Pesto Quinoa Vegetables

Although light and vegetarian, this is a well-balanced meal with both protein and fat (yes, it’s possible to get protein without meat!) Quinoa is the gold standard of grains, which is funny because it’s actually a chenopod, which makes it more closely related to spinach or beets than to cereal grains like wheat. Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America and was considered to be a sacred plant– which is easy to believe when you look at its nutritional information. Quinoa is packed with essential amino acids, meaning it contains more protein than most other things we consider “grains.” One serving of quinoa also has almost 50% of daily recommended magnesium intake. And if that’s not enough, quinoa is low on the glycemic index, high in fiber and has a considerable amount of iron.

For the Pesto:

¾ cup olive oil

2-3 bunches of basil

1 cup pine nuts

1 tsp salt

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy.

For the Quinoa:

1 cup of quinoa- red, white or tri colored

2 cups of vegetable broth

Bring broth to a boil, add quinoa, reduce and simmer

For the Vegetables:

In 1 tablespoon of olive oil sauté some red onion, asparagus, red bell pepper and broccolini. (You could also use mushrooms, zucchini, or whatever other vegetables you like.) Once the vegetables are soft, toss in pesto and quinoa and coat evenly.

Ginger–Lime Tahini Sauce

Sauces are a great way to transform every-day vegetables into a tasty treat.  You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge so it’s ready for a batch of steamed vegetables or salad whenever you are. Having ready-made sauce makes healthy eating quick, easy, and delicious. This sauce is one of my particular favorites because the flavors are so well balanced. The tahini adds a satisfying richness to the lightness of vegetables, the ginger gives it some warmth, and the lime juice helps brighten it up a bit. I love it with tri-colored quinoa and a bunch of chopped raw veggies– usually shredded chard, red bell pepper, carrot, broccoli, and snow or sugar snap peas with green onion and sprouts. This also makes a great dipping sauce for spring rolls or wraps.

½ cup nama shoyu

½ cup tahini

¼ cup of sesame oil

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons agave or honey

2-inch piece of ginger (I like it really gingery and use 2-3 times this amount)

the juice of 1 lime  

a healthy dash of olive oil

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

Soup!

My friends sometimes tease me about how much I love soup. I cook it year around and consider no occasion too special for its place on the table. One year I even had a soup-e-que for my birthday. (Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like– all soup, no barbeque.) I love soup because it’s healthy, satisfying, inexpensive, and you can eat the leftovers for days. Really, what’s not to love?

This recipe is a staple in my kitchen. It’s hearty, spicy and very satisfying. (not to mention delicious!)  I also like that you can modify this recipe and make a variety of soups from its base. 

Spicy Veggie Soup

1 cup of cooked brown rice

1 small can of garbanzo beans

1 tablespoon of olive oil

¾ cup of celery, chopped

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

½ cup of green beans

½ cup of corn

1 cup of carrots

1 cup of broccoli

28 oz. can of fire roasted crushed tomatoes

1½ teaspoons of thyme

2 bay leaves

1½ teaspoons of garlic, minced

1½ teaspoons of sea salt

1½ teaspoons of garlic powder

1 pinch of cayenne

A few drops of hot sauce

8 cups of vegetable broth

½ bunch of green onions

2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped

Get a big soup pot and sauté the celery, onions, and carrots in the olive oil until tender (about 20 minutes). Add garlic and spices and sauté for another few minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, corn, green beans, and broccoli. Increase the heat and allow the soup to simmer. (I prefer not to let the soup boil- it over cooks the vegetables making them mushy and decreasing their nutritional content.) Once the soup is simmering, turn to low and allow to keep simmering until the green beans and broccoli become tender. Do not over cook! Remember that you‘ll be re-heating the soup over the next couple of days so it will get the chance to cook a little further. Garnish the soup with green onion and parsley.

For variation you can switch out the garbanzo beans for chicken. I’ve also added a dollop of plain yogurt and avocado slices to make it kind of like a healthy tortilla soup. The brown rice can also be substituted for quinoa or fingerling potatoes. Don’t limit yourself to the vegetables you see here– use whatever you like.