Quinoa Risotto: Food Find!

Yep, quinoa again!

I had the most delicious quinoa risotto at a Peruvian restaurant last night. It was a mixture of white and black quinoa and was packed with vegetables. On top was a pretty ruffled sweet potato chip. It was a perfect blend of soft and crunchy textures and the flavor was amazing! It tasted totally decadent but was really healthy.

Stay tuned for the recipe - I'm determined to recreate this one this weekend. I think I'll use white, black and red quinoa....

Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes - Food Find!

Ok, I know that sounds like it's too good to be true, but check out these delectable little beauties! I created this recipe for the California Raisin folks who wanted a great chocolate cupcake...but they wanted it to be healthy too.

Here's what I did. First, I used unsweetened cocoa powder to keep the fat and saturated fat down. Using light and fat-free dairy products kept the fat down as well. (I could do a whole blog on fat-free half & half - one of my favorite products!) But the real secret was to add pureed raisins to the cupcake batter. Using raisin puree lets you add way less fat to the recipe without sacrificing any quality in flavor or texture. It's amazing!

These are moist and chocolaty and the little swirl of frosting on top adds just a bit of fun! Perfect for kids parties or for any one looking to satisfy their sweet tooth...in a good way!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 18 to 20 minutes

Cupcakes
3/4 cup California raisins
2 to 3 tablespoons hot water
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup softened heart healthy vegetable spread
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
4 egg whites
1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1/4 cup softened heart healthy vegetable or soy spread
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons fat-free half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F and line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers. Set aside.

Combine raisins and hot water in food processor or blender; process until smooth. Beat raisin puree together with sour cream, spread and extract in a large bowl until light. Beat in sugar, then egg whites. Add dry ingredients and beat until well mixed. Spoon into lined cups and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

For frosting, beat together 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar with remaining ingredients until smooth; spread the top of each cupcake with a thin layer. Stir remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar together with a few drops of half-and-half until thick and smooth. Drizzle a swirl on top of each cupcake.

Makes 12 cupcakes


Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories: 300, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 330mg, Potassium: 317mg, Carbohydrates: 55g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 30g, Protein: 5g, Vitamin A: 2%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 4%, Iron: 15%

Barley - Food Find!

I developed this tasty healthy recipe for a TV segment promoting Dr. Andrew Weil cookware. It's simple to prepare and is packed with nutrients and fiber. If you've never tried barley, you'll be amazed at how addicting it is! The slightly chewy texture is perfect topped with crunchy toasted walnuts. Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor, if you like.

Mediterranean Barley with Chicken and Vegetables

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: about 1 hour total

2 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium broth

1 cup pearl barley

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped portabella or crimini mushrooms

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary or basil)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts

Bring stock and barley to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until stock has been absorbed. While barley is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is browned. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add remaining oil and onion to skillet; cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more. Add bell pepper, wine, cooked barley and chicken; cook until very hot. Stir in spinach, Parmesan and herbs; cook until spinach is barely wilted then sprinkle with walnuts. Makes 8 servings.

Recipe Tip:

Barley may be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.

Quinoa: Food Find!

I love quinoa. No it's not pronounced "kee-no-ah". It's "keen-wah". It's an ancient grain and is super healthy. In fact it's considered to be a superfood.

This amazing little grain (and I mean little) has some unique things about it. First, it has it's own built in pesticide coating each grain so it should be rinsed in a fine mesh strainer and drained before you cook with it. Second, it's the only grain that provides a complete protein. None of this mixing with legumes - it's a good source of protein all by itself! It contains many essential vitamins and minerals, is low in sugar and starch and high in fiber and unsaturated fat.

It also cooks in about 12 minutes which is another plus in my book. It has a nutty taste and is really great for salads.

I wanted to try something different though. I thought that by adding quinoa to baked goods would be a good way to increase the nutritional value of the recipe. I make a great brown rice bread but I cook the rice first (obviously). The first recipe that I pulled up called for putting the quinoa in without cooking. So I thought I'd give it a go.

After the dough was made I thought I'd really blown it. It looked like polka dot bread and I was sure I'd have hard crunchy quinoa grains throughout. But it rose like a champ and baked just as well! The grains that are on the outside give it a nice crunch, but the inside is nice and soft.

I revised the recipe a bit adding honey and walnuts for flavor and health benefits. I did another loaf with walnuts and dried cherries. I think this bread is best toasted. . . slathered with Irish butter. So much for low fat. I'll be good tomorrow. Or when my bread is gone.

Quinoa Bread

Prep: 30 minutes
Rise: 3 hours total
Bake: 30 minutes

1 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water, divided
1/4 cup honey
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup chopped dried cherries, raisins or cranberries (optional)

Place 1 cup water and honey in a large bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast over the top; let stand for 5 minutes or until yeast starts to foam. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and drain well; add to bowl with oil and mix lightly. Using the dough hook, stir in flours and salt until a dough forms, adding a little more water if necessary. (Dough will be stiff.) Knead for 5 to 10 minutes or until dough is very smooth and elastic. Coat another large clean bowl lightly with oil; add dough and turn to coat. Cover bowl and set in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours. Punch dough down and knead several times, adding walnuts and fruit if you like. Shape into 2 loaves and place on a large parchment lined baking sheet. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour more. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake bread for 30 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.

Post comments and let me know what you think of the recipe!