Food & Nutrition Archives - Page 2 of 25

Sunshine Quinoa Collard Green Wrap

November 18, 2015 by 4 Comments

I have had a serious thing for collard greens lately. They are still in season here in Michigan and it is actually one of the peak times for this hardy leaf. We have had only a few frosts so far and the collards are still growing strong, and according to the lady at the Farmers’ Market a few light frosts make collards sweeter and crisper. I shared that I use collard green wraps in place of hamburger buns back in this post. But this time I have something a little more special for you.

I think collards are great to cook with but I’ve been using them as wraps on the regular. It is an easy way to eat some greens and tastes good too. I’ve been making a concerted effort to eat greens at least twice a day but the struggle is real. I’m the first to admit that some days you just don’t feel like a salad.

So lately I’ve been using collards to wrap up everything from roasted veggies to deli turkey. But my favorite filling is the quinoa salad that I’m sharing with you today! I was inspired by a wrap I got at our local food co-op, People’s Food Co-op, which I highly recommend if you’re in the area. Anyway, we had stopped by the Co-op before going to the movies one night to get movie snacks that we could smuggle into the theatre. One of the things I picked up was what they called a Sunshine Wrap (love the name). I had glanced at the ingredients but didn’t really pay attention to what was in it. Anyways, after the lights went down in the movies I broke out my Sunshine Wrap and it was so good! I knew I had try to recreate it at home.

So this is my version of a Sunshine Wrap. Qunioa mixed with marinated veggies, sunflower seeds for crunch, avocado for some healthy fats and lemon for brightness.

I typically cut out collard stems like pictured and then will fold over so it’s a double layer wrap. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, just work with the size of your collard to figure out which way would be best. These leaves were mini but sometimes you can find collard greens as big as your head.

I find spreading the greens with a little hummus helps the ingredients stick plus they you get the added creaminess of hummus. You could use add mayo or any other sandwich spread of your choice too.

Sunshine Quinoa Collard Wraps

Filling is enough for 7-8 mini wraps or 3-4 large wraps

1 1/2 cup quinoa cooked

1 small carrot, shredded

1/2 cup marinated artichokes, chopped

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped (make your own with my easy Roasted Red Pepper recipe)

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1/2 avocado, cut into cubes

1/2 lemon, juiced

hummus for spreading

collard greens, with stems removed

salt and pepper to taste

Mix quinoa, carrot, artichokes, roasted peppers and sunflower seeds until well combined. Gently stir in avocado cubes. Add lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Once collard stems are removed, spread a thick layer of hummus on a collard green. Add about 1/2 cup of filling (more depending on collard size). Wrap tightly, secure with toothpick if needed.

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

Turmeric Milk Latte

November 5, 2015 by 2 Comments

It seems like turmeric is getting its fifteen minutes of fame lately. I’ve been seeing it everywhere and everyone is talking about this miracle spice. For good reason I suppose, as the spice has been touted to have numerous health benefits and has been used for thousands of years in Eastern parts of the world. Curcumin, the phytonutrient that gives turmeric its bright yellow color, has been found to be an effective anti-inflammatory and has been linked to helping everything from lowering cholesterol to helping with inflammatory bowel disease. Turmeric is also frequently used as a food dye and is what is used to give ballpark mustard its bright yellow color (source). Who knew?

Since I’m all about trying out the latest food fads I bought a large bag of powdered turmeric and have been adding it to everything – some successes and some not so much. I found that it is really easy to overdo it with the turmeric so I’m learning less is more with this spice. My favorite ways so far are turmeric roasted sweet potatoes and turmeric milk which is what I’m sharing today.

I have been curious to try ‘golden milk’ which is basically a turmeric tea ever since I started seeing it pop up on Pinterest. I first tried make turmeric milk with the powdered form. That was an epic fail and did not taste good at all. Then I noticed fresh turmeric at the health food store (I found it near the fresh ginger) and was tempted to give it another try. I’m happy to report fresh makes all the difference. To me this drink tastes a little peppery which combined with cinnamon and vanilla is very warming and perfect for a chilly day.

I used a microplane to grate the fresh turmeric very finely. I cut one end off to expose the inside and then grated from there. Peeling wasn’t necessary and helped minimize the staining of my hands.

