Style Lush

Unlocking the quinoa mystery

By Manda

If you're like me, you're new to quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa, but whatever I totally say it how it looks IN MY HEAD). I keep reading about how healthy and wonderful and gluten-free it is, so I finally picked up a bag (Bob's Red Mill organic whole grain, to be exact. I just love Bob!) at my local grocery store. That was a few weeks ago and that quinoa has been burning a hole in my pantry ever since! Finally, in a hungry stupor, I took to Twitter and begged for help.

Enter Rebecca Woolf from Girl's Gone Child!

Unbeknownst to me, Rebecca is a total quinoa fanatic and has recently been posting a series of recipes with tons of ideas on how to serve it. As I was stuck in the house with a napping toddler, I couldn't run out and buy anything, so I had to use my noggin and my pregnant cravings as my guide. With Rebecca in my head saying "Get as crazy as you want!" and another recipe for inspiration, I made up the following dish. 

In short? It was AMAZING.

I call it Southwest Quinoa Salad

Here's what you'll need:

1 C. uncooked quinoa (yields about 4 cups cooked)
1 jar roasted red peppers (approx. 2 peppers)
1/2 orange bell pepper
1/2 can corn
1/2 can garbanzos
cilantro (I used a handful out of my herb garden ... 1/2 a store bought bunch?)
4 T. Italian dressing (I used Kraft Zesty Italian, use whatever floats your boat)
1/2-1 T. chili powder
1/2-1 T. cumin
1/2-1 T. kosher salt
2-3 T. lime juice (or the juice of one small lime)
dash of garlic powder (optional)

And here's what you do:

-Cook quinoa according to package directions. I added a dash of salt and a drizzle of olive oil to the water in the pot as it boiled. Please be aware that most quinoa needs to be soaked/rinsed before you cook it. Bob's Red Mill claimed to be pre-rinsed and ready to go so I didn't rinse it. I am right to love Bob ... no bitter taste!
-Allow quinoa to cool completely. I left mine on the stove in the pot for an hour or so. You can probably cool it in the fridge if you need it faster.
-Dice up the roasted red pepper and bell pepper (you can use whatever color bell pepper you want, by the way), give the cilantro a course chop, and throw it in a bowl with the quinoa. Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing and tasting as you go. When I made mine I didn't measure anything! I just added more stuff here and there until the seasoning was as I liked it.
-And that's it! My husband and I loved it!

-This recipe is super easy to vary. You could add grape tomatoes, canned black beans or chopped green onion; top it with avocado before serving (I plan on doing this with my leftovers!), serve it as a main dish or side or stuff it in a wrap like Jessica; use parsley or basil instead of cilantro, add some fresh mint ... the possibilities are endless! I would have also added a little white pepper, but I couldn't find it in my spice cabinet.

The moral of the story? Be brave and have fun! And do share your favorite ways to serve quinoa!

Reader Help: Sweet Potato Recipes

By Sarah

At the recommendation of our very own Elisabeth, I recently signed up for an organic fruit and vegetable delivery service. Since I have to go to the grocery store pretty often, the idea of coming home from work to a box of fresh fruits and vegetables was appealing. Plus, the idea of getting some obscure vegetable intrigued me. Until I opened my first box yesterday and saw sweet potatoes.

You see, I do not like sweet potatoes. I have tried them every which way, but just can't seem to get on board. When people started deep frying them to make sweet potato fries, I thought, Genius! A french fry is something I can get behind! But nope, sweet potato fries didn't do it for me either.

So, my question to you today: What should I do with these sweet potatoes to make them -- how do I put it? -- less sweet potato-y? Any go-to recipes you have for sweet potatoes? I am all ears, err, eyes! (Lame potato joke, sorry.)

{Photo credit: Yours truly}

Quinoa

By Jessica

I've recently given up meat, for health reasons, and one of the biggest dietary concerns for vegetarians is proper nutri-tional balance. It's very important to ensure not only that you are getting enough proteins but that you are getting complete proteins, proteins with a high concentration of lysine, and fortunately for us; Quinoa is one of the most complete non-meat proteins you can find. 

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah, most commonly) is also hugely versatile and can be substituted for rice or couscous in most applications, can be served hot or cold, is gluten free and is hugely filling. I usually cook up a large bit of it and keep it in the fridge to use throughout the week for lunches and dinners and it's a such a time saver.  One of my favorite ways to eat it is mixed with a bunch of veg and stuffed in a wrap so, I'm going to share that recipe with you here. It's not a hard and fast recipe, if there are certain veggies that you like better than others, feel free to substitute and experiment. 

Quinoa Wrap

1/2 cup prepared Quinoa (cooked according to package directions) 

1/4 cup thawed frozen spinach

1/4 shredded or chopped carrots

5 sun-dried tomatoes diced

1/4 cup feta cheese (or more to taste)

Balsamic Vinaigrette (bottled is fine but I make my own)

1 La Tortilla Soft Wrap tomato and basil variety

Combine the Quinoa and the veggies and make sure that everything is well distributed. If it looks like you need a bit more Quinoa, go ahead and add a little bit more. When I make mine I use 1/2 cup and then a tiny bit extra. Now add your balsamic and any salt and pepper to taste. Once everything is mixed, lay your wrap out onto a plate and pour the Quinoa mixture onto the center of the wrap, you want to keep the mixture in the center so you can fold the wrap around it like a burrito. I leave the top open and just fold the bottom and the sides to lock the Quinoa in, but that's my own personal preference. 

