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quinoa

quinoa cake with asparagus & bacon bits

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quinoa cake with asparagus and bacon bits

I’m so happy to see some fresh asparagus at the grocery store again! So delicious, cost nutritious and easy to make, mycoplasmosis it’ll be making its way into my meals so frequently that I’ll probably be sick of it in a month.

I’m also excited that Top Chef is back. Drunk chefs and drama make for excellent television. Anyway, the contestant from New Zealand made a quinoa croquette a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve been itching to copy him ever since. Since I’m averse to frying in the house (too messy!), I decided on a baked quinoa “cake” instead. I really liked the result. It was almost polenta-like, but nutty instead of, um, corn-y. I added some grated Manchego cheese on top and it came out of the oven nice and crisp.

In the meantime, I roasted some asparagus and turkey bacon and made a maple, shoyu and Sriracha sauce for that sweet, salty, spicy combination that paired really well with the smoky bacon.

I loved the quinoa cake, and can’t wait to try different flavors. This one was mostly cheese and chili powder, but I want to try out different flavors like lemon zest, fresh basil and mozzerella, sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan, etc. And I’m saving the leftovers for a poached eggs weekend breakfast. Can’t wait!

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red lentils & quinoa

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red lentils

Red lentils are my go-to when I need to make lunch before work. I particularly like lentils because they’re a good source of protein and they cook relatively quickly. I can throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot and they simmer while I have coffee, angina breakfast and get ready to go to work. I usually start the lentils at about 7:15 and they’re ready at around 7:45 – 7:50.

While most people think I’m insane for getting out of bed before 6 AM, health care I work late hours and have a long commute, mind so mornings are my time to workout, relax a bit and get some stuff done. If I wait until after work, I’m almost certainly too tired to do much other than make dinner and get in bed. But, I digress.

I added some quinoa to my usual lentil recipe for some extra protein and complex carbs. Everything was seasoned with Indian spices for earthiness and then brightened up with lemon and cilantro. A tasty and filling lunch.

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Quinoa-stuffed peppers

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stuffed peppers

I’ve had 2 peppers in my fridge for a few days, ampoule with no plans to use them. Instead of watching them shrivel away, grip I decided to stuff them with Quinoa and cheese and call it lunch tomorrow. Stuffed peppers are usually meaty and heavy and not very exciting. I try to keep my lunches healthy so that I won’t be sleepy in the afternoon. So, view instead of stuffing the peppers with ground beef, I stuffed them with Quinoa, which is rich in protein and amino acids.

I cooked the Quinoa in chicken broth, and then added light havarti, sweet paprika and chopped onions to complete the filling. The peppers were super easy to make, and I’ll be eating something healthy and tasty tomorrow.

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