Healthy Cooking Recipes: Clean Eating Edition: Quinoa Recipes, Superfoods and Smoothies
becomes fragrant and the broccoli is almost heated through. Add the diced tomatoes and heat through, another 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and divide among individual plates, sprinkle with a little Parmesan or Romano cheese and serve hot.
Leeks with Vinaigrette
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients:
6 leeks (discard the dark green tops)
3 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
6 – 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
juice of 3 lemons
4 tbsp olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil)
1 ½ tbsp salt
2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and black pepper, to taste
extra sprigs of thyme, for garnish
Preparation:
Slice off the dark green tops and the very bottoms of the leeks, halve lengthwise and place in a large bowl of cold water. Allow the leeks to soak at least half an hour to remove dirt and grit – rinse the leeks thoroughly between soaking and using.
While the leeks soak, bring 4 quarts of water, the sliced garlic, 1 ½ tbsp salt and the juice of 2 lemons to a boil in a large stockpot. Reduce the heat and simmer until the leeks are soaked and rinsed. Add the leeks to the pot and continue simmering for 15 – 20 minutes or until the leeks are tender. Drain the cooking liquid and pat the leeks dry with a clean kitchen towel.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, the juice of 1 lemon and olive oil, along with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Toss the leeks with the lemon dressing to coat and serve, topped with a little freshly ground black pepper and thyme sprigs.
Chickpea and Sweet Potato Dip
Number of servings: 6+ (this recipe makes about 2 ½ cups of dip)
Ingredients:
1 can (15 or 16 ounces) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or the equivalent amount of homemade cooked chickpeas)
1 medium sized sweet potato, well scrubbed
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
½ cup olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil), plus 1 tbsp for drizzling
salt and black pepper, to taste
hot sauce, to taste
Preparation:
Pierce the sweet potato in several places with a fork or knife and bake at 425 F for about 45 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork. Remove from heat, slice in half lengthwise (this will help it cool faster) and allow it to cool until it’s safe to handle.
Once the sweet potato is cool enough to touch, drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to a food processor along with the crushed garlic and a little salt. Scoop the flesh from the sweet potato and add to the chickpeas, garlic and salt. Process on low speed, adding olive oil (and hot sauce, if using) to the mixture little by little until the dip has become a smooth puree.
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Serve at room temperature.
Quinoa Salad with Kale and Avocado
Number of servings: 4 – 6
Ingredients:
2/3 cup dry quinoa
1 1/3 cups water
1 large bunch of lacinato kale (aka Tuscan or dinosaur kale), torn into manageable bite-sized pieces
1 avocado, diced
1 small cucumber, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup diced red onion
2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled (or more to taste)
For the dressing:
¼ cup olive oil (use extra virgin olive oil)
Juice of 1- 2 lemons (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Add the quinoa and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, uncover and allow the quinoa to cool.
Steam the kale in a steamer basket over a little (about 1”) of boiling water in a large saucepan, covered. Steam for about 2 minutes, just until wilted and remove from heat. Transfer the kale to a large bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature before topping with the quinoa, avocado slices, diced red bell pepper, onion, cucumber and crumbled feta cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.
Pumpkin and Flax Seed Dip
Number of servings: varies
Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted and lightly salted
1/3 cup flax seeds
1 small jalapeno or Serrano pepper
1 small shallot
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
juice and zest of 1 orange
juice and zest of 2 lemons
2 tbsp mayonnaise
black pepper, to taste
olive oil and paprika, for garnish
Preparation:
Add the garlic, shallot and jalapeno or Serrano pepper to a food processor and mince. Add the pumpkin and flax seeds and process again, before adding the chopped cilantro, mayonnaise, citrus juice and zest and spices and blending until the mixture becomes a smooth puree; add a little olive oil if needed. Transfer the dip to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika before serving.
Spinach Salad with Fruit and Almonds
Number of servings: 4 – 6
Ingredients:
1 (6 ounce) bag of baby spinach
1 cup strawberries, trimmed and sliced into quarters
1 cup fresh raspberries or blueberries
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup dressing, your choice (a lemon vinaigrette is a good choice)
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and cut in half
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
black pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 450 F. Lightly oil a large baking pan or sheet. In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with honey, olive oil,