Quinoa Salad

Hi everyone! Quick post today for a recipe that is a bit time consuming but well worth the effort. Without further ado here is my recipe for Quinoa Salad (sans catchy name so please, post a name for this dish in the comments and I'll change this post ASAP! If you can't tell my brain is a bit over-worked this week!) Anyhoo, ENJOY :)

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

2 cups organic quinoa grain

4 cups water

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raw pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 whole white onion

4 cloves garlic - minced

~4 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled)

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. Rinse off quinoa to get rid of excess powde that may have accumulated during shipping

2. Place 2 cups quinoa and 4 cups hot water in saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa has turned translucent and completely dissolved the water, (has a kind of fluffy texture to it.)

3. MEANWHILE......... toast the almonds and pecans (place nuts in pan with NO OIL for about 5 minutes or until turn light brown.)

4. Then, in another pan (yes this recipe requires a lot of pans!) saute the onions and minced garlic to desired level of brownness, (I like mine very well done.)

5. ASSEMBLY TIME! Place quinoa in bowl, add toasted nuts and cranberries then mix. Add in onion, (don't worry if a little oil gets into the quinoa, won't harm the tast will only help it, but take care not to get too much oil in there or your dish will get.... yes you guessed it... oily!) Add feta cheese then pour in 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and mix well. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste and voila! Quinoa [insert catchy and food-related title here] Salad!

Enjoy :)

Xo

Organic Eats

Also: If you haven't done so yet, please text "red cross" (no quotes) to 9-0-9-9-9 to donate $10 for relief efforts in Japan. Every little bit helps and for the entire month of March and April, Organic Eats will be posting this little reminder at the end of all our blog posts. Let's send well wishes and tender care to those who need it most.

Peace and Love, OEats

A Wonderful Breakfast, Un Petit Déjeuner Merveilleux

So this absolutely fantastic French Toast recipe was inspired by a trip I took to Costa Rica several years ago. There was a small restaurant there, in the town of Tamarindo, (though restaurant is a term used lightly, it was a hut so poorly constructed, when it rained you had to take care not to get your food wet by the holes in the thatched roof!) Anyway, besides having the absolute BEST Tres Leche cake I have ever experienced (and perhaps one of the best desserts of my life,) - a cake I am still trying to duplicate, unsuccessfully, to this day - I also had the most interesting, delicious French Toast which, luckily, I have had more success in replicating. So here we go, this is an absolute must-try. I made it this past Sunday to rave reviews, and it is a perfect breakfast or brunch to make as anything from a romantic morning spent for two to a family gathering at the hectic week's end.

Costa Rican Inspired French Toast

Ingredients:

-4 pieces of bread. I used whole wheat because I am on a whole wheat kick but challah or brioche bread provide a fluffier, more traditional alternative.

-5 eggs

-1 cup milk (I used goat's milk, but regular would work as well)

-1 teaspoon cream (optional but gives the batter a nice smoothness)

-1.5 tablespoons vanilla extract

-2 teaspoons light brown sugar

-1 teaspoon cane sugar

-Butter (for greasing the pan, about 1 tablespoon)

-1 teaspoon cream cheese

-1 teaspoon of your favorite jam or jelly, (I used raspberry jelly)

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, cream, vanilla extract, brown sugar and cane sugar. Mix until the batter turns a light yellow.

2. Soak the bread in the bowl, pressing down with a spatula so that the bread is soaked through on one side, then flipping the pieces over and repeating so that they are thoroughly soaked on the other. Chef's Note: SOAKING THE BREAD ALL THE WAY THROUGH IS THE ABSOLUTE SECRET TO GREAT FRENCH TOAST. OTHERWISE, YOU HAVE EGGY BREAD THAT IS DRY ON THE INSIDE! The bread should almost fall apart when you lift it up for the next step..... (Note: If there is extra batter go ahead and soak another piece of break or two... the more french toast the merrier, I always say!)

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in a saucepan large enough for both pieces of bread to comfortably cook in then when the butter is melted, transfer the bread to the pan, making sure not to get too much extra batter involved in this transfer or else you'll have bits of egg cooking on the side of your pan!

4. Cook on one side until brown, (about 1-2 minutes, though don't fret if it takes longer!) then flip and cook other side.

5. Transfer bread to flat surface and on one piece, spread cream cheese, (don't worry, it will melt, that is fine,) and on the other piece spread your jelly of choice. Put the pieces together, cream cheese side to jelly side and press down with your spatula to mix in the cream cheese with the jelly. Put french toast on plate, garnish with perhaps a few slices of strawberry or banana and ENJOY!!

As always, feedback is appreciated.

