Pizza Quinoa

Continuing my accidental series of recipe creations, this week I give you Pizza Quinoa. It's the usual blah-blah-free: gluten, dairy, egg and tomato. Yes, I can't have tomatoes either.

I LOVE pizza and have been craving it a lot lately. I could eat it every night and be happy, but since I'm all-those-things-and-more-free, I can't have it. Gluten, diary, tomato - crust, cheese, sauce. Blah.

It's with pizza on the brain and a need to bring a dish to a potluck last weekend that I came up with Pizza Quinoa. It was a hit!

Of course, if you're not dairy-free (lucky), add some shredded mozzarella or cut some fresh mozzarella into bite-size cubes. It would be delicious. (Definitely do this after the quinoa cools.)

If you're not tomato-free, maybe about a 1/2 can of drained, fire-roasted tomatoes would be fabulous as well.

Pizza Quinoa

1 cup dry quinoa, cooked according to package directions

Add to the cooking water:

1 1/2 t basil

1 1/2 t oregano

salt

garlic, generous sprinkle (I like lots)

*I like to allow the quinoa to sit for awhile after cooking so it's fluffier, but you can certainly use it as soon as it's finished.

Chop

1/2 cup onion

1/2 cup green pepper

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/2 of a 3.5 oz package of pepperoni, sliced in half. 

Mix together and add the quinoa.

Drizzle with some olive oil. If you have access to the fancy olive oils (Fustini's in Holland is awesome), a basil or Tuscan olive oil would be extra delicious.

As always, make it your own. Add whatever you like on your pizza - olives, sausage, pineapple, etc.

I'd love to hear how you like this and how you change it up!

Happy Pizza-ing!

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My book, Be Real Health Journal: A Guide To Slowing Down For Better Health will be a perfect jumpstart for your health in 2017! Click here to order!

Peanut Satay Chicken with Rice Noodles

Continuing with my crazy food-restriction-diet theme, here's another awesome recipe! Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, blah-blah-blah-free.

I'm not even sure how I came up with this one, but it's so good I've made it a couple of times already.

As always, my recipes lend themselves very well to your own creativity. (And measurements never need to be exact.) While I used broccoli and peppers in this, if you share President Bush's dislike for broccoli, substitute something else. Cauliflower would be awesome. (Makes note to self - sounds delicious.)

Rice noodles are very easy to make and I like them just as well as pasta. But note they soak up sauce like a sponge, so unless you plan ahead, leftovers will be very dry.

Peanut Satay Chicken with Rice Noodles

1 pound chicken, cooked and diced

7 oz Rice Noodles (found in the Asian section)

8-10 ounces bottled Peanut Satay Sauce (found in the Asian section)

Vegetables of your choice: broccoli, carrots, onion, peppers work well

Begin by boiling water for rice noodles.

Chop and sauté vegetables in olive oil with salt, pepper and garlic for 5-6 minutes.

Combine together or serve separately on the plate - whatever excites you. Like I said, my recipes are casual!

Let me know what you think if you try this. What would you do different?

DON'T FORGET!

There's still time to get $5 off my book, Be Real Health Journal: A Guide To Slowing Down For Better Health.

Use the code HEALTHY17 at checkout before 11:59 pm, Friday, December 16! This would make a perfect Christmas gift! Click here to order!

Tropical Pumpkin

Tropics. Pumpkins.

No, it's not Opposite Day.

I promise, this is fabulous. OK, so the picture may not look so appetizing - I'm not much of a food photographer. But you will LOVE Tropical Pumpkin.

This was created because I had leftover pumpkin from my Pumpkin Chili, and because I can't have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. You know, that whole no gluten, dairy or eggs thing.

So, ta-daa - Tropical Pumpkin. Let me know what you think!

Tropical Pumpkin

1-15 ounce can pumpkin (not pie mix)

1 large, ripe, mashed banana

2/3 cup shredded coconut

1 very generous tablespoon (4t) pure maple syrup

2 pinches of salt

2-3T hazelnuts (pecans or walnuts would be good, too)

Sprinkle the top with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves

Mix well.

Delicious at room temperature (as made) or cold (from the refrigerator). But warmed up = comfort food! My favorite.

