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Quinoa Chickpea Salad
A couple of weeks ago, my husband was travelling for work and I was in my Yoga Teacher Training certification class and needed to pack a good lunch that was light but filling. I had some Beet Goat Cheese Spread leftover that I mixed with quinoa and kale which made a great lunch option! Inspired by a meatless lunch, I wanted to try another this week and it did not disappoint!
I’ve talked about chickpea benefits before, when I made the Falafel Salad so I won’t bore you with any of that. But roasted chickpeas, seasoned however you like, make a great crunchy snack or salad topping. My main go-to is to coat them with cumin. But you can get creative and try different mixes.
Quinoa offers a great protein with amino acids and is also pretty versatile. This is another ingredient I’m intrigued to experiment a bit more with. It adds some variety to a menu plan and also can take on the flavors you prefer.
All in all, this was an easy, pack ahead lunch option that is full of flavor.
Ingredients:
– Quinoa (1 cup dry, prepared)
– Chickpeas (2 cans, rinsed and roasted)
– Leaf Lettuce (2 heads)
– Cucumber
– Avocado
Lime Cilantro Dressing:
– Oil
– Lime Juice
– Salt
– Cilantro
Kitchen Items You’ll Need:
– Cutting Board
– Knife
– Frying Pan
– AirFryer
Cooking Instructions:
1. Prepare quinoa according to package instructions
2. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Toss with olive oil and cumin. Roast on baking sheet at 400 for 30 minutes.
3. Cut lettuce, cucumber, and avocado.
4. Mix dressing ingredients in a small container.
5. Prepare salad and enjoy!
Find Happiness in Moments that Matter
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony – Mahatma Gandhi I think it’s fair to say that most of us want to be happy, but what does that mean? Happiness is a state of well-being where we feel satisfied that we are living a good life. Or put another way, we are living life…
Sriracha Lime Chicken
Sunday Funday! And the weekend’s not even over, thanks George Washington, Presidents, and bank holidays. But this Sunday Funday is probably not the kind that you’re thinking… Running, yoga, and food on the brain for this girl.
Getting ready for a half marathon in 7 weeks!? That is sneaking up quick and I have been struggling with the motivation to get on the treadmill or out in the cold weather. So it was tough to get out for this weekend’s run today for 7 miles, but that’s what friends are for! To keep us accountable when we want to and don’t want to go at the same time… Very appreciative because it was well worth it in the end and I’m glad to have gotten out on the trail.
Also, my husband headed to the airport this evening for another work trip this week, so I had to send him off with something good in his belly. You have likely caught on that we like our spice – he would say the hotter the better of course – so what better than some Sriracha Chicken. Sriracha Honey has certainly become a staple for us for some sweet and spicy flavor, but with the butternut squash I had sitting on the counter, I was inspired to change it up.
You could definitely make this one a little more sour or hot by modifying the sriracha or lime. I think it would also be good with some cilantro but that’s a no-go unless I’m flying solo. Hope you’ll give it a try.
Ingredients:
– Chicken Breasts (2 boneless, skinless breasts)
– Olive Oil (1/4 cup)
– Sriracha (2 TBSP)
– Lime Juice (2 limes)
– Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Kitchen Items You’ll Need:
– Mixing Bowl
– Oven Safe Dish, for marinating and cooking
Cooking Instructions:
1. In a bowl, mix together oil, sriracha, lime, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Take chicken out of packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place in baking dish.
3. Pour marinade over chicken and place in refrigerator for 1 hour. This is a great time to prep your vegetables/side dishes as well.
4. Place chicken in oven for 30-40 minutes at 400. After cooked, leave under broiler for 5 minutes.
Super Bowl Food Ideas
Well, it pains me to say that the Steelers did not make the Super Bowl this year so we’ll be watching the Patriots and Rams duke it out. But there’s one thing that still holds true, the Superbowl is about football, friends and FOOD! This got me thinking…
A good veggie tray is always a great way to put something ‘good for you’ out on the spread, but can we do a little better? I know there are a lot of options out there but this is a list based on some of our favorite things lately – the AirFryer, cauliflower alternatives, bacon, cheese, and of course chili.
Buffalo Chicken Wings / Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
We love our wings, especially since we got an AirFryer for Christmas. But in thinking about trying some buffalo wings, buffalo cauliflower came to mind as a great meat alternative or lighter, flavorful snack for game time. And they packed some heat.
Ingredients:
– Chicken Wings
– Cauliflower
– Red Hot (1 cup)
– Ghee (1 cup)
– Worcestershire (1 TBSP)
– Garlic Powder (1 TBSP)
– Olive Oil
Cooking Instructions:
1. Buffalo Sauce: Melt ghee. Whisk in other ingredients.
2. Chicken Wings: Spray with olive oil and cook in AirFryer at 380 for 24 minutes (flip halfway thru), then at 400 for 10 minutes. Toss in Buffalo Sauce.
3. Cauliflower: Toss to coat in Buffalo Sauce. Cook in AirFryer at 380 for 10 minutes.
Cauliflower Toast
I’ve been working with a similar cauliflower base for pizza crust and wanted to give a more toast-like alternative a try… this would go great with a wide variety of dips and you can always modify the herbs and spices to match flavors of your spread.
Ingredients:
– Cauliflower (1 bag, frozen, riced)
– Almond Flour (1 cup)
– Parmesan Cheese (1 cup, grated)
– Garlic Powder, Oregano, Basil (1 TBSP each)
– Eggs (2 medium)
Cooking Instructions:
1. Spread out riced cauliflower on baking sheet and dry in oven on 200 for 30 minutes (stir every 10 minutes). Let cauliflower cool.
2. Mix cauliflower with remaining ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Spread cauliflower dough on parchment paper. Bake 400 for about 20-30 minutes until golden and crust holds when lifted.
4. Cut and serve as desired.
Beet Goat Cheese Dip
We have been eating more hummus with veggies as a snack lately. But in talking with my husband about different eating guidelines recently, I thought I should take a stab at Beet Hummus as an alternative to eating so many chickpeas. But… for the Super Bowl that didn’t feel quite right because we also like our cheese, so my first step is Beet Goat Cheese dip… I’ll work on Beet Hummus another day.
Ingredients:
– Beet (1)
– Goat Cheese (8 oz)
– Garlic (1 clove)
– Olive Oil (about 1 TBSP)
– Balsamic Vinegar (about 1 TBSP)
– Salt and Pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions:
1. Peel and chop beet. Drizzle with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. On baking sheet, roast beet at 400 for 25 minutes. Let cool.
3. Place all ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth. Serve.
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Who doesn’t like bacon? We made these babies for a family dinner awhile ago and everyone was hooked. Great for an appetizer or side dish, it seemed like a perfect Super Bowl option to keep guests satisfied. Although, there’s always the debate of crispy vs soft bacon… I say hands down, the crispier the better!
Ingredients:
– Asparagus (1 bundle)
– Bacon (1 lb)
Cooking Instructions:
1. Rinse and trim asparagus. Wrap in bacon.
2. Bake on baking sheet with wire rack for 30 minutes or until desired doneness. Flip halfway through.
Chili
February… Football… Chili please! I don’t think I need to say much more about this one!
Ingredients:
– Ground Turkey
– Onion
– Green Pepper
– Jalapeno
– Kidney beans (1 can)
– Northern beans (1 can)
– Diced Tomatoes (28oz can)
– Chili Pepper (2 TBSP)
– Cumin (1 tsp)
– Cayenne (1 TBSP)
– Garlic Powder (1 TBSP)
– Salt and Pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions:
1. Cut onion and peppers. Drain beans.
2. Brown turkey, drain. Saute onion and peppers until soft.
3. Mix all ingredients in Crock-Pot and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours.
