Sep
1
Homemade Easy Black and Green Olive Tapenade
September 1, 2010 | 3 Comments
We had friends over few weeks ago and I made this olive tapenade that was amazing. It’s simple to make and all ingredients are fresh. I’m finding myself making more and more homemade foods and I love it. It does take little more time than picking a dip or tapenade from a grocery store shelf, but the taste, the freshness, the crunchiness, and the aroma is more than just noticeable. Plus, you do your body a favor when you skip added preservatives, dyes, salt, sugar, and other sweeteners. (Read on below the recipe for more about that)
I used olives from my grocery store’s olive bar. They are marinated in brine and taste much better than canned olives. If there isn’t an olive bar where you shop, try the salad bar. Even if you don’t find any, don’t be discouraged and use canned olives.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup black kalamata olives
- 1 c green olives
- 1/4 c capers
- 1/4 c chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 c chopped sun dried tomatoes
- 1 small garlic clove
- dash of oregano
- 1 c extra version olive oil
Place all ingredients in a food processor except for the olive oil. Process until chopped into small pieces. Add the olive oil and pulse chop few times. Done.
On another note:
The Chicago Tribune had a fun, yet eye-opening, article on Monday in which a registered dietitian threw away foods from a reporter’s fridge. Why? They contained preservatives and dyes that should not have a safe haven in anyone’s kitchen.
Read the article and see what foods David Grotto tossed away. You will be shocked, and somewhat disappointed because you probably have these foods in your fridge.
This inspires me to make more of my food at home. It’s tough to make everything homemade–I don’t spend all my day in the kitchen and I have to work, study, exercise, care for my family, etc–but I can make small changes towards less processed eating. Remember, you can eat healthIER even if it’s not the perfect idea of healthIEST!
Aug
30
Recap on Food, Health, and Fitness Trends
August 30, 2010 | Leave a Comment
I can’t believe August is over! For the past month, I have been posting on trends in food, health, and fitness as part of my theme for Healthbuzz.
Today, I wanted to do a recap to highlight some things I talked about, and other things I wanted to but didn’t get a chance to do so.
Fitness is in:
I didn’t talk much about trends in fitness. I do exercise, but I can’t call myself an exercise fanatic. During the healthbuzz tweet-up last week, we chatted about fitness trends. That’s what most people agreed on:
- Running is in.
- People are interested in eating right to fuel their exercise and improve their performance.
- Yoga is in.
- Dancing is in.
- People are inspired by reading fitness and exercise blogs. So, for those of you blog about your fitness experiences, thanks for sharing.
Yogurt is in:
Regular. Greek. Frozen. Yogurt is definitely a food that will stick around for long. As a dietitian. this trend makes me happy. There are so many health benefits from eating yogurt. I have even saw yogurt cheese recipes in various places, and I have featured it myself a while ago. Labaneh, the Middle Eastern name, is how I’ve always called it.
Clean eating is in:
I talked about detox diets. And while I do not endorse them, I think we all can take steps to make our food healthier and cleaner. We are looking at ingredient lists, running away from weird chemicals, buying local and/or organic, reading food politic books, demanding food safety, and asking to know where our food comes from.
We are better educated and more skeptical:
It’s true that health and nutrition information online is over abundant, but we are learning how to get info from reliable resources. We are looking for credentials. And we are looking for experience. And we questioning things we hear. Is agave really better than real sugar? Do spices and herbs help fight diseases? Is sea salt better than regular salt? Do we need to take antioxidant supplements? Will acai help with weight loss? These are just some of the topics I talked about this month and before. The links will take you to the original post if you want to read more.
We are cooking more at home:
We all agreed during the tweet up that healthy home cooking is probably the best and most important health trend of all. Maybe the economy is pushing us to save money and eat more at home. Maybe the fun and trendy cooking shows and competitions on the Food Network and other channels. Maybe we, food bloggers, are making a difference and inspiring others. Regardless, this is a great trend.
We are interested in new food ingredients and new eating habits:
What is new to someone might not be new to other people. But in general, we are venturing out into unfamiliar foods. We are learning how to cook with healthier not-traditional grains like quinoa, bulgur, and freekeh, and how to use olive oil. We are experimenting with vegetarian eating (no wonder Janel Ovrut’s topic for last month was veganism) and meatless meals. Young coconuts, kombucha, wheatgrass are just some of many buzz foods.