This recipe is gluten-free, diary-free, egg-free, but definitely not flavor-free! I'd love to hear how you make it your own or what you serve it with!

Apple Not-Pie

Recently I mentioned I've discovered I have many food sensitivities. Among them are gluten and cane sugar.

Cane sugar.

Doesn't everyone have a sensitivity to sugar? Doc said he's never seen it come back on the food sensitivity test. So I guess it's really bad if I have it. Great.

Problem. Thanksgiving is coming, which means pies. Apple pies. Pumpkin pies. Not sure how I'm going to handle that this year, but on the bright side, I won't overeat!

My Aunt Carole's apple pie is THE BEST! Like, if I lived alone I could make one and eat the whole thing in one sitting - or at least try!

But it calls for one cup of sugar. Must adjust.

This week I again used my power of improvisation. Here's what I came up with. Easy. Simple. Gluten-free. Cane sugar-free.

Apple Not-Pie

3 pounds McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced
2T olive oil
3T pure maple syrup
1/2t salt
1t cinnamon

Mix well and put into a pie plate.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Very gently stir when removed from the oven.

Serve warm and drizzle with honey! Pure, raw, local is best, of course. Oh, and use a spoon to get all of that gooey goodness that settles on the plate!

This is awesome by itself, over ice cream (if you're not dairy-free), next to chicken, on top of cheesecake, or whatever creative way you come up with. (I wonder if this would be good over a baked sweet potato?!)

Let me know in the comments what you come up with.

Happy gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free Thanksgiving eating!

Pumpkin Chili (Tomato-Free)

I like to know why. I love Google so I can do research. I love Siri so I can quickly get answers. My poor doctor is always bombarded with questions when I visit.

When it comes to my health, I'm constantly asking why? Why is this working for me? Something isn't working - what is it? I eliminate things and add them back in to see what happens. I constantly experiment on myself.

Recently I had a food allergy/sensitivity test done. I was very anxious to get the results back because I knew something I was eating was making me feel bloated, sluggish, blah. Even being gluten and dairy-free since spring, something was still off.

The results came back and I was surprised by some of the things I need to avoid. Among many things, corn and tomatoes are on the list. That explains why Qdoba wasn't working for me: pico de gallo and corn salsa with corn chips. Bah! (I've discovered fajita peppers are a great substitute for the crunch and substance. Thankfully I can still eat peppers. And guacamole!)

But chili. Chili is a fall staple at my house. Double batches are made and eaten all week long for healthy lunches and dinners.

But now - no tomatoes.

I did a Google search for tomato-free chili and found a fabulous recipe from Lina at Strictly Delicious. (Check her Paleo Pumpkin Chili out here.)

I combined it with my chili recipe and came up with this awesome, healthy alternative. Tomato-free.

I promise - you won't even miss the tomatoes! Fabulous!

Pumpkin Chili (Tomato-Free)

20 oz ground turkey (or ground round)

Onion, chopped (large palm full)

5 - 8 cloves garlic

Sauté onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes in olive oil; add turkey and brown.

While browning, add (measurements don’t need to be exact):

1 ½ t salt

½ t pepper

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t cloves

1 t basil

2 t cumin 

½ t marjoram

2 t oregano

2 t chili powder

1 t Chipotle powder (optional)

Tabasco Chipotle sauce if desired

When turkey is browned, add:

1/2 can pureed pumpkin*

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 – 15 oz cans pinto/kidney/black beans, drained and rinsed

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

Simmer 20 – 45 minutes

Add juice of one lime.

If you're not diary-free, top with shredded cheese, Greek yogurt and green onion as desired. If you're not corn-free, tortilla chips would be great with this!

*Oh, that 1/2 can of leftover pumpkin? Tastes great with a tiny bit of maple syrup and some hazelnuts. (You can get 2 servings out of that.) Or mix one teaspoon into some scrambled eggs. Add it to oatmeal. 

If you try Pumpkin Chili, I'd love to know what you think. Just comment below. Also, what would you do with the leftover pumpkin?

DON'T FORGET!

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Use the code JOURNAL1 at checkout before 11:59 pm, Saturday, October 22! This would make a perfect Christmas gift! Click here to order!

