Quinoa Archives - Coconut and Berries

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Asparagus Quinoa Salad

After making my Mini Vegan Pizza Potato Skins the other week, I had a little jarred sun-dried tomato paste left which I used to make a quick quinoa dish for lunch. I hadn’t anticipated it being that special but I loved it so much that I decided I’d have to make something similar to share with you all here.

Since I’d finished up all the sun-dried tomato paste and also because I wanted everyone to be able to make this recipe, I made my own sun-dried tomato pesto from scratch. I’m calling it a “pesto” rather than a “paste” as I left it a little chunkier and added some pine nuts to the mix for even more flavour and texture.

If you can get your hands on a readymade vegan version then you could of course use that but this recipe requires only a few easy-to-find ingredients and a minute in the food processor so it’s really not much effort.

Sun dried tomatoes have such an incredible sweet, savoury flavour that this pesto adds a bit of pizzaz to anything it touches.

I mixed a good few spoonfuls of the pesto into fluffy quinoa, along with some fresh vegetables, for a delicious meal that is just as good eaten immediately as it is the following day from your lunchbox!

I’m trying to eat as much asparagus as I can before the season’s over and it is particularly lovely in this dish but Tenderstem broccoli or French green beans would also be good options. Cherry tomatoes add little juicy pops of sweetness throughout and balance the rich flavours nicely.

I especially love this quinoa Salad over a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of homemade hummus!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Asparagus Quinoa Salad

Yield: 4 Servings (6 as a side)

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Asparagus Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1/2 C Sun-dried tomatoes, divided (dry-packed kind)
1/2 C Basil (loosely-packed), divided
1 Clove of garlic
2 Tbsp Toasted pine nuts
1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
3-4 Tbsp Olive oil
3/4 C Quinoa
Couple of big handfuls of spinach
1 C Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Bunch of asparagus (approx 200g), woody ends snapped off/trimmed
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
Hemp seeds (optional)

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa well then place in a pan over medium heat with 1 1/2 C water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Stir in the spinach then re-cover and leave for at least 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 30 minutes while the quinoa is cooking, then drain (reserving a little water).
Add 2/3 of the sun-dried tomatoes to a food processor with half the basil, the garlic, pine nuts, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Stream in the olive oil while the motor is running and process until a thick paste (leave a little texture). You can add a Tbsp or so of the tomato soaking water for a looser consistency.
Steam the asparagus for 2-3 minutes then refresh in cold water and chop each stem into 2 or 3 pieces.
Roughly chop the remaining sun-dried tomatoes and basil.
Stir the pesto into the quinoa, followed by the asparagus, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, basil & lemon juice.
Check for seasoning and sprinkle with hemp seeds (if desired).

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/05/25/sun-dried-tomato-pesto-asparagus-quinoa-salad/

What are your favourite recipes for packed lunches or to take along to picnics and BBQS?

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Roasted Celeriac & Sweet Potato with Saffron Quinoa & Herby Drizzle

We’re revisiting an old, forgotten friend today – celeriac! It’s one of those vegetables that’s easy to forget about and I’ve shared just 2 celeriac recipes on the blog until now.

My Simple Celeriac Soup is a lovely, mild-tasting recipe that goes down well with everyone. My Celeriac, Pear & Rocket Salad is a little more quirky and more suited to those into bold/punchy flavours.

Today’s recipe features celeriac the way I cook it most often – roasted.

Roasting a pan of root vegetables is definitely one of my favourite ways to start a meal. I’m clearly a fan of veggies almost any which way but have found that when feeding slightly more veg-sceptical people, roasting is definitely the way forwards!

Celeriac has a nutty, sweet taste that just gets accentuated with a stint in the oven. Adding sweet potatoes to the mix softens the flavour too.

To turn my roasted celeriac & sweet potato into a complete meal, I served them over quinoa infused with saffron to give it a hint of something extra and topped it all with a good drizzle of herby dressing.

I’m pretty smitten with this herby sauce/dressing. I adore using fresh herbs in my cooking but very rarely manage to use them all up before they start to get rather sad looking. This recipe is a fantastic way to use up any of those herbs in the fridge that are on on their last legs.

I like a mix of parsley and coriander (cilantro) best – convenient as those are probably the herbs I use most. Feel free to use your favourite leafy herbs though. Dill, basil, mint and tarragon are other great options. I would advise against using woody herbs like rosemary or thyme.

Just blend up those herbs with some lime or lemon, garlic, a little spice, salt and olive oil to make a sauce that’s good on greens, grains, beans…anything which could do with a bit of jazzing up.

I finished this dish with some fresh rocket and a handful of toasted almonds. Again, it’s super versatile so use what you have to hand. If you want to bulk it up even more, how about adding some toasted chickpeas or mixing lentils in with the quinoa?