If you want to keep up with food and health trends, Nutrition Unplugged is the best place to go. The author, Janet Helm, always has something new to offer. I highly recommend that you read it and follow her. Her latest post is about trendy ingredients and flavors. Can’t wait to try them all.
I hope you all enjoyed the topic of this month. I did! And thank you for all the support!
Have a great Monday 
Aug
28
Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
August 28, 2010 | 3 Comments
Way better than canned.
Incomparable.
Incredibly delicious.
That’s what my husband thought of the cream of mushroom soup I made last night. Very happy that my effort pleased my man, making it was so easy to be called an effort!
Whether you’re making it for your man, family, friends, and even for yourself, whoever is eating deserves better than any cream of mushroom–and the bundle of preservatives, flavors, and coloring that come along–you buy in a can.
Did you know that mushrooms are good sources of the B vitamins niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid? Plus, they are good sources of selenium, an antioxidants, and potassium, a mineral that you need to have enough of for good heart health.
So, what type of mushroom is healthiest?
There are several types of mushrooms, and often, you need one type for a certain dish or cuisine rather than another. But if we were to compare portabella with white mushrooms, portabella wins the battle. They have more of the nutrients I just mentioned.
Now to the recipe. It serves 3 to 4 people (depending how much they really enjoy it). You can make it as rich (fatty) or as light as you want. I used 2% milk to give it some richness, which is still much healthier than using cream or whole milk.
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp butter flavored tub margarine (make sure it’s trans fat-free), separated
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms (small pieces)–I had white
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth–you can use vegetable or chicken if you prefer
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cups low fat milk, cold
- 3 tbsp flour
- A handful of dried or fresh thyme
Heat 1 tsp of the tub margarine in a medium size saucepan. Drop the onions and saute till soft. Drop the garlic and saute until soft but not burnt.
Stir in the mushrooms and the second teaspoon of the margarine. Cook for few minutes.
Stir in the beef broth and water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, dissolve the flour in the milk. Make sure there are no lumps then pour into the soup. Stir continuously until it comes to a gentle boil and the soup thickens. If it’s too thick, you can add some water, if it’s too thin, dissolve another tablespoon of flour in a small amount of cold water and add to the soup.
Stir in the thyme after you reach the desired consistency and almost ready to serve. If using fresh thyme, chop it. If using dry, crush it into the soup.
Aug
26
Kiddy Snack with Adult Appeal: Watermelon Cheese Kabobs
August 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Who doesn’t love crisp juicy sweet watermelons in the summer?
Not sure if this fits in the Healthbuzz theme of trends in food. It is a fun skewer idea that I tried with my son. Sometimes, we just to need to stir things up to make him more interested in his food. He loves watermelon, no doubt. So I wanted to create a balanced meal out of them.
I got inspired by a traditional summer snack/meal people eat in Jordan: jibneh o bateekh–cheese and watermelon. They pair up the watermelon with a semi-soft, slightly salty cheese and pita bread. No skewers or kabob-style though.
Since the Middle Eastern cheese is not common everywhere, you can use any of your choice. I bought Havarti, but mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, or any other cheese cubes work, as long as they don’t fall apart. And of course, there needs to be a vegetable. I had green sweet bell pepper, fresh and crispy and just delicious. Anything else work: other color peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, or cucumbers. Any other ideas?
Now we have the vegetable, the fruit, and the milk (good source of protein) group. If you want, you can serve this with whole wheat crackers or soft or toasted pita bread. That will add the grains group.
Actually, I think anything kabob-style is in! From grilled meats and vegetables, to fruit kabobs, to fancy hors d’oeuvres, to left-over lunches (check this video for left-over kabob back-to-school lunch idea by dietitian, Danielle Omar), they are fun and interesting for all ages.
When we sat down to eat, we used the different foods to learn about colors. We just started teaching him the basic colors, and what a fun idea! Red, yellow, and green. Maybe next time we’ll have blueberries for blue
On a side note, we found out yesterday that we are having a baby boy. Yes, another boy. How fun for my son and how crazy for me The baby is due in January, and we can’t wait!
What’s your favorite kabob food?
Aug
23
Can Detox Diets Be Done Right?
