Minted Strawberry Quinoa Salad in an Amaretto Dressing

Have you ever noticed how life's little mysteries get sorted and solved during long car rides?

I just returned from a brief road trip with our eldest son.  A weekend soccer tournament in beautiful Vermont that saw us spending 12 hours in the car together. 

The weekend itself could not have gone better.  From the generous hospitality of the people in Rutland Vermont to the glorious sun shining over the mountains and fields, we were treated to one of the smoothest and most enjoyable tournaments we've ever attended.

My son's team happened to win this year's tournament, but that wasn't the most memorable part of the trip for me.  No, the most memorable part of the trip for this mom, was the collection of weird and wonderful questions that came up during our car ride that amused and delighted me to the core.

Here is just a sample of the conversation starters:

- Mom, do you think humans have always been able to laugh?  I'm just wondering because no other living species is able to.  What makes people laugh anyway?

- Mom, what's the difference between a freckle and a birthmark?  Why do some people have lots of birthmarks and other people hardly have any? 

- Mom, do you think the smell of skunk seeps into the car through the closed windows or the air vents or a combination of both? (I couldn't help but laugh out loud at this one.  Not because it wasn't a valid question worthy of exploration but because I can sincerely say that I have never, at any point in my life, contemplated how the smell of skunk gets into a car.  I love boys!!).

Minted Strawberry Quinoa Salad in an Amaretto Dressing

For the Salad

• 1 cup quinoa
• 5 large mint leaves, finely chopped + a few leaves for garnish
• 6-8 large strawberries, fiely chopped + a few strawberries for garnish
• 1/4 cup natural almonds, sliced + a few almonds for garnish

For the Amaretto Dressing

• 4 heaping Tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp amaretto liqueur (I used Disaronno), substitute 2 tsp pure almond extract for a non-alcoholic version
• 1 tsp honey

 

This is a unique and beautiful salad that is simple yet elegant and full of complex flavours.  It would make a perfect starter for guests on a summer's evening.

The almond notes in the amaretto are a gorgeous complement to the sweetness of the strawberry, each intensifying the other's flavour. The mint brings the freshness of summer supported by the texture of the sliced almond.

I've had this salad in my head for weeks and am so happy to finally deliver it on the page.

I hope you enjoy it.

 

Directions:

Prepare quinoa according to package directions (generally 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water).

Once quinoa has cooled (you can cool it in the fridge if you like), add in the sliced strawberry, mint and sliced almond. 

Meanwhile, place amaretto dressing ingredients together in a small bowl, whisking to combine.  If you find the dressing too thick (depending on what yogurt you use), simply add a little milk or olive oil. 

Drizzle amaretto dressing over the salad and gently combine with the ingredients, taking care not to mash the fruit.

Plate the salad onto four individual dishes and top with mint, strawberry and sliced almond as desired.

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Our weekend setting  

soccer pitch below...

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bon appétit ~

Seared Garlic Chicken with Lemon and Olives

I seem to have developed a stress fracture in my lower right leg, just above the ankle.

(Completely self-diagnosed mind you. Having broken 6 bones in my day, I consider myself a small, albeit entirely unqualified, expert in the field).

Anyway, it's a bit embarrassing because it's not like I was doing a drop step into a turnaround jump shot when it happened.  Nope.  As I recall, I was somewhere above Grimaldi's at the mid-way point across the Brooklyn Bridge in the midst of our family's 6 day whirlwind tour of New York City when it started hurting like a bugger.  And I mean a bugger.

But here's the thing.  We walked an average of 10 km (6.2 miles) a day for five consecutive days, so I'm thinking, I've just completed a marathon, right?  Sure there wasn't much running involved (unless you count diving out of the way of oncoming traffic) - and there may have been a few stops along the way.  Still, I was booking a pretty good pace trying to keep up with my supremely keen and overly fit sons and somehow, I also ended up being the designated backpack carrier for most of our travels (not sure how that happened).

A small price to pay I'd say for the fun we had travelling to the top of the Empire State Building, walking the sun-drenched shores of Battery Park (with its stunning views of the Statue of Liberty); spending a day at the Bronx Zoo (loved the Gorillas!); visiting Fire Department Ten House across from the World Trade Center site and the 9/11 Memorial (a personal favourite); exploring Central Park; crossing the Brooklyn Bridge (you already knew that); visiting Yankee Stadium (what an impressive building); and frolicking amidst the madness of Time Square (I felt completely at home).  No rest for the wicked I'll tell you - our sons had us out till the wee hours.

We had a blast and I want to thank my blogging buddies who shared so many great ideas, tips and recommendations for our stay - including our hotel (thank you Amy!).

