A Great Quinoa Recipe!
December 7, 2010 by taha
Before heading out on a hike, we like to make sure we are well fueled for the trip. One of the things we like to eat beforehand and have with us on our hikes is a good source of protein. Well, over the Thanksgiving holiday, my sister-in-law brought over a great dish to accompany our meal. The recipe includes quinoa (pronounce Keen-wa) which is becoming more well-known and much easier to find at your local grocery store. For those of you who are not as familiar with this food (like me), quinoa is actually a grain-like crop used mainly for its edible seeds. The leaves on the plant are edible as well but availability of the leaves is quite limited. The quinoa is not a true grain as it is not part of the grass family. It is more closely related to beets, spinach and tumbleweeds (of all things).
Quinoa is a great source of protein with a protein content ranging between 12-18%. It provides a balanced set of essential amino acids and is a good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten-free! So there’s a little background for you on quinoa. The recipe below can be served warm or at room temperature. Some may prefer it chilled, but I found room temperature to be very good. So try out this recipe (a little bit lengthy but well worth the effort) and let us know what you think!
Couscous/Quinoa Salad with Cucumber, Peppers and Tomatoes
- 1 cup (8 fl oz) water
- 1 cup (6 oz) couscous/quinoa mix – use Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend for the couscous and prepare it as directed on thepackage. Because the Harvest Blend contains couscous, quinoa, tri-colored orzo and garbanzo beans, this adds color and protein to the recipe.
- ½ tsp sale, plus salt to taste
- 1-2 green bell peppers
- ½ lb cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 small fresh red or green jalapeño or serrano chili pepper, seeded and minced
- 1/3 cup (½ oz) chopped fresh cilantro
- 3-4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
- 4-5 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- freshly ground pepper
Preheat a broiler.
Prepare couscous as directed on package. After stirring, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Uncover and transfer the couscous to a large, shallow baking dish, fluffing with a fork and spreading it evenly. Let cool completely.
Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stems, seeds and ribs. Place cut sides down on a baking sheet. Broil until the skins blacken and blister. Remove the baking sheet from the broiler, drape the peppers loosely with aluminum foil and let cool for 10 minutes. Using your fingers or a small knife, remove the pepper skins. Cut the peppers into ½-inch squares.
Transfer the couscous to a large bowl. Scatter the bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, chili pepper and cilantro over the top.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to the couscous and toss together well. Before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
I personally do not like green peppers in this salad so I leave those out (and it saves the extra broiler work involved). Feel free to be creative and add whatever veggies you prefer to have! As always, we would love to hear from you …. tell us about your favorite healthy recipes! We would love to share them with our followers. You can comment below on this posting or just send us an email at info@takeahikearizona.com. Enjoy the quinoa salad!
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Our Phoenix hiking guides love this Veggie Burger!
October 5, 2010 by taha
Well here’s another great recipe for you especially if you want to cut back on the red meat! This is a black bean veggie burger that is one of the best I’ve had in a long time! This recipe will make 4 good sized burgers.
Ingredients:
1 can (15 oz) of black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup whole kernel corn
1/4 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
Mash beans in a bowl. Add finely chopped onion, corn, salsa, pressed garlic, cilantro or parsley, salt and black pepper to beans. Mix well. Add bread crumbs and egg whites to bean mixture. Mix well. Form bean mixture into round hamburger patties, about 1/2 inch thick.
Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot. Lightly spray pan with nonstick cooking spray; cook patties 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Cooking on a grill is not recommended as the burgers will not hold together over a grill and will fall apart when you try to flip them.
Serve burgers on whole wheat buns with optional toppings such as sour cream and salsa. This recipe is so delicious that even the kids ate the burgers!! If you have some great, healthy recipes that are family favorites, we would love to hear from you. We’d even be happy to share your recipe on our blog! In the meantime, enjoy these black bean burgers!
Homemade granola with Greek Yogurt
March 24, 2010 by taha
Okay, I thought I would try something new on our blog. One thing that most of us probably agree on is that many outdoor adventure/fitness enthusiasts enjoy eating good, healthy food. Although, I have to say I may be the exception to that as I do give in to my McDonald’s and Starbucks cravings probably a little too often. Anyway, I got this recipe from my mother-in-law for homemade granola and it is so good that I had to share it. It is very easy to prepare and stores quite well, although our supply doesn’t last long so I’m always making a fresh batch! So here’s the recipe:
- 1 cup of quick cooking (not instant) rolled oats
- 1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds (I use slivered)
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons of good honey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, oil and honey together in a large bowl until they are completely combined. Pour mixture onto a sheet pan and bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown. This takes about 15-20 minutes. Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring once.
I then serve the granola with honey and greek yogurt. I use the honey flavored greek yogurt, but plain is good as well. This is a great way to start the day or have as a snack. It is also really delicious on ice cream or sprinkled over fruit. I included a photo below so you could see how I serve it when we have guests over for brunch. I also make it “pretty” for the kids. They seem to think it tastes like a treat that way! Hey, whatever it takes!!
Anyway, give it a try and let me know what you think. We would love to hear back from you as well on your favorite, healthy and easy recipes. You can either email us your favorties at: info@takeahikearizona.com or submit comments on our blog. We look forward to sharing more fun, easy recipes with you in the coming months. Enjoy!
A delicious and easy recipe!
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