August 23, 2010 | 5 Comments
As my HealthyBuzz theme for August revolves around trends in food, health, and fitness, I’ve been asked to write about detox diets. Right on spot. Detox diets are predicted by Mintel firm to be one of the hottest health trends for 2010.
While the term “detox” originally referred to the lemon diet–the Master Cleanse promoted by Beyonce, detox today can mean anything from such extreme plans, to water diets, to juice diets, to diets based on “clean” wholesome food; nothing processed, no sugar, and no alcohol.
Dietitians and health professionals are on both sides of the issue. For some, there’s no place for detox diets in their practices since there’s no research done to prove their efficiency or safety. Plus, unless you have liver problems, your liver is a power house for detoxifying drugs, chemicals, alcohol, and other toxins.
Others dietitians and health professionals, while still believing in your liver’s ability to detox, see some merits to detox diets, with conditions.
I don’t have a practice where I counsel patients, and I have not personally tried to “detox” in any form. But, I’m open minded to trying as long as I stick to these conditions.
The detox diet to consist of wholesome foods, free from pesticides, preservatives, color agents, artificial flavors, sugar, salt, and alcohol.
And the only way to do that is to make your own food or find products that truly do not contain any “weird” ingredients. Buy organic (at least the Dirty Dozen), choose whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, avoid canned and packaged foods, avoid sugars (all types), limit salt, and eliminate alcohol. The diet will be rich in fruits and vegetables that provide vitamins. When the liver detoxifies chemicals, it has to do a series of chemical reactions that require co-factors (aka, vitamins) to proceed. If your diet is devoid of these vitamins, the reactions will stall.
The detox diet to provide calories.
Which means, no room for water or juice diets. And definitely not the master cleanse. If you want your liver to work, you need to supply it with energy or else you will start wasting your muscles. I can’t tell you how many calories since we all have different needs, but at least will stick to the minimum: no less than 1,200 calories a day.
The detox diet to not include laxatives, enemas, or supplements.
How are you going to detox your body from chemicals if you take in other chemicals? Plus, laxatives and enemas can cause dehydration and imbalance in electrolytes, which can be serious. Really serious.
The detox diet to provide plenty of water.
Do I need to justify that?
The detox diet to be short-term, no more than 5 days, and then followed by a healthy diet that you can follow for the rest of your life.
The detox diet is a short term plan, and not something to do the rest of your life. But, once done, you still need to eat healthy wholesome foods. Go back to your old habits, and you would’ve just wasted 5 days of your life. Dietitians who use detox diets in their weight loss counseling see it as a jump-start period. It’s an opportunity for you to abandon old habits, look at your diet and life from a different perspective, and get motivated for the new you. They admit that the initial weight loss is mostly water. It might motivate you to start your healthy lifestyle changes towards losing weight, but that 5-day period by itself won’t make the extra weight go away.
The detox diet might not solve all problems.
Even after eliminating chemicals, preservative, coloring agents, and so on, there might be something else going against your body. Symptoms like bloating, lethargy, fatigue, allergies, rashes, etc can be caused by the above chemicals but also from “natural” food components such as gluten, lactose, or fructose and infections from bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungus. To know the specific chemicals that are causing your symptoms, you need to follow an elimination diet or follow a LEAP plan. Many registered dietitians offer this treatment/service in their practices.
Disclaimer:
This is not a recommendation for anyone to do a detox diet. Consult with a physician or registered dietitian before you go on such a plan, especially if you have a medical condition that needs close follow up.
If you want to know more about detox diets, read these articles:
Spring Cleansing: Assessing the Benefits and Risks of Detox Diets
Aug
18
Corn Fennel Soup with Mozzarella Garlic Bread
August 18, 2010 | 6 Comments
In this weather, posting a recipe for soup is probably not the most appropriate. But, after fasting for hours with no food or drink (read my Ramadan post if you want to know why I’m fasting), a bowl of warm hearty soup is the most soothing thing to start the meal with.
