Quinoa Pizza Bites

Makes ~40 bites

2 cups cooked quinoa
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup chopped pepperoni slices
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried crushed oregano
pizza sauce for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together all ingredients, except pizza sauce, in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (1 heaping Tbs each), and press down gently to compact.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.


find it here!

Nutritional Information for 5 bites per My Fitness Pal: Calories - 175, Fat - 10g, Protein - 9g, Fiber - 2g, Calcium - 10mg, Carbs - 12g

Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

*Note: The recipe calls for cooked quinoa. I used about 3/4 cup dry quinoa and cooked it in chicken broth to get the 2 cups cooked (I measured out the two cups cooked and had a bit leftover in the pot).

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cooked quinoa, cooked in vegetable or chicken broth, at room temperature or chilled
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl.

Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.
In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. 

Whisk until the dressing is smooth and pour on top of salad.

Toss to combine and add salt and pepper (add more to taste if desired). 

Chill the salad for at least one hour before serving.

from Mel's Kitchen

Black Bean and Quinoa Salad with Avocados [2 recipes]

Ingredients4 cup cooked quinoa (here’s how to make fluffy quinoa)
1 cup mild or medium salsa (tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chili peppers)
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 cup raw baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 ripe avocados

InstructionsCombine the first four ingredients and season to taste.
Serve with avocado chunks on top, or use the salad as a filling for half an avocado.

from Unprocessed October 2012

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Quinoa and Black Bean Lunch Bowl

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1 small baby zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1/4 cup Zesty Hummus
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 cups mixed greens
1/4 cup fresh salsa
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boil over high heat. Add quinoa.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer until most of water is absorbed, 10-12 minutes.
Remove from heat, fluff, cover and let sit 5 more minutes.

2. In a small saute pan, heat black beans and zucchini over medium-high heat. Add a splash of water and cook until water is evaporated and zucchini is slightly soft.

3. To make dressing, combine hummus and lemon juice.

4. Divide mixed greens between two bowls and add quinoa, and black bean and zucchini mixture. Pour dressing over top, and add salsa, avocado and cilantro to each bowl.

Servings 4 x 2cups
Calories: 200
Protein: 6g
Fat: 9g

Quinoa Tabouli - EASY

1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup water
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped curly parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

1. Combine quinoa and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and conver to simmer for 10-12 minutes until almost all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff, cover and let stand for 5 minutes to finish absorbing all the water and plump up.

2. In a large bowl, add green oniones, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley and mint. Add cooked quinoa.
In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lemon juice, EVOO, salt and pepper, pour over Tabouli in large bowl. Toss to combine.
Tabouli can be served immediately but is also delicious the next day.


Servings: 6 x 1 1/4 cups


Calories: 60
Fat 7g
Protein 2g


*from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook 2

Black Bean, Quinoa & Citrus Salad

Ingredients (serves 3-4)
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons water
1/4 small red onion, minced
1 grapefruit, peeled & diced
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off cob (1 1/2 cups)
1 avocado, diced
1/3 cup cilantro, choppedFor the 

Lime Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 limes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste


Instructions

Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. Add to a small saucepan with the water, then bring to a boil.

Put a lid on the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low, then simmer for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water.

Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff quinoa with a fork.

Combine red onion, grapefruit, black beans, cranberries, corn, avocado, cilantro and cooked quinoa into a large bowl.

Toss with lime vinaigrette, sprinkle with additional salt & pepper to taste, then serve.

For Lime Vinaigrette:juice 1 1/2 limes into a small bowl, then whisk in extra virgin olive oil and season with salt & pepper to taste.

This nearly no-cook summer supper is packed with yummy flavors and textures!
From Iowa Girl Eats   --   Adapted from Eat Live Run.

Basic Breakfast Quinoa Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup or more cooked quinoa, warmed

1/2 to 1 cup milk of choice (almond milk, coconut milk, cows milk)

1/3 cup or more fruit (berries, chopped apple or pear, tropical fruit)

Optional add-ons: toasted nuts, apple sauce, coconut flakes, balsamic vinegar, chopped dark chocolate, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg

Optional sweeteners: honey, real maple syrup, agave nectar, raw sugar, brown sugar

Instructions

In a bowl, combine warmed quinoa with milk. Top with fruit, add-ons and sweetener of choice. Good morning to you!


