Sweet + Sour Stir Fry with Quinoa

It's shown above with shrimp and scallops but you can use anything you'd like - tofu, chicken, scallops, fish, tempeh...the possibilities are endless! This was a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner. While stir fry is usually served atop white (or brown rice, if you're lucky!) we opted for something a bit more nutritious - quick cooking quinoa. As we head into our summer training for our first Half Ironman, nutrition becomes even more important. Two hungry athletes require a lot of healthy, fresh food! The stir fry above uses multi-colored bell peppers, fresh pineapple chunks, and thick slices of carrots but any variety of vegetables can be used.

You can marinate your protein while you prepare the rest of the food. I prefer using quinoa as a grain as it's fast cooking and brings a lot to the dinner table. Quinoa is an ancient 'grain' that is more akin to leafy greens like chard than actual grains. It is a complete protein (offers all nine essential amino acids) and is a good source of numerous minerals. Quinoa can be prepared simply with just water and a pinch of salt or by substituting the water with a mix of any of the following: broth, spices, a dash of oil, citrus juice or citrus zest, or even a can of tomatoes (with juice). 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/4 lb protein (shrimp, chicken, etc.. or 4 generous servings worth of tofu, tempeh)
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp raw organic honey
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp minced red chili (or more if you like it hot!)
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 2 large bell peppers (orange and green), diced into 1" chunks
• 1/2 pineapple, cored, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
• 1 small onion, diced into 1" chunks
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, minced
• 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
• pinch orange zest*

DIRECTIONS:

1. In plastic bag or bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, and chili. Add protein and marinate 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
2. Prepare the rest of vegetables and set aside.
3. Place quinoa in saucepan. Add about 1 3/4 cups water, orange zest and a pinch of sea salt. 
4. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and crack the lid a bit. Simmer 15-20 minutes until the quinoa is transparent and tender. Remove from heat and keep covered until serving time.
5. Heat large pan or wok over medium heat. Add marinade and protein contents to pan. Stir fry until protein is cooked thoroughly (shrimp are pink and curled, chicken is firm and no longer pink in the middle, tempeh and tofu are done to your liking). 
6. Add onions, carrots and bell peppers. Stir thoroughly. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Uncover and stir in pineapple. Bring up to a rapid simmer.
8. Divide quinoa among four plates, top with stir fry and sprinkle with cilantro.

*Tip: When produce is on sale, I grab a handful of lemons and limes! I freeze both the zest and the juice separately for future use!

Mmmmm Sauce (Raw/Vegan/Mmmazing)

I first read about Mmmm sauce over at Peas and Thank You and made a little mental note to try it. Anything that gets such rave reviews is worth a shot, and the ingredients sounded interesting. I  keep moving this big bag of nutritional yeast out of the way in our pantry and every time I think, I need to find a use for that and it just so happens, Mmmm Sauce calls for it! The final push happened yesterday when a friend emailed me the recipe and said that I absolutely had to try it. Ok, ok, I get it Universe...time to make this sauce!

Quite often, having high hopes for a first time recipe ends in disappointment, but every once in awhile, a gem sneaks through. This recipe is fan-freaking-tastic. What can you put Mmm Sauce on? What can't you put it on!? It's something you'll have to taste to believe. We topped our Lentil, Kale + Sausage dinner with it and tonight we're going to make a peanut variation to top a Thai Tofu Noodle Salad with! Of course, since it's raw and vegan and dairy-free you can get crazy with the raw/vegan food too! The recipe is easily doubled and can be jarred and refrigerated for 7-10 days.

We cut the oil in the recipe down, increased the water and are going to continue to play with the original recipe amounts to cut down on the needless fat. It is important to have a diet rich in healthy fats, but we try to be reasonable about it as well ;) Plus, it justifies eating massive quantities of it!

Modified From Peas and Thank You
Makes about 1-1.5cups
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp canola oil (or oil of your choice)
• 1/4 c nuts (we used cashews)
• 1/3 c + 3 Tbsp water (add more if too thick)
• 1/4 c chickpeas
• 1/4 c nutritional yeast
• 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cilantro (dried or fresh)

INGREDIENTS:

1. In high speed blender, blend oil, water, chickpeas and nuts until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. If too thick, add more water
4. Spoon, drizzle or toss with your favorite foods!