This soup has been a tradition in our little family (my husband and I) I picked up from my mom who taught me the recipe. It’s simple and easy. I made it once for my friends and they loved it. Creamy but can still be low in fat. I’ve always made it with ground fennel seeds. Not sure why I never used fresh before. I’m sure I’ll do it again this month, so I will comment back on how to use fresh and how it went.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground fennel
- 2 c low-sodium chicken broth (can use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
- 2 c water
- 1 bag frozen yellow corn kernels
- 2 c low fat milk, cold
- 2 tbsp flour
In a saucepan, heat some oil (I used canola), drop the onions and ground fennel seeds, and saute until the onions are tender.
Add the chicken broth and water, and bring to a boil. Add the corn, return to a boil, then simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir the flour into the cold milk in a small bowl. Whisk. Make sure there are no clumps. Pour into the soup and simmer for another 10 minutes. At this point, you can add more milk, water, or chicken broth to get to the consistency you like.
Optional: if you like a buttery taste, you can add a couple of tablespoons of a tub margarine buttery spread (just make sure the one you buy doesn’t have ‘hydrogenated vegetable oil’ in the ingredients).
The Mozzarella Garlic Bread:
These are super easy. Start with a good Italian bread loaf–our favorite is rosemary olive oil. Slice as many as you need and place on a baking sheet (use foil paper to reduce dish washing). Drizzle some olive oil on each piece, a dash garlic powder (or more if you are a garlic lover), a spoonful of shredded mozzarella, and last some crushed dried thyme (or chopped fresh thyme). Bake or toast until cheese melts and bread is a little crusty.
Aug
16
Acai Berry False Weight Loss Claims…Scam Exposed
August 16, 2010 | 6 Comments
You have probably heard already: the FTC to Announce Action Against Internet Marketers of Acai Berry Weight-Loss Pills and “Colon Cleansers.”
About time!
Watch this video from ABC news for the story.
When the Center for Science for Public Interest investigated acai berry success weight loss personal blogs, they found that the pictures are all of ONE model, taken from istock.com, and edited to look like she has lost weight!
I don’t know what bothers me first, the fact that the claims are false, or the fact that you can’t cancel your purchase!
I want to clear one thing first: this is a health and nutrition blog. I know many people are against the FTC or the government for taking too many actions on behalf of people, creating too many laws, interfering with business and their marketing, and so on. But, from a health care professional perspective, whose first and foremost interest is the well being of people, I’m relieved someone is coming after these companies.
Acai is a healthy fruit (ps.like many others). There’s no argument here. Is acai the magical food you can pack in a pill or juice and expect to magically lose weight? Absolutely not.
Some bloggers claim that the FTC should not interfere and people must take responsibility of their actions; which is getting fooled by such scams. On some level, I agree. Acai is not the first–and won’t be the last–pill to promise quick effortless weight loss. And dietitians have repeatedly warned people about such FAD diets and products.
At the same time, I can understand falling victim. Anyone who has tried everything possible to lose weight is an easy prey for such marketing scams.
Here’s another problem. In the business world, marketing is all about telling people whatever you want–truth or lie–to make them believe your product is the best for them so they buy it. Don’t we all see those car commercials offering the most space or the best road control?
But the medical community functions differently. We abide by codes of ethics. And these ethics tell us what we should and shouldn’t do. We shouldn’t deceive our patients or clients. We can’t tell a lie. And we have to think of their health before we think of our own pockets.
But supplement companies are business-oriented. No body knows what they put their products, and no body can prove that they work. They made money from the gullibility of some people. Still, this doesn’t change that these claims are unethical.
Even Oprah and Dr.Oz are going after Acai berry companies that falsely used their names as endorsement.
This is a wake up call for consumers. The internet is the wild west when it comes to nutrition information, and dietitians like myself know that and are trying to fight back our own way. Want trustworthy nutrition information?
First: don’t get it from someone trying to sell you a product.
Second: get it from a reliable source. If you want to read a blog written by a registered dietitian, look for one in Nutrition Blog Network.
Will this be the end of acai pills and similar products? One would hope so. If not the end of them, then at least the beginning of more conscious consumers.
Aug
13
Trendy Desserts…The Perspective of a Dietitian
August 13, 2010 | 5 Comments
Cupcakes baked at home...still tasted great for less than half the price of fancy cupcakes!
Fancy Cupcakes
Cupcakes are THE cakes for their birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, and weddings. Cinnabon has even started selling cupcakes! Trendy and fun. But, are fancy store-bought cupcakes worth your money?
