Keen for Quinoa

One day I decided I needed to stop filling up on bread and starting finding more nutritious ways to fuel my body. I approached my brother Nigel for some advice. This is pretty much how our conversation went:

Alyssa: "I'm always starving unless I eat a whole lot of carbs with each meal"

Nigel: "You should try quinoa"

Alyssa: "Quinoa is disgusting...I want good food"

Nigel: "Not only is it DELICIOUS, it's good for you!"

Alyssa: "I don't believe you."

Nigel: "Try this recipe."

Quinoa Salad

Inspired by: Nigel (yogawithnigel.com)

Serves: 2-4 people, depending on what you're eating it with
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes 
Cooling time: a few hours but feels like forever when you're hungry.

Your Shopping List:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth, or water - you may just add more salt after)

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed

2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice, the fresher the better

1/2 English cucumber, diced

1 medium pepper (red, orange, or yellow), diced
1/2 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)

1/2 cup red onion, diced (optional)

1/4 cup feta, crumbled (optional)

oregano, to taste

salt & pepper, to taste

What to do with it:

1. Add quinoa to a medium saucepan and bring broth or water to a boil.
2. Cover and reduce heat to low, allowing the quinoa to simmer. 
3. Set timer for 15 minutes, because the quinoa will be done after about that much time.
4. If you haven't already, now is a good time to cut up the veggies.
5. Once the quinoa is cooked, add the garlic and olive oil and then mix it up. Transfer to cold bowl.
6. To cool your quinoa, stick it in the fridge or freezer.
7. Once cool, add the rest of the ingredients!
8. EAT it up.

Taste your salad along the way! The first time I made it, I measured out ingredients but I don't do that past the cooking of the quinoa stage. I possibly add more or less lemon juice than I wrote... I will never know/have the patience to measure it. 

My reaction...

Alyssa: "I'm keen for quinoa!"

I'm also keen for Cuban beaches!

and I hope you will be too :)

The best tomato recipe in the entire universe.

If I could pick one recipe to eat for the rest of my life, I think it would be this one. My dad is a huge fan of cooking on the barbecue and loves to try out new things from his various Weber cookbooks. This recipe is one of those! 
You can tell a lot about what a person likes just by looking at their cookbooks. The best recipes are always the ones that are barely intact, spattered with food, and oil-stained. I just described the page that contains this recipe:

Roasted Tomatoes Stuffed with Grilled Ratatouille

from Weber.com by Jamie PurviancePrep time: 25 minutesMarinade time: 2-4 hoursGrilling time: 8-12 minutes

Steak, spinach, mushrooms, THE BEST TOMATOES & Corona :)

Your shopping list:

4 large ripe (but not too ripe) tomatoes
Ratatouille:
1 medium red onion, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch slices   (It will fall apart on the bbq regardless)
1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and cut into flat pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch slices
extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese or 2/3 cup Fontina cheese (Optional - I've made it without for my momma)
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil (I've used 1tsp of dried and it worked fine!)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

What to do with it:

1. Cut a 1/2" slice off the top of each tomato and discard tops. With a small knife cut around the inside of the fleshy part of the tomato to within 1/2" of the skin, being careful not to cut through the bottom. With a teaspoon, scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/2" of the flesh attached to the skin.
2. Discard the juice and seeds to make room for the ratatouille. Lightly salt the inside of the tomatoes and turn them, cut side down, on a plate lined with paper towels while you prepare the ratatouille.
3. Lightly brush the onion, zucchini and pepper with oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I've forgotten the S&P and it was fine
4.  Grill over Direct Medium heat until tender, turning once, about 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1/3 inch pieces. I don't ever pay attention the size of them in the end. I basically dice it all so I can fit more in the tomatoes.
5. Combine the vegetables in a medium bowl with the cheese, basil and vinegar.
6. Spoon ratatouille into the tomatoes and grill over Indirect Medium heat until the cheese is melted and the vegetables are warm, 8 to 10 minutes. 

They tell you to serve it immediately but I've definitely mistimed my meals and had them sit for a few moments. These are delicious reheated leftovers, but there will be liquid everywhere so reheat it in a bowl!