NOTE: This is a great base for a billion variations! Try using different beans, different nuts, coconut milk in lieu of water, different oils, you name it!!

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Sure, you've heard of flax seeds but have you heard of chia? Yes! Just like the ch-ch-chia pets of the '80's! This powerhouse of a seed packs a serious nutritive punch and has a unique quality that makes it perfect for smoothies and puddings. Chia seeds are hydophilic meaning they retain a crazy amount of water once soaked. The seed can hold over 12 times its weight in water and they work to keep your hydration levels high. Both chia and flax seeds are used in this rich dessert-like pudding and it's packed full of nutrients to keep you feeling full, energized and like you got a treat!

Are chia seeds the new super-food? Yes and no. They are super, but they are anything but new. Chia seeds have been a major part of the diet of  Aztecs, Mayans, Tehuantapecs and Native Americans across North and Central America. In most of these cultures it was considered a sacred food and used primarily by warriors, runners and athletes needing nutrition for endurance feats. 

Chia and flax are known for being high in Omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Since Omega-3's aren't always easy to get (usually from fish), chia's a great way to sneak them in your diet.What can Omega-3's do for you? Here's a short list: reduce inflammation, lower bad cholesterol, prevent excessive blood clotting, inhibit thickening of arteries, reduce risk of obesity, prevent growth of cancer cells, reduce symptoms of depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and more!

All I know is that Adam perfected this recipe and it tastes like dessert. I prefer mine slightly sweeter, so I sprinkle the finished pudding with a touch of xylitol. We prefer our chia ground as it negates the somewhat icky texture of each seed surrounded by a gel and just gels the whole mix to a pudding consistency. Making it the night before is a huge bonus! We pack these for work and they are a perfect pre-workout afternoon treat.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1.5 Tbsp flax seeds
• 2 tsp raw cacao powder
• 1/2 c Greek non-fat yogurt
• 1 c water (or I really like using organic tart cherry juice!)
• 1 large scoop (35g) chocolate protein powder (we use Muscle Milk)
• Fresh berries as garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grind chia and flax seeds in coffee or spice grinder until fine.
2. Whisk water and other liquid in until thoroughly combined.
3. Whisk in cacao and yogurt.
4. Divide into two containers, cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Garnish with fresh berries and sweetener if desired (taste first to check!)

Lentils, Kale + Sausage

*Edited 6/22/2011: We removed the red wine and use all broth instead and added sun dried tomatoes - huge win!

While reading a smattering of nutrition books, two ingredients keep leaping out at me. Kale, which I know to be healthy and lentils, which I haven't given much thought. Lentils? Small, coin-shaped beans, sort of flavorless and meh, right? Wrong! While these little legumes don't pack a ton of flavor of their own, they do soak up the surrounding flavors quite well. Packed with 6 important minerals, two B-vitamins, protein and almost no fat, they make a worthy addition to any meal. Kale, of course, is popping up everywhere (particularly in overpriced health store "kale chips" - hint, make your own!). Kale offers Vitamins K, A and C and has a triple-awesome dose of anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer nutrients. It's pretty hard to beat!! With just these two ingredients you are knocking out a whole slew of things your body needs to function. 

I added some chicken sausage for flavor, texture and added protein, but if you're veggie/vegan, feel free to use a sausage-substitute such as Field Roast or crumbled extra firm tofu! The sun dried tomatoes and spices bring a surprisingly rich flavor to the dish. You must top this with Peas + Thank You's "Mmmmm Sauce".

Recipe modified from Eating Well

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 12-ounce package chicken sausage, removed from casing
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 cup water
• 3 cups broth (chicken, no chicken, veg whatever)
• 5 sun dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
• 1 cup lentils, preferably French green
• 12 cups chopped kale leaves (about 3 bunches)
• 1/4 tsp+ chili flakes (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Mmmmm sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in large pan. Add sausage and brown until cooked thoroughly. Remove from pan.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil and add garlic, onion and red chili flakes. Saute until fragrant over medium heat until golden about 10 minutes.
3. Add water and broth and bring to a boil. Add lentils and sun dried tomatoes and reduce heat to simmer. Cook, partially covered about 40 minutes.
4. Add kale, salt, pepper and cook covered, stirring occasionally until lentils and kale are tender, about 10-15 minutes more.
5. Add sausage and heat through.
6. Serve!