I’m not a dessert-hater, but unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket, $29 to $39 a dozen is a lot. A box of cake mix from your grocer and a tub of icing, add to that 2 eggs and 1/3 cup of oil, will cost you no more than $7. And, you get two dozens of cupcakes.
The fancy cupcakes might be made with fancy vanilla, fancy chocolate, fancy butter, and gourmet chocolate sprinkles. But at the end of the day, the fat, sugar, and calories–fancy or not–will do the same job in your body. It’s just that more expensive fat, sugar, and calories are in action.
I do eat cupcakes occasionally. But I’ll either get a cake mix or make them from scratch and save myself the money. I like the smell of baked goods in my kitchen anyways! I’d rather spend the money I save on healthy fruits and vegetables, organic or local produce, fish, or leaner cuts of meat or chicken. We, as a nation, complain that healthy food is more expensive. But are we smart about where our food money goes?
Wanna get fancy at home? Learn how to fill your cupcakes and check this banana pecan spice cupcake recipe from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice.
Frozen Yogurt
They are fat-free, natural, with probiotics, and often fortified with healthy acai, antioxidants, or immunity agents. No wonder this dessert is a hit! We don’t want to feel guilty about our dessert, and this one makes us feel we did good. We did the right thing.
Well, they’re fat-free but not calorie-free, the term “natural” has no real definition, Greek yogurt–with much less sugar–also has probiotics, and the acai and antioxidants fortification, there’s no proof they will do anything to your body.
A quick nutrition analysis on some of the frozen yogurt stores in my area reveals:
Red Mango: 1/2 cup frozen yogurt is only 90 calories. Great. Sugar: 18 grams. The fine print says: “Approximate servings per size: small=1.4, Regular=2.3, Large=3.5.” Aha, you gotta do the math while you wait in line!
Yogen Fruz: 125 ml is 110 calories and 21 grams of sugar. Again in the fine print: “Approximate reference servings per actual serving: Small: 1.1 Medium: 1.6 Large: 2.2.”
Iceberry: 1/2 cup or 101 grams, has 70 calories and 11 grams of sugar. The fine print again: “Serving size: small cup=5 oz, medium cup=8 oz, large cup=13 oz.” Ok, well, how many calories are there in your order? Again, gotta do some more math, except that in here, you either need to convert the grams to ounces, or you need to know that half a cup is 4 oz.
My point? I love frozen yogurt! It’s a healthier dessert, and assuming you choose fruit–not chocolate chips or crushed cookies–this probiotic-rich yogurt can help you get more fruits it. But, I spy a “health halo.” I wonder how many people get the large because they’re getting something “good,” not realizing that the calories and sugar add up. Frozen yogurt is still dessert, and moderation is still key.
Smoothies
You get a serving of fruit and sometimes “healthy” antioxidant or immunity boosting shots. From frozen yogurt stores, to small fruit smoothie stores in malls, to fast-food restaurants (McDonald’s now has wild berry and banana strawberry smoothies), these drinks are in.
What makes them popular? Besides the summer heat, people know they need to eat more fruits, and a smoothie is a delicious, convenient way to do that.
Where’s my problem? I think smoothies can be a great way to add fruits to your diets. But, large portions too often is a bad thing. Even a glamorous-looking acai berry smoothie has 300 calories for the regular (16 oz) size and 450 for the large (24 oz). Plus, they lack fiber.
Even more, when people either eat a solid food or drink a beverage of the same calories, the solid food keeps them full for longer. After the beverage, they are more likely to eat another meal sooner than they would had they had the solid food. Why? There’s something about how our satiety hormone respond to drinks and solids. If you think about it, what do you consider your smoothies to be? A meal? Snack? Dessert? When you grab that smoothie, do you consider it lunch? No. But if you had a sandwich of the same calorie level you would.
Enjoy your smoothies–especially if they have real fruit in them–but be mindful of your portions and how the calories fit in your diet. And if you’re really hungry, just sit down and eat. Don’t drink.
Aug
11
Ramadan Starts and Cheese n’ Thyme Dinner Rolls Recipe
August 11, 2010 | 9 Comments
Today marks the beginning on Ramadan, the holy month during which Muslims fast by abstaining from food and drink from dawn to sunset.