My son took this photo in Central Park (oops! I mean at the Bronx Zoo)

the tigers were unusually spunky and fun to watch

I just love how the light is hitting the water

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So, as I dash around trying to get back on track with work, groceries and laundry and prepare to dash back out the door for a soccer tourney in Vermont, I thought this one-pot wonder might be just the right thing.


Don't let the simplicity of this recipe fool you though, this is one succulent and flavourful dish.  I hope you enjoy it.

Seared Garlic Chicken with Lemon and Olives

• 2 garlic bulbs, peeled
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and each cut into eighths
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 chicken breasts, each cut into three pieces
• 1 – 2 cups large olives of choice (I used garlic stuffed jumbo green)
• Juice of one lemon
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• Sea salt and coarse black pepper to taste

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Notes:

I like to use a cast iron skillet for searing but you can make this recipe in any suitably sized pan.

You can also substitute half of the chicken stock for white wine to create a slightly different taste experience.

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Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken pieces and brown each side for about 2 minutes per side.  Just enough to get a nice sear on the chicken pieces without fully cooking.  Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate loosely tented with foil.

Add another tablespoon of butter to the same skillet and sauté garlic cloves and onion over low-medium heat, scraping up bits from seared chicken.  Cook until the garlic has a nice sear and onion is softened.

Return chicken to skillet and add olives, lemon juice, lemon zest, chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste.  Allow juices to come to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked through.

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By the way, garlic and onion not only taste great, they are also great for you.

As part of the allium family of vegetables that also includes leeks, chives, scallions and shallots, onion and garlic are high in disease-fighting phytochemicals. Studies have shown that a high intake of allium vegetables can help reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels and raise HDL ("good") cholesterol levels. A high intake of allium vegetables has also been linked with a lower risk of colon and prostate cancer.

 

Matcha Lemonade

I'm in love with the ease and simplicity of this time of year.

No heavy coats, no boots and no extra socks. No frozen toes or frostbitten noses.

Just a vast expanse of burgeoning green and the sweet contentment of wandering outside in bare feet and feeling the good earth beneath you.

What's New

In keeping with the season of renewal, we have been making ongoing changes over here at Inspired Edibles in an effort to serve you better.

You will notice that we have added print functionality to the site as well as a comprehensive search engine and category Index.  I do hope that you find these upgrades helpful and user-friendly and I welcome your feedback.

I am also very excited to offer readers scientifically researched and timely nutrition features on some of the most popular nutrition topics today, including:

Why is it so Hard for Me to Lose Weight?

considerations beyond calories in weight management

Dietary Detox:

is it the right approach?

Food Addiction:

strategies for overcoming the powerful pull to overeat

The Facts on Fat:

distinguishing between harmful and healthful sources

You can access these features by clicking on the titles listed above or by clicking on the "Nutrition Literature" button at the top of our site page.

Today's Green Recipe

As temperatures rise, my afternoon green tea routine gradually (or abruptly) evolves from a warming cinnamon matcha latte to a refreshing lemon matcha on ice.

This iced beverage not only tastes delicious, it also has outstanding health supportive properties.

Luscious Lemon - lemons have a long history of medicinal use against various forms of ailments and poisons.  Not surprisingly perhaps given this citrus fruit's natural anti-bacterial properties and strong concentration of vitamin C - a potent water-soluble antioxidant that helps boost the immune system and fight disease. 

Matcha Tea - matcha is made from green tea leaves that have been finely milled into a silky, radiant green powder. When you drink matcha you are benefiting from the entire green tea leaf, not just the brewed water from the leaf. Matcha is considered amongst the highest quality green teas with one of most concentrated antioxidant contents.

Even better news, a recent study out of Purdue University reveals that adding lemon to green tea can boost the bioavailability of catechins (the antioxidant compounds found in green tea) which have been linked to lowered cancer risk as well as improved heart and brain health by roughly four-fold.

Matcha Lemonade

• 16 ounces boiling water
• 4 tsp of matcha, or according to preference
• Juice of one lemon
• Zest of one lemon, I used chunky zest for this one
• 1 or 2 tsp raw honey, optional
• A few fresh mint leaves, optional
• 2 cups of ice

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Notes:

I generally like to use 1 tsp of matcha powder per 4-6 ounces of water. If you are new to matcha you may wish to begin with a smaller amount or add more water to suit your taste until you habituate.

Dressing matcha is a very particular thing.  Some matcha drinkers have a strong preference to drink the beverage straight up - no milk, no cream, no sweetener, no funny business.  My husband likens the taste of this hard-core approach to mud (I think he finds it a bit strong) and prefers a touch of cream and a bit of honey or agave - which takes the edge off. 

The lemon and ice in this version act as a nice balance, reducing the potency somewhat, but you may well find that you prefer it with a touch of honey so you can make adjustments and see what works best for your taste preference.

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Serves 2

Bring 16 ounces of water to boil (ideally, just to before the boiling point).

