Cranberry Pecan Quinoa "Stuffing"

 

Last year I tried cauliflower and this year I gave quinoa a whirl for a “stuffing” recipe. These simple ingredients combine to create a dish that has all sorts of flavors, textures and nutrients! Wonderful as a side holiday side dish or stir in some protein like lentils or chopped chicken to make it a meal. 

Ingredients: 

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion 

2 cups chopped carrots 

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon margarine or butter 

3 cups cooked quinoa 

1/4 cup chopped pecans 

1/4 cup dried cranberries 

1 tablespoon Morton Nature’s Season Seasoning blend (or your favorite seasoning) 

¼ teaspoon sage (optional) 

salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

Cook quinoa according to package directions. In the meantime, chop the celery, carrots and onion and add to a large pot or skillet coated with one tablespoons of margarine/butter. Cover and cook on medium heat stirring occasionally until tender, 7-10 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa, the last teaspoon of margarine/butter until melted. Sprinkle with the seasoning, sage, pecans and cranberries and cook for another 2-3 minutes until warmed through. 

Makes about 7 cups, 14 servings 

Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories 93 Protein 2 g Carb 14 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 4 g Fat 5 g saturated fat 1 g Sodium 396 mg

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Pumpkin Cheerio Treats

These crunchy treats have all the flavors of Fall with just the right amount of sweetness and spice.

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy or crunchy almond butter

1/4 cup honey

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 cups pumpkin cheerios ½ cup white chocolate chips (optional)

Parchment paperDirections: 

Add the almond butter, honey, pie spice and sea salt to a microwave safe medium sized bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and mix well. Stir in the cheerios and chips, until well incorporated. Press mixture into an 8 by 8 inch pan. (Lining the pan with a large rectangular piece of parchment paper, placing the mixture on one side and then folding the paper over to press down works nicely since the dough is so sticky.) Refrigerate or freeze for at least one hour until very firm and then cut into 16 squares. Store in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

Makes 16 squares, 16 servings 

Serving size: 1 square Calories 152 Protein 4 g Carb 15 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 10 g Fat 10 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 49 mg

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Chunky Apple Cinnamon Stove Top Oats

Ingredients: 

1 ¼ cup rolled oats 

1.5 cups water 

2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or skim milk) 

2 cups chopped apples (peeled or unpeeled) 

2 packed tablespoons brown sugar 

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine 

2 teaspoons of cinnamon a dash of salt 

Directions: 

Add all of the above ingredients to medium to large pot and bring to a gentile boil on high heat, then cover, reduce to low heat and simmer for about 30-35 min until apples are soft and mixture is cooked through. 

Makes 4.5 cups, 9 servings 

Serving size 1/2 cup Calories 118 Protein 3 g Carb 18 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 6 g Fat 4 g Saturated fat

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Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad

Just a few simple ingredients combine to create this delicious side salad that is low in fat and calories but big on flavor! 

Ingredients: 

2 cups sliced cucumbers

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon Tajin seasoning (a chili lime seasoning blend) 

Directions: 

Add the cucumbers to a small to medium sized bowl. Pour the rice vinegar and lemon juice over them and the sprinkle with the seasoning. Toss to coat and serve. Chill if not serving immediately. 

Makes 2 cups,  4 servings 

Serving size 1/2 cup Calories 21 Protein 5 g Carb 5 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 4 g Fat 0 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 314 mg

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Dark Chocolate Flourless Brownies

 

These brownies are easy to make, grain-free, lower in added sugar and ...they taste amazing!

Ingredients: 

2 eggs

½ cup creamy or crunchy unsalted natural almond butter

½ cup honey

½ cup banana, mashed or ½ cup natural applesauce** 

1/3 cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda 

a pinch of sea salt 

1/2 cup chocolate chips (the Enjoy life is great if you are dairy free) 

Wax or parchment paper 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, crack and beat the eggs with an electric mixer for a minute. Then add the almond butter, honey, banana, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix well until a smooth batter forms. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into an 8 x 8 pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 25 -35 minutes, until the top is slightly firm. 

 **I found that when I used banana that 25 minutes baking will was sufficient but when I used applesauce closer to 35 minutes was required. Less baking time will create fudge-y brownies vs more will give more cake-y brownies. Store in the fridge. They also freeze well! 

Makes 9 servings 

Serving size: 1 brownie (1/9 th of recipe) Calories 225 Protein 5 g Carb 30 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 23 g Fat 12 g Saturated fat < 1g Sodium 49 mg

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Vegetarian Jambalaya

This vegetarian jambalaya is very easy to make and is so filling that you won't miss the meat!

Ingredients: 

3 cups chopped red bell pepper 

3 cups chopped celery 

1 cup chopped onion 

1 teaspoon olive oil 

2 15 oz cans kidney beans (rinsed well) 

2 15 oz cans black eyed peas (rinsed well) 

2 cups cooked cauliflower rice 

1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning  

Directions: 

Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a large pan or pot and add the bell pepper, celery, onions, and sauté on medium heat until just before tender (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile cook the cauliflower rice according to package directions (I use Trader Joes Frozen which cooks for only 3-4 minutes in the microwave) and rinse the canned beans, Add the kidney beans, black eyed peas, cooked cauliflower rice and seasoning to the pan and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Makes 12 cups, 6 servings 

Serving size: 2 cups Calories 226 Protein 13 g Carb 37 g Fiber 10 g Sugars 6 g Fat 2 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 940 mg

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Honey Roasted Peanut Cheerio Bars

                                    

These bars are super easy to make and… they have an amazing sweet/salty flavor. Enjoy one as a quick breakfast, snack or dessert.

1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups honey nut cheerios
½ cup honey roasted peanuts

Directions:

Add the peanut butter, honey and salt to a microwave safe medium sized bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and mix well. Stir in the cheerios and peanuts, until well incorporated. . Press mixture into an 8 by 8 inch pan. (Lining the pan with a large rectangular piece of parchment paper, placing the mixture on one side and then folding the paper over to press down works nicely since the dough is so sticky.) Refrigerate for at least one hour until very firm and then cut into 16 squares. Store in the fridge in an airtight container

Makes 16 squares, 16 servings

Serving size: 1 square Calories 157 Protein 5 g Carb 15 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 9 g Fat 10 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Sodium 159 mg

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