Xo,

Organic Eats

Also: If you haven't done so yet, please text "red cross" (no quotes) to 9-0-9-9-9 to donate $10 for relief efforts in Japan. Every little bit helps and for the entire month of March and April, Organic Eats will be posting this small reminder at the end of all our blog posts. Let's send well wishes and tender care to those who need it most.

Peace and Love, OEats

Cinnamon Crepes

So easy I won't even write a clever lead-in, let's just get right down to business, (and you best make these sheets of deliciousness ASAP!)

Cinnamon Crepes

1/3 cup milk (I used goat's milk, I find it's creamier but by all means use cow's milk)

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used pastry flour but if you don't have that in your pantry use all-purpose)

1 large egg

Optional: 2 teaspoons sugar (I actually omitted this part, so if you're making a savory crepe or are watching your sugar intake, you don't need the added sweetness... but may I add that you can subsitute the sugar for 2 teaspoons of honey if you have your heart set on some sweet crepes)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons MELTED unsalted butter + more for lining pan

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together milk, flour, egg, sugar, (optional-or honey...) cinnamon, salt and butter until smooth with minimal lumps, (I'd say no lumps but don't kill yourself trying to get every last little clump of flour out, your crepes will survive, I promise!)

2. Cover with saran wrap or a towel and let sit for up to half an hour, (if you're impatient give it a good 15 minutes.)

3. Add a little pat of butter to saucepan over medium heat, (should NOT be smoking,) with one hand... (now this is where it gets a bit tricky,) hold saucepan off heat and with another spoon about 1/4 cup (not a lot or your crepes will be too thick!) into saucepan and turn batter so that it covers entire inside, (I use a small saucepan so that my crepes are not humongous.) Let cook for 30 seconds-1 minute then use a spatula to gently lift and flip over. Don't worry if your crepe folds, it won't stick and you can just readjust it once you have it turned to the other side. Cook another 30 seconds then slide onto plate.

4. Add whatever creative filling you desire, (I put in a dollop of maple-syrup sweetened Greek Fage yogurt with a few raspberries and blackberries,) and ENJOY!

Also: If you haven't done so yet, please text "red cross" (no quotes) to 9-0-9-9-9 to donate $10 for relief efforts in Japan. Every little bit helps and for the entire month of March and April, Organic Eats will be posting this little reminder at the end of all our blog posts. Let's send well wishes and tender care to those who need it most.

Peace and Love, OEats

Raspberry Pecan Cookies

In fiddling around with a to-die-for chocolate chip recipe, I discovered this variation on that using raspberry jelly and pecans:

Ingredients

1.5 cups all purpose organic flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter (melted)

1/2 cup organic cane sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg + 1 tablespoon of another egg (mixed) - need 2 eggs in total

1/2 cup pecans

2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

3 tablespoons raspberry jelly

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt

2. In another bowl, combine melted butter, cane sugar and brown sugar until mixture is light brown and thoroughly mixed.

3. Add 1 whole egg plus 1 tablespoon of other egg (mixed lightly in a separate bowl) - combine into sugar/butter mixture

4. Add vanilla extract to butter/sugar/egg mixture and combine

5. In blender, blend confectioner's sugar and pecans. Blend until roughly pea size ...but don't be too worried about consistency, different sized pecan bits add to rustic feel of these cookies!

6. Alternating a bit from each bowl, add pecan mixture to sugar/butter/egg bowl to combine, then add some of flour/baking soda/salt mixture to main bowl, then pecan mixture, then flour mixture etc. until both are combined fully into sugar/butter mix.

7. Add raspberry jelly (you can substitute for another kind of jelly but the pink coloring adds a nice touch to these cookies, especially if making them for a girls' dinner party or for a girlfriend....) and mix until combined throughout.

8. On a greased baking sheet, spoon small balls of the dough about 1.5 inches apart. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until bottoms turn golden brown.

As always, your feedback is encouraged. Enjoy!

Also: If you haven't done so yet, please text "red cross" (no quotes) to 9-0-9-9-9 to donate $10 for relief efforts in Japan. Every little bit helps and for the entire month of March and April, Organic Eats will be posting this little reminder at the end of all our blog posts. Let's send well wishes and tender care to those who need it most.

Peace and Love, OEats

Sweet! (Potato Fries)

Today's post is about a glorious side dish that not too many people attempt in their own kitchen, though the simplicity with which it is made and the deliciousness with which it is consumed should account for many, many more people making these puppies. I myself have given up the fried stuff- you know it, those thin strips of greasy potatoes so masked in their flavor that no sane person would consider a bowlful as a portion of "vegetables." So here we go, below you will find an easy, adaptable recipe for BAKED sweet potato fries that are so crisp on the outside and so soft on the inside, you may just give up the other fried, white-potato ugly cousin version of this stuff entirely.... well there will always be that 3AM calling when you just need the grease, but almost entirely....