Place the 4 teaspoons of matcha powder in a large bowl or jug and add boiling water.  Using a matcha whisk as pictured above (or an ordinary whisk) whisk to integrate powder and water.

Add lemon juice, lemon zest, honey or agave if using and mint if desired, stirring to combine with matcha.

At this point, you can either place the matcha mixture in a pitcher in the fridge to cool for a few hours before enjoying over ice or you can pour it directly over ice (the ice will cool the drink down considerably even without it being refrigerated). 

Place one cup of ice in each serving glass (I used mason jars).  Give the matcha mixture a thorough stirring before pouring the mixture by divided portions over each glass.

No matter how well you mix your matcha, you may find that some of it inevitably sinks to the bottom of the glass.  I like to use a spoon while I drink my matcha to give it an occasional stir and make sure I'm benefiting from all those wonderful antioxidants!

Cheers to Spring ~

Lemony Kale Bites with Ricotta and Almond

Many years ago, when I first discovered that I was pregnant, I found myself in a Sunday afternoon yoga class.  It was one of those overly warm and muggy Toronto days with the sun filtering orange through the windows of a peaceful second floor studio.  It happened to be mother's day.  The instructor had us come to a seated position with our eyes closed and our bodies quiet.  Once everything was still, she spoke one sentence: 

We are all born of mothers. 

She didn't instruct us absorb the grandeur of her words nor counsel us to spend five blessed moments in non-judgement of our mothers and every other mother on earth - past, present and future.  She didn't need to.  Instead, she simply offered silence. We got it. And it was pretty wonderful.

So, with mother’s day upon us, I thought it might be nice to feature a celebratory brunch bite or dinner appetizer.

These nutritious lemony bites are also a delicious and elegant way of working in some of those underutilized power greens into the diet.

They are rolled in a mixture of ricotta and sunflower seeds and finished with a dusting of ground almond.  You can serve them simply on a singular tray with toothpicks or, for a slightly fancier look, on individual serving spoons with a dollop of plain yogurt and lemon zest as shown in the picture. 

(By the way, I bought the serving spoons at a dollar store - an inexpensive and fun way to dress things up a bit for guests and special occasions).

Lemony Kale Bites with Ricotta and Almond

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups kale, chopped (you could also use spinach, swissh chard or bok choy)
• Joice of one lemon
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 egg
• sea salt & coarse black pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup ground almond
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt and some extra lemon zest for serving

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Notes:

Make Ahead: You can make the kale bites in advance and simply store them in the fridge prior to baking.  You can also freeze the bites once baked.  Transfer them to an airtight container and freeze for up to two months.  Reheat at 375 F for 15 minutes or until hot.

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Heat oven to 400 F.


Sauté onion and garlic over low heat in a large skillet with olive oil until translucent (about 5 minutes).   Add kale and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes or until wilted and soft.  Remove skillet from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Place kale mixture into a blender or food processor along with lemon juice, lemon zest, ricotta, sunflower seeds, egg and a touch of seal salt and black pepper.  Blend until the kale has broken down into small bits and the mixture appears relatively well combined.

Remove kale mixture from blender and place in a plastic container to be stored in the fridge.

While the kale mixture is chilling in the fridge, grind the almonds (I use a coffee grinder for nuts/seeds).

Place ground almonds on a flat plate or bowl.  Scoop 1 tablespoon or so of the chilled kale mixture and place it on top of the ground almond.  Cover kale mixture with almond and gently form into a ball with your fingers – the mixture will be soft and somewhat mushy but you should be able to form a ball with it that is mostly coated with almond.

Gently transfer the coated balls to a foil lined and gently greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 until the bites are achieving a golden colour and beginning to crisp.

Remove from oven and allow them to cool fully before serving with some yogurt and lemon zest.

Makes approximately 20 lemon kale bites.

We are all born of mothers ~

Ancient Grains Granola Cups ~ sensible nutrition on-the-go

I think what amazes me most about homemade granola is how much goodness you can pack into such a small area. 

(Yup, I actually get excited about these things).

Each of these muffin-sized granola cups contains more health building nutrients than the average North American consumes in an entire day.  And then some.

Sounds pretty worthwhile to me. 

A simple and quick make-ahead option for breakfast or snack, full of delicious nutrients and wonderfully portable too.

If you've not yet tried blackstrap molasses, you're in for a real treat.  It's not only delicious but highly nutritive. With a robust flavour reminiscent of black liquorice, it boasts an impressive nutrient profile that puts it in an entirely different class than its highly refined cousin 'fancy' molasses. 

2 Tablespoons of blackstrap molasses contains an amazing 40% of an adult's daily requirement of potassium; 30% daily requirement of iron (ideal for vegetarians/vegans); 20% daily requirement of calcium; 20% daily requirement of vitamin B6 and 16% daily requirement of magnesium.  Pretty impressive stuff for a sweetener.