Very filling and very tasty! I can never finish a whole one. 
 

{Photo credit: Quinoa.net}

Refreshing Citrus & Cucumber Water

By Katie

I've always preferred water to sodas and fruit juices, but I'll be the first to admit that the same old glass of ice water can sometimes get a little dull. By adding just a few simple ingredients, you can easily infuse a little spa rejuvenation into your every day glass of water.

(As adapted from RecipeZaar; photo credit: RecipeZaar)

Ingredients

• 1 gallon of cold water
• 2-3 slices of fresh lemon
• 2-3 slices of fresh lime
• 3-4 slices of cucumber
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary or mint, slightly crushed (optional)

Directions

1. Place all of the ingredients in a large pitcher, chill and serve.

It's that simple! I think this refreshing water would be perfect at a baby shower (something fun for the new mama to drink!) and would look equally elegant at a cookout or a dinner party. It's a cinch to make, yet it looks gorgeous and invigorates your taste buds!

Bon Appétit, lovely Lushes!

Easy chicken recipe: Now with more thigh!

By Jonniker

I make no secret that until recently, I found chicken thighs to be utterly terrifying. TERRI-FYING. They look so ALIEN and with all that MYSTERY FAT hidden in creepy little crevices! BLEEEAH! Yet everyone promised they were so! packed! with flavor! So I came, I saw, I conquered the thigh and lo, they are delicious little bundles of flavor.

However. They are not fun to prepare. Allow me to present you with the easiest recipe ever that I adapted from many others. And bonus: NO GRATUITOUS TOUCHING OF THE THIGHS.

First, buy boneless, skinless thighs in a package -- say, eight or so for four people. They tend to shrink up, and two thighs per person is a good gauge.

Now! Take ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar and this lovely little ingredient -- chili garlic sauce.

You can usually get it in the international section of your grocery store. If not, it's readily available online. And if you STILL can't find it, use a mixture of red pepper flakes and garlic - totally to your taste, yo. Say, 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon garlic powder?

Now! Mix equal parts ketchup and soy sauce -- 1/2 cup to a cup of each, depending on the size of your thighs. Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup brown sugar. Whisk! Now add your chili paste or pepper garlic combo. Whisk!

Throw your thighs on a baking sheet and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Brush your thighs with the sauce and stick 'em in there for 30 to 40 minutes. HOWEVAH -- and this is key -- every ten minutes, flip your thighs and baste with more sauce. Flip and baste, flip and baste. They will be all carmelized and delicious and sweet and hot and YUMMAY.

Serve hot with rice and snow peas or green beans from the freezer. VOILA.

{Photo credit: Amazon.com}

New Ingredient: Umeboshi Paste

By Kristie

I am a huge fan of making new recipes and trying new ingredients. I could peruse a spice aisle or browse in a new grocery store for hours. I think we often get stuck eating the same foods over and over again, never trying anything new out of fear? the unknown? laziness? being comfortable with what we're used to?

In an effort to help you branch out, dear readers, there is going to be a new feature here at Style Lush that focuses on one new ingredient. I'll explain what that ingredient is, provide pictures and share cooking tips and recipes to go along with it. In addition, if you've had experience with an ingredient featured please chime in and tell me what you do with it or share a recipe or two.

Let's get started! Today in the kitchen I've got Umeboshi paste:

A tangy, salty condiment made from the pureed pulp of naturally processed, pickled umeboshi plums. Promotes healthy appetite and digestion. A small dab replaces both salt and butter for the best corn on the cob you ever had. Ideal for making sushi, dips, sauces, salad dressing and for seasoning vegetables.

Facts about umeboshi plums:

• The act of making umeboshi plums is thought to be over 2,000 years old
• The plums are actually a variety of apricots
• Aging time is around a year long in wooden kegs
• In Japan they regard eating an umeboshi plum akin to the United States "eating an apple a day"

Here you can see what a whole umeboshi plum looks like. Umeboshi paste is just a paste made of the plums. It's got the same color and a slight applesauce texture.

Recipe:

Umeboshi Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar, to taste
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1-2 tablespoon umeboshi plum paste or 2 large umeboshi, seeded
• salt and pepper

Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and puree.

What I really think about this ingredient:

Umeboshi paste is exceptionally salty and bitter at the same time. I've read a few times that it's definitely an acquired taste. I made toasted nori "burritos" with umeboshi paste, baked tofu, steamed greens and fresh slices of avocado and it was pretty good. I'd definitely use a tad less or use the vinaigrette recipe above to tone down the kick of the paste. I probably won't add this item to my permanent grocery list but it's definitely something I'll get once in a while to spice a dish up here and there. Also, now when I see this ingredient at a restaurant I"ll know what I'm in for.

{Photo credit: Wikipedia. Recipe credit: Recipezaar.com}