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

2 Large Sweet Potatoes - peeled of dark, outer skin (you can leave skin on if you want, I prefer it off)

1/4 cup olive oil (or enough to coat the "fries")

Salt and Pepper to taste

Any other spice you want (here is where you can get inventive....)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice the sweet potato lengthwise along its base in a 1/4 inch-wide cut (this way you have a flat base to work with when you cut the potato into fries.)

2. Slicing lengthwise, Cut the potato into slices about 1/2-3/4 inch thick.

3. Stack these slices (it will get to be too high a stack to slice if you stack them all, I recommend 4-5 slices stacked at a time) and cut lengthwise again, cutting into strips of potato about 1/2-3/4 in diameter, (if you like your fries very thin, you can cut them as desired.)

4. Place potato fries on a baking sheet, (like one used to bake cookies,) and douse in about 1/4 cup of olive oil or until each fry has a healthy coating.

5. Spread the fries out so that none are on top of each other, (VERY IMPORTANT STEP- THEY WON'T CRISP UP IF THEY'RE OVERLAPPING!)

6. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper and whatever else spice you think might be nice. Here are some spice suggestions, (though again, they're lovely on their own with just a hint of salt and pepper...)

-Cinnamon

-Cardamom

-Cumin

-Coriander (look at all these C's!)

-Rosemary

-Thyme

-Parsley (chopped up fresh you can add it afterwards, dried add before baking)

-Basil (chopped up fresh add afterwards, dried add before baking)

-Nutmeg (Also Cinnamon + Nutmeg adds a nice warm, wintery flavor)

7. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until fries turn dark brown at the edges. Try a fry to make sure they have reached your desired level of crispness.

8. ENJOY!

As always, feedback is appreciated. Let us know if you try this simple, delicious recipe!

oX Organic Eats Xo

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Also, as a tribute to the tragedy in Japan, all blog posts this week will end with the reminder that you can text "red cross" (no quotes) to 90999 and you will be billed $10 which will automatically go to red cross relief efforts in Japan.

Reduce Me to Sweetness

Hey everyone! I know it has been a while since I've posted on the blog, (well a month to be exact... oh Valentines Day, how I don't love you so....) but the good news is that I am back, with my self-loathing commentary and quick, easy, healthy recipes and food tips and will be posting on a daily (or almost daily) basis from now on. So what am I all about for this burgeoning Spring food season? Well, I am all about the citrus, a great flavor to incorporate into dishes without any added fat and all that yucky stuff... lending a range of flavor from the sublimely subtle to the acidic acute to your favorite dish. Today, we add to a nice, sweet Balsamic reduction for a terrific pop of tang.... try this sauce on your sauteed fish or drizzle over some roasted vegetables for a great and easy meal! Also, did you know that the word "balsamic" means "balsam-like"? In the sense of curative or restorative? Ya, me neither. Thanks, wiki-pedia! But seriously, what better a way to cure those pesky lingering winter blues?

Orange Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients

2 Cups Balsamic Vinegar (make sure it is a heathy, good kind. You don't want to be cheap with this and buy some generic non-Italian balsamic vinegar, when it reduces it becomes more intense so a bad bottle will just get even worse!)

2 tablespoons cane sugar

1/2 teaspoon honey

Tiny pat of butter

1 pinch of salt

1 orange

Directions

1. In a saucepan, place balsamic vinegar, cane sugar, honey and a pinch of salt. Stir thoroughly. Melt in a tiny pat of butter, (adds a little creaminess to the sauce.) Zest one orange into the pan, as well as 2 tablespoons of the juice, (the zest has more flavor but the juice will had a nice background note of fruity sweetness.)

2. Stirring every few minutes or so, allow mixture to come to a boil and reduce to 1/3 its volume (or until it becomes syrupy in consistency.) IMPORTANT NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THE VOLUME LEVEL FREQUENTLY, (this can be done by shutting off the heat and letting the air bubbles pop and liquid settle.) THIS STUFF IS VERY QUICK TO EVAPORATE TO NOTHING! (And nothing makes for nothing sauce, trust me, I've been there!)

So that's it. When proper consistency, (should be the consistency of syrup,) let cool and then transfer to pouring cup. Drizzle over your favorite vegetables, fish, roasted berries or even ice cream. It is a delightful and highly compatible sauce that allows you to have creativity in how you use it.

Enjoy and as always, your feedback is encouraged!

Xo

PS: The other exciting news is that I have recently created a Facebook page... thus entering 2011 with a bang, so if you would be so kind as to "like" here then I will love it (I love all my blog readers anyway, like me or not.... jussss sayin...): http://on.fb.me/gNLV8v