You can play around with this recipe and incorporate whatever ingredients suit you and your family best.  Experimenting with different seasonings will also bring about a whole new taste experience every time.

yup, that would be chili powder...

Buyer Beware: Another reason why I love homemade bars... Despite clever and creative labelling, most commercial granola bars are more about sugar than anything else.  There are a few pre and post workout specialty bars on the market that have their place under very narrow circumstances (most of us do not have activity levels that warrant those circumstances), and Kashi brand granola snack bars contain a good amount of protein and fibre relative to sugar.  Beyond that, most common commercial brands are about as nutritive as a candy bar.

I hope you enjoy making these granola cups at home - It's really hard to go wrong with them so have some fun and bring small hands on board if you have them at home. Nothing more health empowering for a child than getting them involved in food choices at a young age. 

Ancient Grains Granola Cups

• 1 + 1/2 cups whole grain oats
• 1/2 cup quinoa flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnut
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup sliced dried apricot
• 1/4 cup sliced dried and pitted prunes
• 1/4 chopped 75% cocoa chocolate
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
• 2 heaping Tbsp blackstrap molasses
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or olive oil
• 2 tsp natural vanilla extract
• handful dessicated coconut

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Heat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, stir together: oats, quinoa flour, ground flaxseed, walnuts, apricots, prunes, chocolate, chili, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat egg and add maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, oil and vanilla.

Add wet ingredients to dry mixing until everything is moist.

Divide mixture among 12 medium-sized paper lined (or greased) muffin cups. 

(I topped these cups with an additional sliver of apricot and a few sprinkles of dessicated coconut that I wanted to use up).

Using the back of a spoon, pack granola down tightly to allow ingredients to stick together after baking.  

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until edges begin to brown. 

Allow granola cups to cool before unmoulding.

Enjoy!

Sprouted Spring Salad in a Jar

Last year for Mother's Day our youngest son, then 10-years-old, surprised me with a salad made from sprouted greens that he grew in his bedroom window.

He followed the directions on a package of seeds that his Grand-Maman gave him and patiently grew the greens in a mason jar on his sunny bedroom ledge.  On Mother's day, he chopped the greens and tossed them into a bowl with a few other odds and sods he found in the fridge and then proceeded to look up a vinaigrette recipe in one of my cooking magazines (could you die?).... I don't think I've ever tasted anything quite as fresh or delicious in my life (except for everything else my boys make...).

As for mason jars, what can I say, I'm a complete sucker. They remind me of every nostalgia-drenched southern movie I've ever cried over.  And let's face it, nothing says home comfort quite like a mason jar.

I think these would be really fun to bring along on a picnic but I particularly like the idea of offering them up as gifts - I'm thinking: hostess; new mom/dad; mother's/father's day; an under the weather friend; or just because... (I don't know 'bout you, but I'd pretty much pass out on the spot if someone showed up at my door with a fresh salad in hand).

The next time I visit my mom, I'll be bringing along a set of these individually portioned salads that she can pop in her fridge and enjoy over consecutive days. 

Healthy, Convenient and Oh. So. Yummy!

Sprouted Spring Salad in a Jar

• 1 cup cooked chickpea, thoroughly rinsed if using canned
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, left intact they will preserve longer than sliced
• 1 cup shelled edamame beans
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, or other nuts as desired
• 1 cup fresh spring sprouts of choice such as alfalfa, mustard, clover, onion

For the Basil Vinaigrette

• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 heaping tsp sweet Dijon mustard
• Sea salt & coarse black pepper to taste

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Notes:

This particular recipe is set up for 2 x 500 ml (or 2 cup) jars. But you can choose any size jar for these salads depending on your needs and intended use. 

By the way, these salad jars also make great party favours for showers, parties and even weddings. If properly packed, they can last for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Generally, the heavier ingredients should be placed on the bottom of the jar (such as your protein choice: poultry, fish, lentils, legumes, tofu, etc.) and the lighter items over top - vegetables, nuts, fruit, as desired.  It's best to leave fragile greens for the very top.

The dressing sits at the bottom of the jar so all you have to do is pour the salad out onto a plate/bowl or simply turn the bottle upside down and shake gently with lid on if enjoying directly from the jar.

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Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a container with fitted lid and shake well.

Place chickpeas in a bowl and pour basil vinaigrette over, mixing to combine.

After thoroughly washing two mason jars, place a 1/2 cup of the chickpea/vinaigrette mixture into each one, being sure to add all of the dressing which will be needed for the rest of the salad.

Layer a 1/2 portion of carrots followed by tomato, edamame and nuts.  Finish with sprouted greens. 

Seal jars and place in the fridge until ready to use or to offer as a gift.