Saturday, November 24, 2012

Quinoa, Almond and Orange Salad


Quinoa, Almond and Orange Salad

My favorite quinoa recipe to date.  I love the warmth of the cumin and the cool of the parsley.  
1 cup quinoa
1 cup plus 1 T orange juice, divided (can be from concentrate)
2 large oranges, peeled and cut into membrane-free segments (or a large can of drained mandarin oranges)
1 teaspoon orange zest (if you have it)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 T olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup parsley (or cilantro), chopped
1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water (if not pre-rinsed). Drain and combine with 1 cup water and 1 cup orange juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; immediately reduce heat, cover and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (I just toss it all into my rice cooker, works like a charm.)
2. Meanwhile, place the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and very lightly toasted. Set aside. Mix together 1 T orange juice, olive oil, spices and orange segments.
3. Combine the cooked quinoa, oranges and spices, toasted nuts, dressing and parsley/cilantro and serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 4 generous servings

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Ranch Seasoning

If you're like me, you like being able to pronounce the ingredients in your food.  Ranch seasoning without the preservatives (or dairy)!  And we like it better than the brand name.

Ranch Flavor Mix
1/2 c dry buttermilk (optional)
1 T parsley flakes
1 t dill weed
1 t onion powder
1 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground pepper

This is equivalent to a single packet, or about 3 T of seasoning.

Enjoy!