Roasted Celeriac & Sweet Potato with Saffron Quinoa & Herby Drizzle

Yield: Approx 4 Servings

Roasted Celeriac & Sweet Potato with Saffron Quinoa & Herby Drizzle

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Large Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 Large head of Celeriac, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
Salt & pepper

Saffron Quinoa:

1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Shallot
1 C Quinoa (well-rinsed)
2 C Vegetable broth
1/4 tsp Saffron
1/2 tsp Salt

Herby Drizzle:

1 C Loosely packed fresh herbs (I like a mix of parsley & coriander)
2 Tbsp Lime OR Lemon juice
1 tsp Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
1 Small clove of garlic
1/4 C Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp Salt
Rocket (optional)
Toasted, flaked almonds (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 190C/375F.
In a large roasting pan, toss the sweet potato and celeriac with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and golden brown at the edges.
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa. In a medium-size pot, cook the shallot in the olive oil for a few minutes, until softened. Add the quinoa, vegetable broth and saffron, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Leave covered for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork.
For the herby drizzle, blend all ingredients until smooth. I love my Tribest personal blender for small amounts like this. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To serve, place a handful of rocket in each bowl, then add a scoop of quinoa. Top with roasted celeriac and sweet potato and a generous drizzle of the herby dressing/sauce.
Finish with toasted almonds if desired.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/04/01/roasted-celeriac-sweet-potato-with-saffron-quinoa-herby-drizzle/

This is a nice healthy one to enjoy over the next couple of days, especially if you’re predicting an indulgent Easter weekend!

I’m heading back to my family home for the next few days and looking forward to a little break from the busy-ness of London, some country air and family time. It’s my birthday on Friday too so I get to enjoy birthday and Easter celebrations all at once!

Wishing you all a lovely holiday!

Nutty Quinoa with Inca Berries

Have you tried Inca berries? You might well have, you just don’t know it…

Inca berries or golden berries, those shrivelled, orange-coloured fruits you see below, also go by the more common name of “physalis”. Still not ringing a bell? I bet you’ve seen them in their fresh form garnishing desserts in restaurants. When they’re ripe, the outer layer gets dry and papery and the berries turn bright orange- definitely a pretty plate adornment!

Here’s a picture I took last year of physalis growing in our greenhouse! We sowed the seeds a little late so the fruit didn’t get the chance to fully ripen before summer was over but this year they’re apparently doing much better. My Mum brought me a little container of the “berries” when we met last week but I somehow managed to leave them behind in London so no pictures unfortunately.

Although we’ve successfully grown them in the UK, they’ve been cultivated for thousands of years in the Incan Empire (hence the name) where they’re particularly valued for their nutrient content- They’re especially high in beta-carotene, protein, bioflavonoids, and vitamin A- giving them “superfood” status.

Nutrition aside, in this pantry clear-out project of mine, I found 2 bags of the dried Inca berries (why is it that I have 2 of everything?!)! I’m not wholly convinced by them eaten on their own but they’re a tasty addition to recipes. They’re chewy, sweet and tart with a lingering citrusy flavour.

They certainly gave this simple quinoa dish some pizzazz!

I decided to let the individual ingredients shine here and keep the seasoning really simple- with just a little caraway for a hint of sweet spiciness and coconut oil to bring out the nutty flavours.

With the quinoa, black beans and cashews you’ve got yourself a protein-rich and really satisfying meal. I like this for lunch or as a hearty side-dish.

Nutty Quinoa with Inca Berries

Yield: 4 Servings

Nutty Quinoa with Inca Berries

Ingredients

2 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Coconut oil, divided
1 tsp Caraway seeds
1 C Quinoa, rinsed
2 C Water
1/2 tsp Salt
2 C Water
1-1/2 C Cooked black beans/ 1 Can, drained and rinsed
1/2 C Cashews, roughly chopped
1/4 C Roughly chopped coriander (cilantro)
1/2 C Inca Berries

Instructions

Heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and caraway and cook stirring for a couple of minutes, until fragrant.
Add the rinsed quinoa, water and salt, cover, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook undisturbed for 10-15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Stir through the black beans and the other Tbsp coconut oil, cover again and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the cashews in a small pan over medium heat.
Stir through half the cashews and half the coriander, reserving half of each for topping.
Transfer to a serving platter or individual serving bowls/plates and scatter with reserved cashews, coriander and Inca berries.
I like this best served slightly warm or at room temperature, rather than chilled.

Notes

* I appreciate that superfoods are expensive and not necessarily staples in everyone's kitchen. If you don't have/don't want to use Inca berries, I'd suggest dried cherries, cranberries or golden raisins as substitutes.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/08/18/nutty-quinoa-inca-berries/

Other recipes using Inca berries from around the web:

High Raw Beet & Hemp Granola from Choosing Raw

Winter Greens & Walnut Salad from Thrive Forward

Green tea with Golden Berries from Meghan Telpner

Superfood Chocolate Cups from Navitas Naturals

Chili Quinoa-Bean Bites (with Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes)

So, the countdown has begun until I leave Bath and head back to London! I mentioned I’ve been working on my dissertation, and handing that in marks the end of my master’s course which was the reason I moved here last September.

I’ve got mixed feelings about the move. I’m excited to be back in London where a lot of my friends and family are based, and to get into London life after several years away studying, but I’ve really really loved my time here in Bath and know moving day is going to be emotional!