One warning about this spice – it will stain cutting boards, hands, and even counter tops if you aren’t careful. I learned this the hard way. Now I spread out a large dishtowel (that I don’t mind staining) over the work surface whenever I’m using turmeric.

If you do not have a microplane, I would finely chop and just make sure to strain before drinking. Milk froth is optional but I am all about the milk froth. We have an electric milk frother but you can make froth using just a jar and your microwave. I have had luck frothing almond and soy milk but not so much cashew milk. (If you want to make your own almond milk, check out my recipe for homemade coconut almond milk.) Once warm, give it a taste and add the honey in to your sweetness preference. As always, I encourage you to play around with this recipe and adjust to your liking!

This recipe is for two servings but you could scale up or down. I have made extra and stored it in the fridge for a day and it warms up well too. I hope you enjoy!

Turmeric Milk Latte

Makes two servings

2 cups milk + 1/2 cup milk for froth (optional)

1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, finely grated

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

A splash of vanilla extract

1-2 teaspoons honey or preferred sweetener

Combine milk, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until well mixed. Once warm, stir in honey and vanilla. Continue heating until lightly simmering and milk has turned a golden hue. Strain before drinking.

Be Happy, Be Healthy!

Easy Roasted Red Peppers

October 28, 2015 by 4 Comments

$Make your own roasted red peppers for a fraction of the cost$

Now is the time to stock up on bell peppers. They are so affordable at the farmers’ market right now. I bought a peck of peppers (picked by peter piper ) for just $5 this weekend. A peck holds about 20 or so peppers. Considering bell peppers go for about a $1/each at the grocery store, I couldn’t pass up the deal.

This is actually the second peck of peppers I’ve bought this fall. So with peppers coming out of my ears I had to figure out a way to use them up, and homemade roasted red peppers was the way to go. And they’re so easy to do I had to share! Basically there are three steps: char under the broiler, let cool in a container that will trap steam, and then peel.

The first time I used the paper bag method but I think any air tight container will work. This time I used a large Pyrex with a tight fitting lid. Worked like a charm and didn’t have to waste a bag.

Once the peppers have cooled the skins peel right off. I might be alone on this next point, but for me peeling the peppers was an oddly relaxing and satisfying activity. They peeled so easy and no tools required!

I found the flatter pieces peeled a little easier so if possible cut the peppers so they flatten out while broiling.

I like to use these in salads, as a pizza topping, on sandwiches, or basically any way you would use a cooked red pepper. The roasted ones will just give a smokier flavor.

I’m not sure why red bell peppers are the variety that is most commonly roasted. I assume orange and yellow would also roast well too. I always thought that red peppers are the sweetest but a few years ago I did a blind taste test with different color bell peppers and I completely failed! I couldn’t tell a difference. (Btw I love blind taste tests! I should do more of them….)

Anyways, colors and tastes aside, all bell peppers are nutritional powerhouses. Did you know bell peppers are one of the foods with the highest Vitamin C content? They have about twice as much Vitamin C as an orange! So bell peppers are a great food to make sure you are including in your diet as cold and flu season approaches and we are all fighting to stay healthy. (If you do happen to get hit with a cold, check out my tips for surviving a common cold.)

I hope you give homemade roasted red peppers a try!

Homemade Roasted Red Peppers

8-10 red bell peppers

Preheat oven broiler. Cut bell peppers in half and remove seeds and stem. Place pepper pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Once broiler is heated, place cookie sheet directly under broiler. Rotate pan after about 10 minutes to ensure even charring. Cook for another 10 minutes or until all the peppers are evenly charred. Cooking times may vary based on your broiler so keep an eye on them.

Remove from oven and place peppers in an airtight container or a paper bag. Let sit until cool and peppers look wilted. Peel off skins. Store roasted peppers in the fridge for about a week or freeze.

Now that I have 3 jars of peppers to use, I was searching for some good-looking recipes. Here are a few that I thought looked pretty enticing:

Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta from the Minimalist Baker

White Bean Roasted Red Pepper Salad from An Edible Mosaic

Cauliflower Roasted Red Pepper Soup from a Gal On A Mission

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Noodles from Get Inspired 365

Please let me know if you have any favorite recipes using roasted red peppers in the comments!

Be Happy, Be Healthy!