Sesame Mandarine Quinoa Salad

This recipe was my first experience with Quinoa. I was very pleased and have made several recipes since using the Quinoa.Sesame Mandarin Quinoa Salad

From: Picky Palate

1 cup whole grain Quinoa
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar substitute (I just used sugar)
2 Tbs. sesame oil
pinch of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup sweet peppers, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup mandarin oranges

Prepare quinoa according to package directions. (Which are: Add 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until grain is translucent and the germ forms a visible spiral on the external of the grain. I like to take a bit of olive oil in the bottom of a frying pan and kind of toast the quinoa before adding the water. It gives it a bit of a nutty flavor.) Transfer to a large bowl to cool. In a small bowl whisk the oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar substitute, sesame oil, salt and pepper until well combined. Pour over cooled quinoa and mix to combine. Add the sweet peppers, green onions, parsley, feta and mandarin oranges. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chicken and Corn Chowder

Although I was a little disappointed in the thickness of this, it was delicious. It was more of a soup consistency than a chowder. I probably just needed to reduce the amount of broth that I put in it.Chicken and Corn Chowder

From: Treasury of Cooking Healthy

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces
3 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1-2 Tbs. water
1 cup carrots, diced
2 Tbs. jalepeno pepper, finely chopped.
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt

Spray large nonstick saucepan with Pam; heat over medium heat until hot. Add chicken; cook and stir about 10 minutes or until browned and no longer pink in center. Remove chicken from pan.

Add corn and onion to saucepan; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Place 1 cup corn mixture in a food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped, adding 1 to 2 Tbs. water; reserve.

Add carrots, jalapeno, oregano and thyme to saucepan; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until corn begins to brown. Return chicken to saucepan. Stir in chicken broth, milk, reserved corn mixture and salt; heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes.

Penne with Roasted Tomatoes and White Beans

I really loved this minus the beans. I thought that the idea of having the protein from the beans was great, but I didn't think that they fit the flavors. They just didn't meld well. So after I few bites, I kind of picked around them. Needless to say, they will be excluded next time.Penne with Roasted Tomatoes and White Beans

From: Janet is Hungry

3 large ripe tomatoes , about 2 lbs.
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 Tbs. olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 (15.5oz.) can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I’ll leave these out in the future)
8 oz. penne pasta
2Tbs.fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Slice tomatoes into wedges and discard the seeds. Toss the tomatoes in 1 Tbs. of the olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Throw the unpeeled garlic cloves on the baking sheet too. Roast at 450 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, until the tomatoes are starting to char.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the penne. About 1 minute before the penne is cooked throw in the drained and rinsed beans to get them hot. Drain the pasta and beans and return them to the pot.

For the sauce, remove the garlic from the baking sheet and squeeze the flesh out into a small bowl. Mash the garlic and add the lemon juice, 1 Tbs. olive oil and a dash of salt. Stir to combine. Add the tomatoes to the beans and pasta. Add the roasted garlic sauce and the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with Parmesan.