Although it’s not far to move, my kitchen feels a little like it’s exploded lately and so I’m trying hard to only buy fresh ingredients at the moment and use up the (many!) pantry ingredients I’ve accumulated ( so as not to fill a whole car just with the contents of my kitchen). I’m thinking of it as a kind of challenge to come up with recipes using what I’ve got and and then it’s fun and doesn’t feel limiting.

The ingredients I tasked myself with using were:

- Quinoa: I seem to have 2 jars-plain and tricolore…

- Kidney beans: I still don’t use them often despite my attempts to diversify on the bean front.

- Chickpea flour: I’ve somehow ended up with 2 bags of this stuff too!

I actually already have a recipe on the blog which uses all 3 of these ingredients- my Kidney Bean, Sweet Potato & Quinoa Patties. But, you know me, I like to try new things, and so I came up with these Chili Quinoa-Bean Bites. They’re crisp on the outside and soft in the middle, with pops of sweet, juicy corn and a bit of a kick from the chilli (not too spicy though!).

I’ve finished my jar of kidney beans and made a dent on the quinoa at least. I’ve still got a way to go on the chickpea flour though…

The bites themselves are easy to make and a yummy little appetizer, salad topper, or serve them up taco style like I did. I used my recipe for chickpea flour “tortillas” since I was working on the chickpea flour and didn’t want to buy any corn ones especially. I love how versatile that recipe is.

Chili Quinoa-Bean Bites (with Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes)

Yield: Approx 30 Bites (Serves 4-6, depending on sides)

Chili Quinoa-Bean Bites (with Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes)

Ingredients

1 C Tricolore/Red/White quinoa
2 C Vegetable broth
1-1/2 C Cooked kidney beans (1 Can)
1/3 C Cooked corn (canned or frozen and defrosted are also fine)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1 tsp Salt

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced into 1" cubes
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

For the Quinoa-Bean Bites

Rinse the quinoa well then add to a pot with the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for approx 15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Leave covered for at least 10 minutes or longer then fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, mash the beans with a strong fork or whizz in a food processor until fairly well mashed but with some texture.
Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
In a large bowl, mix the quinoa, beans and all the remaining ingredients together until well combined.
Using moistened hands, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place on baking trays lined with parchment paper.
Bake the quinoa-bean bites for approx 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time, or until crispy on the outside.

For the Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Steam the sweet potatoes for approx 15-20 minutes, until very soft.
Add the olive oil, chipotle chili powder and salt and mash well with a fork.
Serve alongside the Chili-Quinoa Bites or spread on tortillas and top with the bites and your favourite taco fixings.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/08/11/chili-quinoa-bean-bites-chipotle-mashed-sweet-potatoes/

Please tell me I’m not alone with my out of control pantry!

Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans

We’re smack bang in the middle of stone fruit season. Juicy yellow and purple plums, glistening cherries, velvety peaches and nectarines…I’m incorporating them into every meal to make the most of the short season.

Fresh apricots seem to be rather overlooked, including by me, but just as I was leaving my local health food shop a few days ago, I spied a basket of these lightly freckled beauties and couldn’t bear to leave them behind.

They were perfectly ripe and a couple did get a little squished on my way home. No matter though as they became a delicious topping for my Sunday morning pancakes.

If you’ve been reading Coconut and Berries since the beginning (!), you may remember the Nectarine Salad with Blackberry Dressing, Basil & Hazelnuts I shared last summer. I used that recipe as a guide, simply switching up a few ingredients, to create this Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans.

My fresh apricots took the place of the nectarines, I used strawberries instead of blackberries in the dressing, buttery pecans replaced the hazelnuts, and I added some quinoa to make it a little more substantial.

I can’t imagine anyone having a problem eating a plateful of leafy greens when they’re tossed in this sweet, pretty pink dressing!

I particularly like wild rocket (arugula) or watercress in this salad for a peppery kick but go ahead and use whatever salad greens you have to hand.

Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans

Yield: 2 small servings or 1 large

Fresh Apricot Salad with Strawberry Dressing & Pecans

Ingredients

1 C Cooked and cooled quinoa (approx 1/3 C dry)
3-4 C Rocket leaves (arugula)
4 Fresh apricots, pitted and quartered
1/4 C Pecans

Strawberry Dressing:

1/3 C Strawberries (approx 5 medium)
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1-1/2 Tbsp White balsamic vinegar*
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Prepare the dressing first by blending all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad.
Toast the pecans in a small pan over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
Lay a bed of rocket on a serving dish or in a salad bowl, top with the quinoa and then the apricots. Drizzle with as much dressing as desired and top with the toasted pecans.
Serve.

Notes

* White balsamic is wonderful here as, like regular balsamic vinegar, it is naturally sweet and so brings out the flavour of the strawberries. Regular balsamic vinegar will darken your dressing so if you don't have white I recommend substituting apple cider vinegar (a little less) and a dash of liquid sweetener.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/07/23/fresh-apricot-salad-with-strawberry-dressing-pecans/

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