Cooking for 2: 22+ Ideas

Photo: Viktor Hanacek

Recently a friend asked me about cooking healthy food for one since she lives alone. I realized that many of my readers are empty-nesters and may like some recipes that are good for one or two people.

I searched the internet and looked for recipes that had "normal" ingredients - I'm not sure how many are up to trying goat cheese or Brussels sprouts, but if you're adventurous go for it!

Likewise, if you've never tried quinoa (keen-wah) what are you waiting for? It's super good for you - high in fiber, protein, gluten-free and more. (Read more about it here.)

None of us want to eat the same thing for the entire week, but leftovers can make great lunches, or maybe put in the freezer for future use. Don't forget to think ahead as you're baking and cooking so you can store items in the freezer!

As always, a quick Pinterest or Google search will yield a bazillion options. Here are just a few I came up with:

Salads:

Romaine Salad with Orange Feta and Beans

Fajita Quinoa Bowls

Meat:

Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers (makes 8, but they freeze really well, or make into 1 oz meatballs to thaw and have with spaghetti)
Balsamic Caprese Chicken
Chipotle Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Granola Chicken

Soup:

Vegetable Lover's Chicken Soup
Rustic Cabbage Soup
Pumpkin Soup

Pasta/Grains:
One Bowl Microwave Macaroni and Cheese (add vegetables)
Instant, Single-Serving Brown Rice (how to freeze it!)

Pizza:
Sweet Potato Kale with Rosemary

Fruit/Vegetables:

Asparagus and Ham Potatoes for Two
Bananas and Grapes with Lime
Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad

Sandwiches:

Bacon Chard Quesadillas

Grilled Tuna Sandwich with Lemon-Chili Mayo

Creamy Avocado and White Bean Wrap

Curried Egg Salad

Mango Chicken Salad

Roasted Chickpea Fajitas

Breakfast:

5-Minute Breakfast Tacos (and other breakfast ideas)
Apples and Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

Other Options
*Salmon filets or baked/grilled chicken, with a salad
*Baked Chicken Tenders with BBQ Sauce and roasted vegetables
*Baked potato with various toppings (cheese, chopped vegetables, etc.)
*Grilled ham and cheese with tomato or pineapple, with a salad
*Chopped Salad (Choose from a variety of seasonal toppings to change it up!)
*Vegetable Wrap with Hummus
*Sautéed Vegetables with Quinoa or Brown Rice

You may also be interested in:

Brown Bag Lunches

Easy or No-Cook Breakfast Ideas

Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
Rosemary Roasted Vegetables
My Quinoa Board on Pinterest

What do you like to make for one or two people, even if you have leftovers?

Read my previous post: Why My Unborn Granddaughter Is Like Jesus

Pomegranates

Thanksgiving Salad

The first time I had a pomegranate was 3 years ago when one of my favorite Starbuck's baristas spent Thanksgiving with us and she brought an amazing fruit salad. She told us how she and her sister would sit on their front step as children with a towel on their lap to catch the juice as they ate pomegranates.

Two years ago I found this great video from Steamy Kitchen on how to open a pomegranate without the mess.

This Thanksgiving as I was thinking about our menu I realized how beige Thanksgiving is: potatoes, corn, turkey, rolls, stuffing, and decided to add some color with a salad.

I found the Zen Deep Green Blend from Earthbound Farm with Asian greens, tender baby spinach and bold baby kale. I cut some broccoli into small pieces, sliced a few Brussels sprouts and added pomegranate. It was delicious! The little spurts of juice from each aril were perfect with the leafy greens.

I used the method shown in the video and it was extremely easy!

Nutrition Facts:

• Serving: 1/2 cup
• Protein: 1.5 g
• Fiber: 3.5 g/14%
• Vitamin C: 8.9 mg/15%
• Vitamin K: 14.3 mcg/18%
• Folate: 33.1 mcg/8%
• Copper: 0.1 mg/7%
• Potassium: 205 mg/6%

Pomegranate Health Benefits:

• Very high in antioxidants which help to fight cancer
• Fights inflammation
• Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol
• Support for immune system
• May help protect against depression and osteoporosis
• Positive effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems as well as skeletal health

I found these great recipes to try:

Pomegranate Salad with Quinoa from I Heart Naptime

Brussels Sprouts, Pomegranate Seeds and Pecans from Life Love Food 

Pomegranate Winter Salsa from Good Life Eats

Apple and Pomegranate Quinoa and Kale Salad with Feta in a Curried Maple Dijon Dressing from Closet Cooking

And tons more; just check Pinterest!

