and made off pinterest. She LOVES it... and it totally delivered. Instead of in egg roll form, I used wheat tortillas and did taquitos instead. Yum.

2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel
1-7oz can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10-12 wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 425*F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.In a large bowl mix together corn, beans, spinach, chiles, onions, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Scoop and roll in tortillas. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown. They'll crunch up some more as they cool. 

Adapted from Cake & Allie who adapted from Annies Eats then adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride