Cooking the Perfect Quinoa

Once you've mastered this  technique--which is pretty easy--you'll be making Quinoa weekly,

I DO!

The KEY trick for making any kind of quinoa recipe (for breakfast foods, soups, etc.)  is to wash it THOROUGHLY! Now, I don't mean throw it in a bowl and swirl it around a few times, I'm talking three really good washes. 

Why?
 1) Washing gets rid of the bitter taste that comes from the seeds shell. Who knows why, but it's there, but it's also wash-away-able. 
2) The seed can absorb some the water and help make it nice and fluffy later. 

So get your quinoa and let's begin. 

• Grab a large enough bowl to hold your desired amount quinoa (I generally cook about a cup of dry=~2 1/2 cups cooked) large enough to fully submerge the quinoa in water. 

• Dump your dry quinoa in the bowl and fill with wamish water. 

• Now reach your hands into that bowl and start playing with it. Move it around, swish it, rub the seeds between your fingers (obviously this is the best/most fun part).

• Once the water is pretty murky, dump the water and fill it up again. Repeat washing process. Repeat a 3rd time.

• The water should get less and less murky every wash--but not completely clear--this is okay. 3 times usually does the trick for the bitter part. 

• Now bring a small sauce pan full of your liquid of choice to a boil (water for versatility, Milk generally for breakfast recipes, broths for fillers--I always cook my in a chicken or veggie broth)

• Dump washed and drained quinoa into the heated liquid and stir for about 2 min on boil. 

• Now reduce Heat to Low and simmer covered for 20 min. Quinoa will expand, peel a little (the little white squiggles), and absorb the liquid as the time goes by. Feel free to stir every once in awhile. 

•  After timer goes off, fluff away by stirring it! 

Now you have an awesome batch of yummy quinoa ready for your adventurous recipes. 

ENJOY!!!!

Strawberry Bread

This is a wonderful sweet bead. 

Light & Fluffy & Fruity 

Great for Breakfast, a light afternoon snack, or even dessert!

Bake away!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup agave

3 eggs (or 2 eggs + 1tbs ground flax seed and 3tbs water mixed until gummy)

1 tsp vanilla

2 cup diced strawberries (my husband likes to puree some into the batter...but this is optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. 

Mix flour, baking soda,baking powder,salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Mix greek yogurt,agave,coconut oil,eggs and vanilla.

Blend wet ingredients into dry ingredients bowl. Mix very well (If you have some puree add in now)

Gently fold in diced strawberries with a spatula.

Pour batter into 2 bread pans. 

Bake for 45-50 min or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Let cool for 20 min. 

ENJOY!!!!

***You CAN freeze a loaf***

Chili Verde Enchiladas

Growing up, my mama, who learned all of her cooking from my very Hispanic grandmother, used to make this relatively easy, traditional Hispanic dish for us. 
On those days the world was a little better of-a place.
If you've read my other posts you'll have noticed I love spicy food.
I thank my mother for this.
If I can add had a zing here or there for some kick in the bite, I will do it.

So naturally this was a favorite dish of mine. 

However, as much as I love love love  my mom's full fat, deliciously cheesy and creamy dish I adjusted her recipe for this healthy-conscience foodie.

****The recipe calls for a cream of chicken, and rather than buy the processed can stuff I made my own thanks to milehimama homemade version****

Cream of Chicken:
Creates about 1 cup
2 tbs butter (I used Parkay)
2 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup chicken broth (I quartered a bullion cube and melted it with boiling water)

Melt butter in a pan on Medium heat, then whisk in flour, 1 tbs at a time until paste. Slowly whisk in milk, then broth. Keep whisking and heating until desired thickness--the more you heat the thicker it gets.

Ingredients for Enchiladas:

12 corn tortillas
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked (I used 3 large)
1 can green chilies (4 oz)
1 can green enchilada sauce
1/4 cup green onion (I omitted because my husband doesn't like onion very much)
1-2 jalapeno peppers
prepared cream of chicken
salt and pepper to taste
Shredded Mexican cheese mix 
sliced Olives (optional)

Directions: 
Bring chilies, enchilada sauce, and cream of chicken to boil.
 
Meanwhile, shredded chicken with a fork or fingers

When sauce is boiling, add salt, pepper, green onion, and jalapeno. Boil for 1 min.
Turn heat to low.


Dip out 1/2-3/4 cup sauce and put aside. 


Add shredded chicken to remaining sauce and simmer 10-15min.

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Dip one side of tortilla in chicken sauce mix, lay sauce side down in a 9x13 pan. Fill non-sauce side with 2-3 spoon fools of mixture, pinch of cheese, olives--if you're having them,  and roll tortilla, seam side down. Repeat until pan is full.

Take the 1/2-34 sauce and drizzle over the top of rolled tortillas and then sprinkle with shredded cheese and extra olives if you have them.

Bake 20 min, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with some Spanish rice and top with plain Greek yogurt!

Enjoy!!!!

Stuffing Bread Cakes

Alright,

The big Turkey-Day passed us by and hopefully it was wonderful and full of joy and good memories with those whom you love. Mine sure was.

My contribution to the thanksgiving feast was the stuffing, or dressing--what they call it if it is not "stuffed" in the turkey, I didn't know this.
So when it was wasn't all devoured...I MADE A LOT...I had to take home the extras.

 
They also sent me home some turkey and, of course, what do you make with left over turkey from Thanksgiving? Make sandwiches!!!

So I decided to use my extra stuffing and create a "slice" of bread out of it. It came out more like a bread cakes but...

THEY WERE SOOOO GOOD!

Add some turkey and any other left overs and enjoy your mini feast.

Ingredients:

Leftover stuffing
Cooking spray (I used my misto which is filled with water and olive oil)

1tbs flax seed, ground + 3tbs water (You can use an egg too)

Directions:

Mix your flax seed with the 3tbs water. Let sit for 5 min.
Now heat small pan to medium  heat.
Grab a handful of the stuffing and place a plate or cutting board--any working space will do.
Spoon a few scoops of the flax seed mixture onto the stuffing. Get it wet!
Grab the bread and smush it together. It will get gooey, that is okay. Mold it into a "slice" of bread.
Since it is mushy it should mold easy, if not add more of the flax seed mixture.

Spray one side of the "slice" with cooking spray and  place that side down in the pan.
Let cook for 4-5 min.
Before you flip, spray the top side with cooking spray, then FLIP!
Cook for 4-5 more min.

***Mine did crumble a bit on the edges during the flip so I spooned a little bit of the flax seed mixture into the crack of the break and then pressed together the bread with the spatula. Worked like a charm***

Remove from heat and top with whatever leftover dressings you want!

ENJOY!!!!

Chocolate Cake-Single Serving

All right chocolate lovers

This one's for you. 

Seriously, 

only for you. 

Single serving chocolate bliss  that you don't have to feel guilty about, because it's healthy in the best chocolaty way.

Cake Ingredients
2 tbs whole wheat flour
1 tbs all purpose flour
1 tbs Cocoa powder
3 tsp brown sugar
1 packet Truvia sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbs unsweetened applesauce
2 tbs almond milk
1 tsp vanilla 

Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients in a mug or small baking dish (ramekin) very, very well. Add wet ingredients and mix very, very well. 
Microwave for 50-75 sec. (All microwaves differ. Stop occasionally and check to see if cake is formed and no longer runny)


Chocolate Drizzle
1 tsp chocolate chips
1 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp almond milk

Place all ingredients in a small microwave save bowl. Microwave for 20-30 sec. Watch carefully, you do not want to burn chocolate chips. It is okay if not all the chocolate chips are melted the mix should be warm enough that when you stir it they should melt. 

Drizzle over cake....

It's okay to lick your fingers....and the fork...and the plate.... no judgement here. 

 Enjoy!!!!

Nutrition Information:

Cake Only 

96 cal * 26 carb * 0 Sat Fat * 2 g protein * 4 g Fiber

Drizzle Only

Recipe above makes 2 servings.

43 cal * 1 carb * 4 Sat Fat * 0 g protein * 1 g Fiber

No Sweets Week

Alright. 

This is my second attempt at no sweets for

 one whole week. 

This is not just no candy or dessert (which I normally help myself to every night...don't worry it's within my calorie count) this is a "no food that doesn't have natural sugar built in it" week. 

THIS IS HARD

 You have to constantly read labels and think outside the box but....

THIS IS REWARDING. 

The last time I did no sweets week it was the week of  

Valentine's Day. 

Talk about temptation week.

 Cookies, cupcakes, and chocolates galore were being thrown at me from every angle.

 But you know what....

I used self discipline, said no thank you, and by the end of the week I was 2lbs lighter!!!!

 (A HUGE LEAP FROM MY NO WEIGHT LOSS IN OVER A MONTH, PLATEAU STRUGGLE)

After that I was sold. 

I figure it must have been just enough of a change to kick my plateau in the bottom, 

change my digestive system and get the ball rolling on my final steps towards my weight goal  

(which I reached a month later!!! 133lbs from 180lbs) 

So why do it again? 

Well, since being married I picked up a few of those pounds, 

seriously not in a bad way,

 but I did find myself giving into the sweets a little too much. 

So No Sweets Week it is!

Also, I found last time that by not having sugar for a week I didn't crave it as much afterward.

(I'm not giving up sweets for ever, trust me!)

So give it a try and let me know your results. 

As ALWAYS, you know your body; you know your limits, so please be healthy about making a change in your diet. See your doctor if you have major medical concerns. 

NEVER STARVE YOURSELF or ABUSE YOUR BODY

Your Beautiful, Strong, and AWESOME.

Happy Healthy Living  My Friends,

~Felisha

Black Bean Burgers (Spicy!)

oh my goodness these black been burgers are wonderful and soooooooooooooooooooooooo EASY to make! 

Make Em' and Feel Good Eatin' Them! 

Oh but be careful, they come with spicy edge!

Adapted from skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, no sodium added.

3 cherry tomatoes

2 tbs spicy/chunky salsa 

(should have some spicy pepper, onion, etc.)

1 tbs sriracha

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tbs ground flaxseed + 3tbs water

1 tbs cumin

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

½ cup old fashioned oats

  

Directions:

Mix flaxseed and water and set aside to gummy-fy while making rest of mix 

Rinse and pat dry black beans. Smash with a fork in a bowl. 

In either a food processor or single cup blender, blend garlic cloves, tomatoes, salsa, and sriracha. 

Then add cumin, salt, pepper, flaxseed mix, and oats. Quick blend. Mixture should be chunky.

Add blender mix to smashed black beans and combine with a spatula.

Equally pat out 4 patties and place on a plate covered with wax paper. (this took a bit of back and forth hand toss to make it flat)

Freeze for at least 2 hours or until ready to cook.
 (Freezing helps with the cooking! Nothing is as bad as a gooey patty)

*I just froze them as shown in picture. I encourage you to add another piece of wax paper on top and press lightly to make them flat on both sides.

Cook Frozen patties on lightly oiled pan for  5-7 min each side.

  Enjoy!!!!