Have you ever tried pomegranate? I'd love to hear about your experience and your favorite way to eat it!

Subscribe to my newsletter (see right) so you never miss a Be Real... post again! New post every Friday with other bonus posts planned for 2015!

You may also be interested in:
Pumpkin Pie Yogurt
Nutritional Yeast

Read my previous post: Resist Holiday Temptation
Read my next post: Lift Up Your Face and Live Life

Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

(c) Kathy Fannon

I'm so ready for summer salads with fresh, local ingredients from my farmer's market. I was craving salad earlier this week when I remembered this recipe I pinned on Pinterest. It was so delicious I want to share it with you.

Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing from Damn Delicious.

It has a simple ingredient list and was fairly quick to put together. Chung-Ah (the writer of the blog) lists prep time as 15 minutes; I think it took me closer to 25. But now that I've made the dressing and have a better feel for the recipe, I'm confident I'll do it quicker next time.

She says this serves 2, although I got 3 servings out of it, with enough dressing and ingredients left over to make a 4th.

Salad Ingredients:
Romain Lettuce
Cherry Tomatoes
Corn
Black Beans
Avocado
Cilantro
Tortilla Strips

Dressing Ingredients:
Greek Yogurt
Lime Juice
Cilantro
Garlic
Salt
Olive Oil
Vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

I'm pretty much a vegetarian, but live with men who like meat. This salad would be awesome with some grilled chicken added. Bell peppers would also be fabulous with this salad.

Do you have a favorite summer salad that you're looking forward to? It won't be long now!

For more pictures and the recipe, click here. Or click here to visit Chung-Ah's Damn Delicious blog.

Read my previous post: Vegetable Lasagne
Read my next post: Bringing My Sexy Back

Vegetable Lasagne

My son-in-law's 25th birthday was a couple of weeks ago. Instead of dinner out, he asked if I would make something for him. He wanted lasagne and my daughter is a vegetarian, so this is what I came up with. It was fabulous!

Vegetable Lasagne
Fresh Garlic, minced
Onion, 1/2 medium
Shredded Carrots, 2 handfuls (about 5 oz)
Zucchini, medium, quartered
Red Pepper, 1/2 large
Yellow Pepper, 1/2 medium
Broccoli, medium bunch ("trees" only)
4 - 8 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
Spinach, 10 oz frozen, thawed and drained

10 - 12 oz Bow Tie Pasta (Cooked 8 minutes)
32 oz Sauce (I mixed Newman's Own Marinara and Tomato Basil)
16 oz Cottage Cheese
16 oz Mozzarella, shredded, divided
1/2+ C Parmesan

Stir-fry veggies until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. As they were cooking, I sprinkled with salt and pepper.

I did them in batches:
Onion and carrots, then added garlic for the last minute
Zucchini and peppers
Broccoli
Mushrooms

You don't have to do them in batches, but it was easier to cook in my pan that way, especially since they tend to cook a little differently.

As the batches were done cooking I put them in a large mixing bowl. I added the pasta, spinach, sauce, and mixed in the cheeses, reserving about 4 oz for the top.

Bake at 400 for 45 - 60 minutes, or until bubbly. Add the remaining mozzarella and bake until melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before eating.

Serve with garlic bread, of course, and a salad!

You may also enjoy: Chicken Lasagne

Read my previous post: Super Bowl Party Checklist
Read my next post: Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing 

UPDATED: Basement Potato Soup

I'm bringing this post from March 5, 2011, to the top of my blog again. I've made this many times since first creating this recipe and I've found new ways to make it better. So here is the updated, improved version of Basement Potato Soup with as much of the original content as possible.

I hope you love it!

(c) 2013, Kathy Fannon

OK, the picture of my Basement Potato Soup doesn't look like anything special, but it sure is good!

My parents came over today to help us work on finishing a room in the basement (they're the BEST) and I wanted to feed them while they were here. My mom is a bit of a picky eater so anything I would normally make I knew she wouldn't be fond of. But how can ya go wrong with potato soup?

So I did a little digging on my favorite websites and found a few potato recipes that sounded good to get a base for my soup, and then I added in the rest from there. Because we worked in the basement, I call this "Basement Potato Soup".

I did make this as a double batch to feed the 5 of us and to have some leftover, but you could easily halve this recipe.

Oh, and Mom loved this soup! Score!

Basement Potato Soup

• 2T olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5 – 6 garlic cloves (we love garlic, use less if you wish)
• 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, washed, unpeeled and cut into small chunks
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 6-ounce unsweetened almond milk (or 6-ounce fat free evaporated milk)
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt to taste
• ¼ t pepper
• 2 t thyme
• 1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast (found at the health food store near the protein powders; nutritional yeast is not the same as yeast used for baking; nutritional yeast gives a cheese flavor) Optional

Add the oil and onion to a large pot, cook over medium heat until softened, about 6-8 minutes.

Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn or you'll have to start over!

Add the potato, broth, salt, pepper, and thyme; bring to a boil.

Partially cover and cook about 15 minutes over low to medium heat.

Add the evaporated milk and nutmeg and simmer for 10 minutes longer.

Remove about one cup of potatoes and set aside.

[Following is my original instruction, which still may apply to some.] Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, and return it to the pan. Or if you're lazy like me, use a hand mixer right in the pan to make a smooth soup, but then be careful not to let hot soup splash on your skin or clothing.

[Update] My daughter bought a stick blender for me for Christmas and it works PERFECT! I can blend it right in the pan. Voila!

Add the potatoes back into the pan.

• I had a 10 oz bag of corn in the freezer from the farmer’s market so I added that at this point. That was the last of my farmer's market corn so next time I make this I'll do without it. I am a snob that way, so if you want corn, please get frozen corn at the grocery store. I promise I won't judge you for it!  :)

Add the corn, nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped rosemary (please don't skimp on that one!) and mozzarella. Cook another 5 or 10 minutes until the corn is heated through and the cheese melts.

Garnish with chives and cooked bacon if you desire. As you can tell by the picture, I didn't.

Serve with crusty bread. I found a fabulous 7-grain sourdough that was perfect!

Makes 10 - 12 servings.

Freezes and reheats very well!

Cauliflower would be a great addition as well and a great way to sneak in extra nutrients for your kids...or mother!


If you like ham, diced ham would be good in this too.


You could also change up the spices and use cumin and chili powder for a Mexican flair.


To make this vegetarian use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth.

Want it vegan? Substitute almond milk for the evaporated milk.

Read my previous post: Review: Reds On The River

Vegetable Soup

 (c) 1/31/13, Kathy Fannon

Last week while looking for a soup recipe in my recipe binder, I found a couple of them that sounded good. I combined elements of both and came up with this vegetable soup. It was very delicious, colorful and healthy!

As always, with the way I cook, there are two variables. The first is, add or subtract whatever you like (or don't like). Make it the way you like so you eat it! Experiment with spices and seasonings, or a new vegetable you've never tried.

The second is, I don't measure when I cook, I just eyeball it. I could never get a recipe from my mother-in-law because she'd say, "I don't know, I just dump stuff in." I've discovered this is a formula that works for me; I just dump stuff in. But I'll give you my best guess as to what I did!

Vegetable Soup
Prep: About 45 minutes

1/2 medium onion, chopped
20-ish baby carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

Sauté onion, carrots and celery in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 7 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes more.

Add:
1 box and one can of low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
14 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
To taste (I just sprinkled across the top): salt, pepper, basil, oregano, sage, thyme and a pinch of red pepper flakes

Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes

Add:
2 medium zucchini, cut into bite size (quartered)

Bring to a boil, add 1 cup of small seas shells.

Cook 8 minutes.

Turn off heat. Add 2 large handfuls of fresh spinach, allow to wilt (1-2 minutes).

Top individual servings with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Just a thought: cooked chicken or pre-cooked quinoa might also be good in this soup. Experiment!

Read my previous post: Cheese and Crackers
Read my next post: Review: Crock-Pot Lunch Crock

Cheese and Crackers

As I sat down today to write this post I saw that my blog has reached 30,000 page views! Thank you to anybody (that's you!) who has taken the time to read, comment on or share my blog. I began this blog in May 2010 when I signed up to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I've learned so much about food, nutrition and myself over the past 2 1/2+ years and it's been a fun ride so far. I hope you stick with me!

Cheese and crackers is a snack I grew up on. I remember being as young as 3 or 4 years old when my dad started making cheese and crackers for me. How nutritious can you get with saltines and Cheez Whiz? Ah, good stuff!

Naturally, as my eating habits have changed over the years, and drastically in April 2009, the saltines and Cheez Whiz no longer graced my cupboard shelves.

But I'm still a sucker for cheese and crackers, and recently I've found my Cheez Whiz replacement. Goat Cheese! (Or chèvre.)

I had lunch with a friend at a fancy downtown restaurant a few weeks ago. We got the salad bar and there was some soft, white cheese there, which was delicious. She thought it was goat cheese.

Last week I was planning a menu for a Saturday breakfast I was providing for a small group of people. While perusing Pinterest for ideas other than donuts and bagels, I came across the idea for cheese and crackers. I remembered the goat cheese at the restaurant so I picked up a small package at the grocery store to try. It was really good, and definitely what we had at the fancy restaurant. (It was a big hit at the breakfast, too! I also served oatmeal, fruit skewers and muffins.)

Goat cheese can be a little crumbly, but when at room temperature (which also gives it the best flavor) it spreads like Cheez Whiz or cream cheese. (You can also buy goat cheese crumbles.)

Goat cheese is presumed to be healthier than cheese made with cow's milk. It has a slightly different flavor, but very mild. It may also be slightly higher in vitamin A, riboflavin and potassium. Goat's milk has less sugar (lactose) than cow's milk, so some people who are sensitive to lactose can drink it, and eat the cheese, without too much trouble as it's easier on the digestive system. (For more on the health benefits of goat cheese, see this article, or Google "goat cheese benefits".)

Interested in goat cheese for more than just a cracker spread?

At Thanksgiving and Christmas my kids like onion roll-ups with green onion, cream cheese, and Louis Buddig meats wrapped around it. My son thinks goat cheese would be a great alternative to the cream cheese.

I also came across some of the following ideas:

• Broiled on French bread and served with a salad.

• Rolled into balls with spices (like basil, marjoram, chives, etc) and marinated in olive oil.

• Add fresh herbs to soft goat cheese.

• Spread it in place of butter or mayonnaise on a sandwich.

• Use the crumbles on salads or pizza.

• Use it in lasagna.

• Add some to mashed potatoes.

For tons of recipes, Google "goat cheese recipes".

For now, I'll just be snacking on a few crackers!

Here's to the next 30,000 page views! THANK YOU for reading! I appreciate you so much!

Read my previous post: Review: Kitchen 67: A Sizzling Grille
Read my next post: Vegetable Soup

Blueberry Almond Coconut Oatmeal

(c) 11/12/12, Kathy Fannon

I love my fruit (frozen from the farmer's market) with yogurt and Good Life Granola for breakfast every morning. I crave it all day and I'm always sad when breakfast is over.

Yesterday I used the end of my yogurt. I forgot to buy more after church. This is bad.

This time of year when the weather turns cooler my husband likes to have oatmeal for breakfast. I do too. From November to about mid-March, I make a batch every week of my Pumpkin Coconut Multi-Grain Crockpot Oatmeal which is enough for the two of us.

But yesterday we didn't give thought to things until late in the evening and I didn't have time (or ingredients) for 5 hours of crockpot cooking. So my husband made plain steel-cut oats on the stovetop.

This morning, since I had no yogurt, I had some of his plain oatmeal. It was pretty good, but not as good as the crockpot oatmeal with pumpkin, applesauce, molasses and other goodies in it.

Here is how I dressed up my plain oatmeal this morning, and it was really good. (But I've already been to the store to get more yogurt! I blame my friend Mike Freestone! #addict)

Blueberry Almond Coconut Oatmeal:

Plain, gluten-free, steel-cut oats (already cooked) (Look for Bob's Red Mill.)
Splash of almond milk (for a smooth consistency) (Coconut milk would be great, too!)
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon

Heat in the microwave for about one minute.

Add blueberries (or whatever fruit you like) and heat in the microwave for another 45 - 60 seconds if the fruit is frozen.

Add coconut and sliced almonds!

It was plenty sweet for me with the blueberries, but I wouldn't be opposed to adding a small squeeze of raw honey or pure maple syrup to sweeten it a little more.

How would you dress up plain oatmeal? I'd love to hear your thoughts for next time I need a quick oatmeal breakfast!

Read my previous post: Apple Cucumber Mango Salad
Read my next post: Review: Kitchen 67: A Sizzling Grille

Apple Cucumber Mango Salad

So now that I'm sitting down to write this post I realized I don't know what this dish is called, so I'm making up the name: Apple, Cucumber, Mango Salad. Sound good?

On Monday nights we go to Jazz at the Zoo at our local zoo. It's a free concert and we go with a group of people, some we know, some we get to know. The attendees always change, but there are the basic few who are always there.

Once a month we have a potluck while we listen to the concert and visit with each other.

Last night was Latin Jazz with Grupo Aye, so a few brought dishes with a Latin theme. One of those dishes was this fabulous salad from Kelli Hull.

Kelli saw this being made at a Latin Festival in town and decided she could easily whip this up herself. It was SO good! Very cool, crisp, refreshing and light...perfect for a hot summer night at the jazz concert. I never would have thought to put this combination together, but it works perfectly!

And with Kelli's permission I just HAD to share it with you. Thank you, Kelli!

(Click to enlarge)

• Granny Smith Apple
• Cucumber
• Mango
• Lime Juice
• Sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper (which Kelli didn't use since not everybody would like it)

And there it is! 

I will be attending a cookout this weekend...guess what I'll be bringing!

If you live in the Grand Rapids area, don't miss Jazz at the Zoo on Monday nights at John Ball Park, 6:30 - 8:30. It's lots of fun!

Photos (c) 6/18/12, Kathy Fannon

What is your favorite refreshing summer salad? And what is your favorite summer activity?

Read my previous post: Rosemary Lemon Quinoa
Read my next post: Blueberry Almond Coconut Oatmeal

Rosemary Lemon Quinoa

Last year I made a fabulous Quinoa Tabouli by my friend, Wendy Battles-Plasse. It's been a big hit at some of the events I've brought it to.

Yesterday I decided to twist that up a bit and decided not to call it a tabouli, but just Rosemary Lemon Quinoa.

It was delicious and I will certainly make this one again!

The ingredients. Look at that amazing color already!

I used the rosemary from one stem and chopped it.

Zest from one lemon. (These microplanes are a great investment for zesting.)

I squeezed the lemon juice and combined it with olive oil, equaling between 1/4 and 1/3 cup. It's not an exact science, just "dump some in", as my mother-in-law used to say.

I used half of the red pepper. It seemed to be plenty, although I wouldn't argue against using the whole thing next time. Look at that lovely color! Beautiful!

I cooked one cup of dry quinoa and let it cool for a bit after cooking. Actually, if you've got time to let it get cold in the fridge, all the better.

I added just a tiny bit of salt and mixed it up. There ya go!

My husband grilled some organic chicken along with this first squash of the season! I drizzled it with olive oil, salt and garlic.

And here was my dinner from last night! Colorful, lots of veggies and lots of protein! It was filling and incredibly yummy!

All photos (c) 6/13/12, Kathy Fannon (Click them to enlarge)

If you haven't tried quinoa before, what are you waiting for?! It's gluten-free, high in protein and fiber and has a slight nutty taste. It's very versatile; it can be used hot as a side-dish, or mixed with veggies to make a salad, used in omelets, combined with fruit and milk to make a breakfast cereal...the options are endless.

Read about quinoa here: Curious About Quinoa

THANK YOU to the folks who have found their way here or have shared my recipe via Pinterest! I'm honored to have you visit! Please let me know if you try this, what you think, or how you'd change it. 

Do you have a favorite quinoa recipe? Please share a link if possible!

You might also enjoy:
Chicken with Quinoa Dinner
Veggies, Chicken and Quinoa
Quinoa with Vegetables
Whole-Wheat Honey Quinoa Muffins

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