Sounds like a tough task to do, but for the many Muslims who do it every year, it’s a celebration and a month to look forward to. First there’s the spiritual aspect, then, there’s always the amazing food people only make during this month.
The dinner meal at sunset, called iftar, in my family has always consisted of soup, salad, finger food appetizers, and a hot meal. Yeap, it sounds like a lot of food, but when you’re hungry and can’t eat, you have time to cook! In reality, we tend to eat much smaller portions than our usual dinner because it feels like our stomachs have shrunk!
If you want to know more about this month, how meals look like, and some cultural aspect, read this article I wrote for Today’s Dietitian last year. I think you will find it of benefit if you are a dietitian working with Muslim clients or patients and want to be more culturally competent.
Last night, I baked these cheese-filled rolls made with thyme and whole wheat dough. They are one of my mom’s favorites at iftar. Plus, when we wake up before dawn to have our breakfast, called suhur, we have something filling and quick to eat. The cheese I used is a Middle Eastern type called Nabulsi cheese that you can find in ethnic stores. Other options are haloumi cheese, a mix of shredded Mozzarella and crumbled feta, shredded cheddar, or any other hard cheese that you like.
Ingredients:
- 7.5 cups whole wheat white flour (or mix equal amounts of regular white flour with traditional whole wheat flour)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 5 tsp active dry yeast (2.5 packages)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1.5 c fresh or dry thyme (if dry, soak in warm water few minutes before using)
- 1 c olive oil
- 1-1/2 c lukewarm low fat milk
- 4 cups shredded cheese
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Add the egg and with a large wooden spoon, incorporate into the dry ingredients. Stir in the thyme. Make sure the leaves are separated before adding so they won’t clump together.
Stir in the olive oil. Then add the water and knead until it forms a dough. Leave for at least an hour to rise.
Coat a baking sheet with a generous amount of olive oil. Divide the dough into balls roughly the size of table tennis balls. You should have about 50 to 55 of them. If you end up with way less, then your dough balls are too big. Spread each ball on your palm, place some some shredded cheese in the center, then bring the edges together to enclose the cheese. Secure the dough and place on the baking sheet.
Bake on 350 F until the bottom is gold. Broil on low until the top is gold.
I’m going to ask my friends for their traditional Ramadan recipes and hopefully post some healthy ethnic meals for those of us who like to have an international flavor every now and then!
Aug
9
Quinoa and Vegetables Skillet
August 9, 2010 | 6 Comments
Keeping up with my regular schedule for posting (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) has been a challenge for the past couple of weeks. Flying overseas on a 12-hour trip to JFK with a toddler on my lap, driving from New York to Virginia (a 4-hour drive that ended up taking 7 because of traffic and a terrible thunderstorm), dealing with jet lag, unpacking, finishing up some way overdue spring cleaning, and getting used to my routine again took a little longer than I expected. Can I add to that I’m four months pregnant as well?
I’m hopeful things are going to be better–at least until close to the baby’s due date which is in January–and today’s post is an awesome quinoa dish inspired by Kristina from Spabettie. I met Kristina in a tweet-up by HealthBuzz almost 2 weeks ago and just loved the idea of this recipe. I have to admit I wasn’t a big fan of quinoa from the first time. It was a little too bitter and had a funny texture.
I know it’s not a new trend in health and food, but for many people who are reluctant to try it, or are still amateur quinoa eaters, this recipe might change your mind.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (optional, you can use water instead if you want to keep the recipe vegetarian)
- 1/2 c chopped red onion
- 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 c chopped fresh mangoes (you can use more if you like)
- 1 c shelled edemame
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- little salt and pepper
Rinse quinoa thoroughly with water. This is really the hardest step. If your stainer is too large, place a paper towel on top to collect the quinoa.
Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan and toast without oil on medium heat until golden. Add water and chicken broth, bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when translucent. Remove from the pan.
In the same pan, heat some flavorless vegetable oil, such as canola, and saute the onions. Add the tomatoes and simmer for few minutes. Add the edemame and mangoes. Cook for 2 minutes.
Return the cooked quinoa and stir all ingredients together. Add apple cider vinegar and season with just a little bit of salt and pepper.
How do you cook quinoa? If you have a favorite recipe, write me a comment and share the link. Would love to learn more quinoa ideas
Have a great Monday!
