Pastalove: Tahini Quinoa Pasta Salad

April was a whirlwind, wasn't it?

Spent most of the month enjoying the spring season

sans the internet.

Needed some time away from the flurry of social media

to enjoy the little things in life.

Went on some long walks, read a few books, spent time with my loves... 

It's been a good month,

still getting myself back into the swing of things.

I shall dive back in soon enough!

I've been in love with tahini lately.

I've been tossing it with a handful of greens, stirfry meals,

you name it. 

It goes well with everything!

I tossed some GF quinoa pasta 

with tahini and garlic,

on top of a power greens mix.

It's been awhile since I've had pasta,

but it's #pastalove month. 

So had to try the craze for quinoa pasta.

The texture is not as soft as normal pasta

but the flavor has a subtle taste of corn and the nuttiness of quinoa. 

Definitely satiates and fills you up nicely 

with the extra protein.

A simple and tasty spring salad for ya. :)

Tahini Quinoa Pasta Salad

1/2 cup dry quinoa pasta

2 cups of water

power greens:

baby spinach

baby arugula

baby collards

baby kale

watercress

2 tbsp tahini, no salt

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp EVOO

kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring water to boil. Cook quinoa pasta for 8-9 minutes. Then rinse. 

2. Mix tahini, garlic, EVOO, and kosher salt together. Make extra dressing if you would like!

3. Toss power greens with pasta and dressing!

To note: Tahini is sesame seed butter. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May is #pastalove month!

Please join in on the #pastalove fun by linking up any pasta recipe from the month of May 2012. Don't forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #pastalove event! The twitter hashtag is #pastalove :).

Cohosted by:

Astig Vegan, Badger Girl Learns to Cook, BigFatBaker, Bon a Croquer, Cake Duchess, Elephant Eats, Hobby and More, Mis Pensamientos, No One likes Crumbley Cookies, Oh Cake, Rico sin Azucar, Simply Reem, Soni's Food for Thought, Teaspoon of Spice, That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!, The Spicy RD, The Wimpy Vegetarian, Vegetarian Mama, You Made That?, Vegan Yack Attack. 

Also, I know I have some active readers who link up every month! If you are interested in hosting the #lovebloghop series or just staying in the loop, join our facebook group.

Berrylove: Blueberry Almond Butter Banana Ice Cream

It's spring and I am loving all the berries in the season.
Oh yes, and the flowers and the sun. Yay!

It's not summer just yet, 

but I've been dreaming of eating a delicious scoop of ice cream.

Anyone else? :)

Frozen bananas, blueberries, and a nice glob of almond butter.

So simple, but so good.

Don't skimp on the almond butter,

that's the best part. :)

Blueberry Almond Butter Banana Ice Cream

2 frozen bananas

1/2 cup blueberries (or any type)

1 tbsp of almond butter

Directions:

1. Peel two ripe bananas, and freeze them in a ziplock bag overnight.

2. Let bananas thaw for 15 minutes at room temperature.

3. Blend in food processor until pureed. 

4. Add in blueberries and almond butter.

5. Blend until mixed well. Put the ice cream in a bowl and freeze for 4 hours. 

6. Serve with your favorite assortment of berries. 

--------------------------

April is #berrylove month!

Please join in on the #berrylove by linking up any berry recipe from the month of April 2012.  Don't forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #berrylove event! The twitter hashtag is #berrylove. :)

Cohosted by:

A little bit of Everything, Baker Street, Baking and Cooking: A Tale of Two Loves, BigFatBaker, Bon a Croquer, Cake Duchess, Easily Good Eats, Elephant Eats, Georgie Cakes, Hobby and More, Java Cupcake, Mis Pensamientos, No One Likes Crumbley Cookies, Oh Cake, Queen's Notebook, Rico sin Azucar, Simply Reem, Soni's Food for Thought, Teaspoon of Spice, That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!, The Art of Cooking Real Food, The Wimpy Vegetarian, Vegan Yack Attack, Vegetarian Momma. 

Fennel Onion Soup

I spent the first week of spring vacation

sick with the flu.

It wasn't my piece of pie,

but at least now I am feeling better!

The only thing that I could think about eating

when my head was throbbing with a fever

and my throat burning from the coughing

was homemade soup. 

Made this deliciousness from a base of onions and garlic

flavored with fennel leaves. So aromatic, so good.

Threw in all sorts of veggies that were in my fridge too. 

Soup is always the best when feeling not quite up to par. :)

Fennel Onion Soup

1 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup green cabbage, chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

3-4 stalks of fennel root, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped 

4-5 florets of cauliflower, chopped 

handful of green leafy veggies

1 tsp kosher salt or to taste

6+ cups of hot water

Directions:

1. Sautee onions with garlic and cabbage until caramelized.  Add in 1 tsp of EVOO and toss for 1 minute.

2. Add in other veggies and toss for 1 minute. 

2. Add in 6+ cups of hot water into the pot.  Let everything simmer for 15 minutes. Add in 1 tsp of kosher salt (or more to taste).

To note: Caramelizing the veggies in the beginning is key to making a good broth! 

What is your go-to soup remedy when you are sick?

Greenslove: Spaghetti Squash Cabbage Wraps

 roasted red bell peppers + cashew cream = best spaghetti sauce ever

you know what's even better?

roasted and caramelized spaghetti squash topped with this stuff. :)

being on a sugar cleanse,

this veggie dish fits my clean eats pretty darn perfectly.

light in carbs, naturally sweet in texture,

this is a go-to veggie 

for a filling, delicious meal.

i love this stuff!

i tossed my spaghetti squash with onions, spinach, and EVOO
and ate them in a freshly cooked cabbage leaf,
topped with some homemade roasted pepper cashew cream.
doesn't that sound amazing? hehe
oh yes, you can eat them as a cabbage roll or cabbage wrap!

