Nourish Your Life

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 48-oz bottle vegetable juice
1 tablespoon Worchester sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tomatoes, finely chopped (seed and peel, if preferred-but not necessary)
1 large cucumber, finely chopped (seed and peel, if preferred-but not necessary)
1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 green onions, sliced (use the whole onion)
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Bring water to a boil.
3. Stir in quinoa, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Chill
5. While quinoa is cooking, mix together all ingredients for the soup
6. Chill
7. Serve cold with the quinoa scooped on top of the gazpacho (I use an ice cream scoop)
8. ENJOY!

Nutrition facts: 141 calories: 24g carbs, 4g protein, 2g fat,(from olive oil)

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
Fresh herb of your choice (about 1-2 tablespoons; tastes may differ)

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Bring water to a boil.
3. Stir in quinoa, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Allow quinoa to partially cool
5. Chop or finely slice herb; if using rosemary, first remove leaves from its sprigs.
6. Stir into partially cooled quinoa.
7. Serve warm or chilled.
8. ENJOY!

Nutrition facts: 107 calories; 19 gm carbs; 4 gm pro; 2 gm fat,

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1 red pepper, diced
2 green onions, thinly slice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cups water
1/2 cup watercress

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Sauté quinoa in olive oil, over medium heat, stirring constantly, until quinoa is lightly toasted.
3. Bring water to a boil.
4. Stir in quinoa, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
5. While quinoa is cooking, add red pepper and green onion to the oil, and sauté just a few minutes more.
6. Combine quinoa, red peppers and green onions.
7. Allow quinoa mixture to cool.
8. Tear the watercress into bite-sized pieces and gently fold into quinoa mixture.
9. ENJOY!

Nutrition facts: 114 calories: 15g carbohydrates, 3g protein, 5g fat,

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 cups sweet potatoes (about 3 sweet potatoes)
1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs (about 4 slices)
6 cups Swiss chard, washed well and stems trimmed, removed, and reserved
1-3 tablespoons minced garlic
Preheat oven to 450°F. and butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Directions

1. Prick each potato with a fork 3 times and bake on a sheet in middle of oven about 1 hour, or until very tender.
2. While potatoes are baking, in a bowl wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a fine sieve.
3. In a saucepan combine quinoa with 2 cups salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer quinoa, covered, until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes, and remove lid.
4. In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat and cook bread crumbs until golden brown. Season crumbs with salt and pepper.
5. While quinoa is cooking, finely chop reserved Swiss chard stems and coarsely chop leaves, keeping both separate. In a deep heavy 12-inch kettle heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat and cook stems until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in leaves, a handful at a time, and stir in garlic, tossing. Cook leaves until just wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove kettle from heat and stir in quinoa until combined well. Season mixture with salt and pepper.
6. Reduce temperature to 350°.F.
7. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and mash with a fork. Season potatoes with salt and pepper.
8. With a large spoon drop mounds of potatoes and Swiss chard mixture in baking dish, alternating them decoratively to cover bottom, and smooth top. Top gratin with bread crumbs.
9. Bake gratin in middle of oven about 30 minutes, or until hot. Cool gratin 5 minutes before serving.

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Nutrition facts: 6 servings: 364 calories; 68 carbs; 8 gm pro; 7 gm fat,

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
8 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil) chopped
1 green onion, thinly slice
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
Bring water to a boil.
Stir in quinoa, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a skillet, sauté carrots and garlic (do not overcook garlic-it will become bitter)
Stir in remaining ingredients and heat through.
ENJOY!!!

Nutrition facts: 4, 6 servings: 206, 137calories: 40, 26g carbs, 7.5, 5g protein, 5, 3.5g fat,

Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water plus ½ cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced carrot

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Bring water and juice to a boil.
3. Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add onion and carrot
5. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Salt and pepper to taste
Enjoy!

NOTE: Add one chopped apple to add a sweeter taste.
Nutrition facts: Nutrition facts: 130 calories; 25 gm carbohydrates; 4 gm protein; 1 gm fat

Makes four (4) servings as a side dish

Ingredients

1 cup water
½ cup quinoa
8 fresh figs
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1/3cup honey
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Bring water to a boil
3. Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until wall water is absorbed.
4. While quinoa is cooking, cut figs in half lengthwise
5. With the back of a spoon, press an indentation into each cut-side of the fig.
6. Fill each indentation with cream cheese (about 1 teaspoon in each)
7. Warm honey slowly over low heat; whisk in cinnamon and nutmeg
8. Divide quinoa onto four dishes; arrange four fig-halves on the quinoa
9. Drizzle with spiced honey and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
10. ENJOY!

Nutrition facts:
1 serving= 300 cal, Protein = 6 grams, Carbs = 50 grams, Fat =10grams

Variations: Try with mascarpone or ricotta cheese; sprinkle with a variety of nuts.

Makes about 6-8 servings

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups water (divided)
½ cup wild rice
1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons chopped dill weed

Directions

1. Rinse wild rice in a bowl of cold water. Rub grains gently between your hands. Drain.
2. Combine wild rice, olive oil and 1 ½ cups water in a sauce pan.
3. Bring water to a boil, cover and lower heat.
4. Simmer for 45 minutes
~~While wild rice is cooking:
5. Rinse quinoa to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
6. Bring 2 cups water to a boil
7. Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
8. Gently stir together wild rice and quinoa. Fluff in chopped dill weed.
9. ENJOY!

Nutrition facts: 6 servings (8 servings)
152 (113) calories; 22 (17)gm carbohydrates; 5 (4)gm protein; 5.5 (4) gm fat

Variations: Try other herbs such as basil or oregano. Or…add chopped apples, nuts, dried fruit. Use YOUR imagination!

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

12 squash blossoms 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water
1 sweet red pepper, finely chopped 1 sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon walnut or olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh snipped marigolds
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Bring 2 cups water to a boil
3. Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
4. Remove the pistils and stamens from the squash blossoms and rinse well.
5. Sauté the peppers and cooked quinoa in walnut or olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the snipped marigolds.
7. Stir the quinoa and add salt and pepper (if desired).
8. Stuff the blossoms with some of the quinoa. Spread the remaining quinoa on a serving plate; place stuffed blossoms on the bed of quinoa.

Nutrition facts: 140 cal; 21gm carbs; 4gm pro; 4gm fat

For more great recipes with edible flowers, check out Herb and Wisdom

Makes four (4) servings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup Quinoa
½ cup brown rice
21/4 cups water or vegetable broth
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup dried apricots
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Heat olive oil in a medium size pan.
3. Add pecans, brown rice and quinoa, sauté gently about two minutes.
4. Transfer to a baking dish, add water or broth, cranberries and apricots and cover tightly.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. (All liquid should be absorbed)
6. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes.
7. Fluff up and ENJOY!

Nutrition facts: 1 serving= 180 cal, Protein = 6 grams, Carbs = 27 grams, Fat =8.5grams