Spinach Quinoa Salad

Cook 2 cups of dry quinoa (in 4 cups of water, cook like rice, takes 20 minutes.) 

After the quinoa cools, toss with:

5 oz fresh spinach
Some fresh, cut-up tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium red onion, chopped
15 oz can of chickpeas1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste 

Spinach and Quinoa Bars

1.) Cook 1 cup of dry quinoa. (Simmer, covered in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes.) 

2.) Defrost 18 oz frozen spinach. 

3.) Mix 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal with 6 tablespoons of warm water. 

3.) Mix the quinoa, spinach, and flaxseed mixture together with: 

• 1.5 cups nonfat cottage cheese
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Four drops of liquid smoke (optional) 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

4,) Spray a 9" x 12" pan with canola oil, pour it in, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 

Chili with Black-eyed Peas and Quinoa

My favorite food blog is by far that of Susan Voisin at Fat Free Vegan. I used to regularly make recipes from her blog even before I was doomed to having to eat this way for health reasons. Tonight I was planning to make her Black-eyed Pea Chili with Quinoa. But I didn't have all the ingredients, and I don't like following recipes to the letter anyway. So here's my modified version. (I'm sure hers is better, but if you need an excuse to use a jar of Sofrito tomato cooking base, here you go.) 

First saute:

• 1 big yellow onion
• 1 red Bell pepper
• 1 green Bell pepper 

Next, cook 3/4 cups of dry quinoa (I do this in a rice cooker. Ratio of quinoa to water is 1:2, simmer for 20 minutes. 

Put all that in a crock pot with: 

• 12 oz jar of Goya Sofrito tomato cooking base
• 2 cups water
• 2 cans black eyed peas
• 1 cup frozen corn (I used the roasted corn from Trader Joe's)
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon jarred, minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder 
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• Half a teaspoon liquid smoke.

Cook in the crock pot on low for 6 hours. 

I suggest adding some hot sauce. I only left it out for the kids, and then added it individually to my bowl. 

Quinoa Salad With Beets and Cucumbers

1.) Cook 1 cup of dry quinoa. I cook mine in a rice cooker since it is a the same ratio of grain to water and same time as for cooking most white rice. But if you don't have a rice cooker, just boil 2 cups of water, add the quinoa, then simmer at low heat with a lid on it for 20 minutes.

2.) Put aside the quinoa to cool. If in a hurry put it in the refrigerator. You don't want hot salad.

3.) Once the quinoa has cooled at least to room temperature, add:

• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 medium beets, peeled, cooked and chopped (I buy these already ready to go in the refrigerated section of Trader Joe's.)
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste.