Fiesta Quinoa Salad

Well hello…

It’s been SO long since I posted an actual – made by me recipe – I actually don’t know where to start!

Ever since having baby boy (3.5 months ago now) I’ve been struggling with finding inspiration to eat healthier – as many moms/busy people know – sometimes, you have to grab and eat whatever you can just to fill the void.  On top of that, I just had 0 inspiration to create or play around with recipes! (or even cook if I’m being honest) 

The other day during nap time, I was flipping through documentaries on Netflix and found “Forks Over Knives” watched it and proceeded to watch the Engine 2 Diet documentary afterwards and felt totally inspired by Rip.  I felt so inspired.  Plant strong… ok I can do this!  Not saying that I’ll follow it 100% but I will try to make “plant base”choices as much as possible. 

So guess what – I’ve been making recipes like crazy (kale, lemon and cilantro sandwhich – YUM).  And I even created one of mine own – check out this beauty.

Fiesta Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 2 cups water or broth
• 1 can corn drained
• 1 can rinsed and drained black beans
• 1/2 purple onion diced
• 5 tomatoes diced (seeded if you want it less runny)
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro (or more if you are a cilantro loving fool) – washed, de-stemmed and chopped
• 1 TBSP chili powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• Lime and zest from 2 limes
• Salt to taste

Directions – cook quinoa in water (broth) as per package instructions.

Toss together all ingredients and let sit for a few hours for the flavours to mix!

Done and done!  This makes a large portion perfect for a BBQ or pot luck!

Would be awesome;

• stuffed into a pepper and baked
• Served with lettuce for lettuce wrapped
• with avocado added
• with nacho chips

There you have it – a recipe from yours truly!

Hope you are all well!!  Loving the facebook interaction as always! Thank you for your support and I hope to start creating a bit more!  Summer and sunshine is always a good inspiration too!!

And a baby picture just for fun! Isn’t he the cutest!?

Ohhh I could just kiss those lil cheeks !

Dairy Free Hollandaise Sauce

So being dairy free – do you remember the smooth, creamy, buttery taste of hollandaise sauce? Don’t worry, I won’t make your mouth water for nothing!

When I lived in Kelowna, I used to go on Sunday’s with friends to a place called the Jammery for Eggs Benny!   They would do English Muffins w/cream cheese, apricot jam, ham, eggs and hollandaise sauce – it was TO DIE FOR!!!! 

So I was thinking about that – mouth watering and decided to try out a recipe and see what happened?    Now it’s been a long time since I’ve tasted hollandaise – but I felt like it was close!

This recipe is by no means good for you!

Dairy Free Hollandaise Sauce

1/4 cup dairy free margarine

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp turmeric ( I added more but I love turmeric!)

1 tsp lemon juice

Whisk together all ingredients over medium heat!   Add salt to taste.  Depending on the coconut milk you use, you may need to add some thickener to it – I added about 1 tsp sifted cornstarch.   Continue whisking together until everything is combined and warmed!

I served over a peice of dairy free toast (which I cut the corners off of to make it look pretty), sautéed kale  and of course with a perfectly poached egg!

It was oozy and delicious and perfect for a lazy weekend treat!

Sorry it took me awhile to post – but I hope you enjoy this recipe!!   Next time I will recreate the Jammery’s recipe with dairy free cream cheese and apricot jam!! Mmmm!!

xo Jessica

Fruit and Brownie Kebabs

Helloooooooo – long time no talk!!  I’ve been a busy bee!

I have an awesome easy take to a BBQ dessert for you today! 

Fruit + Brownies = perfect BBQ/shower treat!!

Fruit and Brownie Kebabs

10 kebab sticks

4 bananas

20 strawberries

1/2 fresh pineapple

10 mint leaves

Lemon juice

Brownies

For chocolate drizzle

1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips

1 tsp coconut oil/

First off you need to make some brownies (because I’ve been so busy, I used a bought brownie mix (many of them are dairy free if you look at the ingredients), if you want to make your own here are two different recipes!   Make sure brownies are completely cooled (I popped mine into the freezer).

Slice up strawberries, pineapple and bananas.  Toss in lemon juice

Cut brownies into 1 inch x 1 inch cubes (you need 20 in total)

Start assembling kebabs – each one should fit 2 pieces of each fruit, 2 brownies and one mint leaf! Arrange however you want!

For the drizzle – melt chocolate chips in a double boiler – add in coconut oil to make it easier to drizzle.

My brownies didn’t work out so well, so they weren’t perfect little squares.

Everyone really enjoyed them – especially the kids!  It’s a nice light dessert for a hot night!

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So I’ve noticed that the walking challenge has kind of died down… Today is the half way point!

If you have been walking – make sure to update your totals!  I know it’s hard in the summer time, but keep it coming!!  

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Hope you are having a great week!!   Hard to believe it’s already Wednesday!!

Curried Kebabs

What’s shaken bacon? 

I have a SMOKIN good recipe for you – and it’s easy and customizable. It came from a gouda (yes like the cheese) friend who brought kebabs to a beach fire the other night.

Kebabs + beach fire – beauty!

So I just loved this idea – and then we had to bring food to a birthday party the other night.. que kebabs (I like that word kebab!).

What oh what to marinate the kebabs in?  

                  What is one of my very favourite flavours in the whole wide world?

                                                     CURRY of course!  Red Thai curry to be exact!

Chop up which ever veggies you desire; 

                 Ours included; mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, peppers, onions, zucchini, and fresh pineapple.

Throw into a bowl (or I mean place gently <veggies have feelings you know>)

Mix together in a bowl  (two different options for marinade)

Orange Curry

1/4 cup orange juice

2 TBSP oil (I used grape seed)

2 TBSP red curry paste

OR

Coconut Curry

1/4 cup coconut milk

2 TBSP red curry paste

Dash or so of fish sauce !!

A pinch of sugar!

Pour over veggies and let sit for as long as possible!  A couple of hours at very least!

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While marinating you need to soak your skewers so they don’t burn on the BBQ~

Up next it’s time to stack.

I have no rhyme or reason for how I do it, BUT i always start and end with a zucchini piece!

Keep going until everyone is full.

Poor lonely mushroom skewer – somebody in this house hold (no names) doesn’t like mushrooms.

BUT I DOOOOO!!

 

Stack em and get ready to BBQ!

Grill on medium heat until the veggies get to desired level of readiness.

We like our to have char marks on them, and we judge when they are done by the caramelization of the onions!

These ones weren’t grilled enough!  But we were SO hungry!

Awesome idea to bring to a potluck – and make sure you do the fresh pineapple it was amazing!!

You could also make some fruit ones to grill  - think pineapple, peaches, nectarines – maybe even grapes?

I think these might be my favourite summer dinner meal so far!!

 

What’s your favourite go to summer meal?

PS.  If you are wanting to the raw thing – just marinate these babies over night and the marinade should soften the veggies!

 

PSS… if you haven’t noticed – I’m in a a giddy/over tired mood haha.. hopefully I didn’t scare you away!  This post was written WAY past my bedtime!

I haven’t forgotten about you!

Hey guys!

Wow, what  a crazy week it’s been!  We have already been married for a week!!  And in that week we have traveled back home (to ugly nasty snow), I’ve done 1 exam and have 3 more to go in the next 2 weeks.   Life is busy!!  But I haven’t forgotten about you guys!!

Are you interested in seeing more wedding/trip pictures?  I don’t want to keep adding them if no one is interested?!  

I know you are all interested in what was eaten while there though!  The resort, which was the RIU EMERALD BAY in Mazatlan was awesome and had fantastic food!

Every morning my plate was filled with pico de gallo, fresh pineapple jam, pineapple, a bagel or fresh corn tortillas, lox, and usually an egg white!!   SO GOOD!   I didn’t happen to snap any pictures of it though!

On the morning after our wedding, they brought us breakfast in bed, and it was a feast!

Most of it I couldn’t eat, but there was French toast, regular toast, ham and cheese omelette with beans and hash browns, fruit platter and fruit cup, mimosas and coffee with amaretto!

I SO WISH I could have eaten this…  But the beans had cheese all through them and the omelette was full of cheese! I did have a hash brown and it was fantastic!

The fruit cup was awesome though!

Lunch and dinner were pretty much the same beasts…  Guacamole, fresh salsa, pineapple, ceviche, fresh salads, Mexican food and seafood galore!

If I could eat this way forever I would have!! (if there was sushi included somewhere!)

I squirted lime on pretty much everything!! Makes it taste so fresh!

Looks good hey? 

For our rehearsal dinner, we booked in at the Asian restaurant… here is my plate…

It was pretty good, but not as good as the buffet…

Included – raw fish, salad, glass noodles, calamari, un-picture sushi rolls (not good)… hardly any veggies because they didn’t serve many that weren’t deep fried (at this restaurant)

 

I also sampled quite a few drinks!! 

Fresh mango margarita anyone?

How about some fresh coconut water?

$2.50 for the whole coconut… I paid him more though, as I snapped a bunch of photos!

This coconut weighed about 5 pounds… and once we got back to the resort, it quickly became the communal coconut!!!  Everyone had a sip!!

It’s pretty safe to say the food was awesome,  the view from breakfast was pretty beautiful too…

I found it pretty easy to eat dairy free with all the buffets!  I sniffled a few times as typically the beans and sometimes the guac had cheese sprinkled on it… but otherwise it' was pretty good!!  Only 1 upset tummy the whole time, which is good for me!!

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this little adventure of food!!   I’m drooling looking at all these pictures! Today for lunch I made Mexican rice and pico de gallo and for dinner I am heating up some refried beans and corn tortillas and we’re having a Mexican feast!!

I' promise to post recipes soon!!!  And also a recap of Salsa and Salsa’s excursion!! (SO FUN!)

Remember to let me know if you want to see more wedding recaps!!