More flavor combinations to try:

Almond milk, fresh or dried cherries, chopped dark chocolate, maple syrup
Almond milk, fresh or defrosted frozen raspberries, toasted almonds
Coconut milk, pineapple chunks, chopped and toasted macadamia nuts, coconut flakes
Almond milk, chopped pear, toasted pecans (or walnuts), honey
Any milk, sliced banana, any toasted nuts
Almond or cows milk, chopped peaches or nectarine, dash of cinnamon

find the original recipe here

Quinoa Granola

½ tablespoon olive oil
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and allowed to dry slightly
1 cup almonds, chopped
2 T Chia Seeds
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Pure Himalayan Salt
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
1 T Organic Maple Syrup
1/2 cup applesauce
¼ cup water
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 cup Dried Cranberries or cherries


Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat olive oil over medium heat. 

Add quinoa and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl immediately. 

Add oats, almonds, and chia seeds to the bowl. Stir in cinnamon and sea salt.

In a saucepan combine coconut palm sugar, maple syrup, applesauce and water. Bring to simmer over medium and cook until sugar is melted. Stir in vanilla. The liquid mixture may seem too thin to you. Don’t worry about it – it will absorb into the quinoa mixture.

Pour mixture over quinoa oat mixture and stir until well mixed. 

Place mixture in a single layer a cookie sheet and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring and rotating positions of pan in the oven half way through. 

Watch it closely for the last 10 minutes – you don’t want it to get to brown but if you don’t allow it to cook long enough it will be slightly moist. 

Allow to cool completely before stirring.

Remove from pan and place in a large bowl. Toss with cranberries and serve or store in a sealed container.



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Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
               Cooking time: 40 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8
                Serving Size: 94 g
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Calories: 274
Fat: 10.7
Protein: 8.7
Carbohydrates: 38.2
Fiber: 6.9

Get the delicious original recipe here

Beef Stir Fry with caramelized onions and bell peppers

Serves: 4 Hands-on-time: 15-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup quinoa

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 each yellow, orange, and green bell pepper, chipped

1 cup chopped roasted red peppers

1 lb lean beef tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat & cut into thin strips

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions, set aside

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a LARGE skillet on medium-high. Add onion & garlic, cook for 3 minutes or until the onion is soft.

3. Add bell peppers and roasted peppers and cook for 2 more minutes, until onions are golden brown.

4. Add beef and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

5. Add broth and bring to a simmer over the same heat. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the steak is cooked through.

6. Remove from heat, stir in basil and season with salt and pepper. Serve beef mixture over quinoa.

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING (1 1/2 cups beef mixture and 1/2 cup quinoa):

Calories 377

Total Fat 11g

Carbs 40g

Fiber 6g

Sugars 7g

Protein 31g

Sodium 316g

Cholesterol 60mg

[Recipe from "The Best of Clean Eating 2" p. 123]

QUINOA BURGER

So yummy! If you want a change of pace that’s meat-free, yet full of protein, fiber, and very filling…this might be for you.

I like it with Tzatziki on top (my recipe is in this post), or a little “fry sauce” (what some drive-ins call that wonderful mayo/ketchup combo), and with a thick slice of tomato, avocado, onion and lettuce, as a burger should be, it’s fab.



Makes approx. 10 burgers.
Nutrition per burger: Calories 132; Protein 8 g; Fat 5 g; NET Carbs 12 g; (Fiber 2 g); Sugar 0 g; Sodium 200 mg



Ingredients:
2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see note below for cooking instructions)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 green onions, including white parts
1 /2 teaspoon Splenda or sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Olive oil for frying


To cook quinoa:1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

To assemble:
In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

(To help them stay in patty form and not fall apart, I cook them on med-low slowly so they have longer to set-up without burning. Makes them easier to flip, too.) Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick. Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side.

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup organic 1% low fat milk

1 cup water

1 cup quinoa

2 cups fresh blackberries

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*

4 teaspoons agave nectar

Directions:

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes.

Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans.

Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.

Serves 4. Each serving is about 3/4 of a cup.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Here's a link