Tag Archives: food

Red Quinoa with Spinach and Dried Cherries

I’ve had a minor obsession with dried cherries lately. And by lately, I mean the last year. When I was in Chicago visiting my aunt last year, she offered me a huge bag of some dried cherries that she’d gotten at a farmer’s market (or something like that, I can’t remember!).  The dried cherries she had were so plump and sweet yet tart and I had to physically stop myself from consuming an embarrassing amount. Now, I grab dried cherries often to have on hand to eat with peanuts or in plain Greek yogurt. Or I just pop them as a small snack.  I came across this recipe for Red Quinoa with Spinach and Dried Cherries and figured it would be another way to try these dehydrated gems.

Red quinoa (or red rice as the original recipe calls for) is cooked and combined with onion, ginger and dried cherries. Spinach and fresh orange juice are added for yet even more layers of flavor to this superfood-filled dish. I found the red quinoa at my local Target (I have yet to find red rice) but regular ol’ quinoa or rice will work. The zing of the ginger, the sweetness of the orange, and the mild tartness of the cherries combine for a real melody of flavors. And with the quinoa and spinach, this dish is good for you!

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Prepare the red quinoa according to package directions in a medium saucepan. (Or if using red rice, combine rice and water in a medium pan, cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat; reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.)

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Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion; sprinkle with the sugar and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and dried cherries; cook, stirring, until the onion is golden brown, about 7 more minutes.

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Stir the prepared quinoa (or rice) into the onion mixture. Add the baby spinach and orange juice and stir until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute.

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Season with salt and pepper.

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Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

  • Red quinoa

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Food Network magazine

Asparagus with Red Pepper and Manchego

I might as well chalk my diet up to a lost cause this week. I only have two more days at my current job and I can’t help but take advantage of my favorite Philadelphia eats (like the obsessive chicken over rice from the Halal food truck on the corner, the peanut butter cup popcorn at Go Popcorn, and the chicken tinga tacos at El Vez) while I still work downtown. Since I’ll be moving to Atlanta, I’m trying to get this great food in while I still can (luckily Go Popcorn ships nationwide!). While my taste buds are in heaven, my belly is feeling like a fat puffy gray cloud. Since I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a bite of anything green, it’s time to make some veggies. Both asparagus and red peppers were on sale at the grocery store this past weekend so this Asparagus with Red Pepper and Manchego seemed like the perfect recipe to make in between my not-so-healthy meals.

Asparagus is cooked with red pepper slices, smoked paprika, salt and pepper before being topped with thin shavings of buttery Manchego cheese. Amazing! The asparagus is perfectly crisp, the red pepper is slightly sweet and the smoked paprika is a smoky little cherry on top. Smoked paprika is my favorite thing in my kitchen but I’d never considered using it to jazz up some vegetables. I knew I would like this recipe because what’s not to like but I seriously didn’t expect to inhale it the way I did. This doesn’t feel like a side dish but a healthy little meal in itself. It may not be Halal’s chicken over rice but I think it’s a new obsession.

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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil; swirl to coat. Add asparagus; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Add bell pepper, paprika, black pepper, and salt; cook 2 minutes.

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Top with Manchego cheese.

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Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light magazine

Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers

I’m in a fruit and veggies state of mind (sorry I just saw Billy Joel in concert over the weekend). I used to be diligent about going to the local produce stand (which isn’t all that close to me) each weekend and stocking up on fresh fruits and veggies. Up until this past weekend, I don’t think I’ve been there all year. Pathetic. And then when I go to my sad grocery store, I complain each and every time because the produce section is inevitably out of something I specifically went there to get and I wonder why I didn’t go the extra few miles to the produce stand. The peppers in these Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers were one such missing item from my grocery store after having seen bags of them for weeks. Then poof! They were gone.  Along with the purple cauliflower and the bags of cherries the store had advertised as being a special price in their circular. But I had my heart set on making these little snacks so I hopped in Zelda (my car) and drove to another grocery store farther away which I knew had a better produce department. The store stinks (literally, P.U.) …but the produce is good. And I walked away, satisfied, with a huge bag of these baby bells.

Baby bell peppers are blistered in a skillet before being halved and stuffed with a mixture of cooked ground meat (I used turkey but the recipe calls for pork), poblano pepper, onion, garlic, spices, fresh cilantro and Muenster cheese. After a quick trip to the oven, the cheese melts and these guys are ready to go. Sure, stuffing the peppers is the most time consuming part but when it’s all said and done, these peppers are the perfect one or two bites. The poblano gives a subtle kick and the ancho and chile powders add a punch of flavor. Make these as an appetizer or as a unique little lunch. People will walk by and wonder what colorful lunch you are having.

If you like these, definitely try Sausage-and-Feta Cheese-Stuffed Peppers.

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Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the baby bell peppers in a single layer and cook, turning, until the skins blister and start browning, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

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Add the onion, poblano, garlic, cumin, oregano, ancho and chipotle chile powders and 1 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the onion and poblano are tender, about 8 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and add the turkey. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and thoroughly cooked. Remove from the heat; let cool.

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Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Make a slit in each baby bell pepper with a paring knife, cutting from stem to tip. Crumble the meat mixture into small bits, then stir in the cilantro and cheese. Stuff 2 to 3 teaspoons of the meat mixture into each pepper using your fingers or a small spoon; transfer to a baking sheet.

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Bake until the peppers are hot and the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Ground turkey

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Food Network magazine

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