Spaghetti Squash Cabbage Wraps w/ Roasted Pepper Cashew Cream 

1 spaghetti squash, halved, de-seeded
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
handful of baby spinach 
kosher salt, to taste

6+ green cabbage leaves
2 cups of water

3 large red bell peppers, halved

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour
1+ cup water, more or less


Directions:
1. Place spaghetti squash flesh down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes or until caramelized. You will see the juices oozing out on the baking sheet when it is ready! Use a fork and scrape out the squash into a bowl. They will look like strands of spaghetti.

2. Cut red bell peppers in half and de-seed and de-stem. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and broil on high for 5 minutes on one side and 2-3 minutes on the other. They will be slightly charred. Place roasted bell peppers in a plastic bag for 15 minutes. This will help you peel the skins off easier. Peel the skins. Then place bell peppers in the food processor and blend until smooth.

3. With the soaked cashews, discard the water.  Place in a food processor and blend. Add small amounts of water until it is creamy.

4. Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Place cabbage leaves in for about 2-3 minutes or until it turns a green translucent color. Place cooked cabbage leaves on a plate.

5. In a pan on medium high heat, cook onions for about 2-3 minutes.  Add in about 2 cups of spaghetti squash, spinach, and extra virgin olive oil. Toss together for about 2 minutes.

5. Top cabbage leave with spaghetti squash stir fry, roasted red peppers, and cashew cream.  Enjoy!

Have you tried spaghetti squash before?

Greenslove: Adzuki Miso Greens Stir Fry

I grew up eating lots and lots of Korean food.

The flavors of soy sauce, miso, hot pepper paste, and sesame...
make my spirit merry. 

I guess it's a part of my natural palate. 
 But having given up soy due to some food sensitivities I developed,
it's been awhile since I've enjoyed such flavors.

So, when I saw miso paste 

made out of adzuki beans

instead of soybeans,

my heart skipped a beat.
A long lost love
had found me again.
Love has a way of coming around, doesn't it? :)

Since I've been enjoying my veggies cooked,

I tossed a bunch of wintery greens,

brussels, cabbage, kale, baby spinach

with some caramelized sweet onions,

and flavored it with sesame oil and adzuki miso paste.

One of my latest and favorite clean eats for ya.  :)

Aduzki Miso Greens Stir Fry 

2 cups green cabbage, chopped

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

5 brussel sprouts, destemmed and halved

2/3 cup green peas 

2 stems of kale, chopped

handful of baby spinach 

2 tsp adzuki miso paste

1 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet for 3-4 minutes. Prep veggies in the meantime. 

2. Toss in onions, cabbage, and brussels. Cover the skillet with lid and let the steam cook the veggies for about 10 minutes.  Toss the veggies every couple of minutes.

3. Add in green peas, kale, and spinach. Cover and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.

4. Add in 1 tsp of sesame oil. Pan fry all the veggies for 2-3 minutes. 

5. Turn off the heat. Add in the miso paste and toss well. 

To Note: You can substitute sesame oil with extra virgin olive oil. Miso is a fermented soybean paste. The one I used was made with adzuki beans.  I've also seen miso made with chickpeas, brown rice or millet from the same company. 

Do you like miso? 
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

March is #greenslove month!

Please join in on the #greenslove fun by linking up any leafy green recipe from the month of March 2012.  Don't forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #greenslove event! The twitter hashtag is #greenslove. :)

Cohosted by:
Al Dente Gourmet, Astig Vegan, Badger Girl Learns to Cook, Baking and Cooking: A Tale of Two Loves, BigFatBaker, Bon a Croquer, CafeTerraBlog, Cake Duchess, Cheap Ethnic Eats, Easily Good Eats, Georgiecakes, Kitchen Belleicious, Mis Pensamientos, My Twisted Recipes, No One Likes Crumbley Cookies, Oh Cake, Queen's Notebook, Rico Sin Azucar, Savoring Every Bite, Simply Reem, Soni's Food for Thought, Sprint 2 the Table, Teaspoon of Spice, That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!, The Art of Cooking Real Food, The Spicy RD, The Wimpy Vegetarian, Vegan Yack Attack, Vegetarian Mamma.

Cauliflower Rice

 I love rice. I think I could eat bowls of this stuff every day.

 Yeap, I'm a carbaholic. :)

But sadly, my body hates the carbs and sugar.

Le sigh~

I have to repeat to myself everyday,

"carbs are not my friends,

we're just acquaintances."

But the carb cravings never seem to dissipate.

I even gave in and ate two pieces of dark chocolate this week.

My body is not happy about it still,

but my mind was certainly happy. hehe.

I had to take some desperate measures

 and trick my own mind.

So I made myself some "cauliflower" rice.

The next best thing, without all the carbs of course.

Steamed cauliflower tossed with 

caramelized sweet onions

and chopped spinach,

with a drizzle of olive oil

and a touch of kosher salt.

My belly is happy~ :)

Cauliflower Rice

3 cups of cauliflower florets

1/4 sweet onion, chopped

1/2 cup of baby spinach, chopped

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions:

1. Steam the cauliflower florets for 15 minutes.
2. Sautee chopped onions with 1 tsp of EVOO and garlic until translucent (about 4-5 minutes).
3. Once the cauliflower florets are steamed, let it cool. Then pulverize into bits and pieces using the food processor. Don't over-mix!
4. Toss cauliflower, sweet onion, baby spinach with 1 tsp EVOO and kosher salt.

Other tips: Flavor your cauliflower rice however you wish! You can pan fry to make a fried rice or just eat it along your favorite dish. 

What is your carb/sugar weakness?