Double Broccoli Quinoa

I've been a bit lazy to write much lately; must still be in that holiday relaxation mode. But... I made this the other day and found myself itching to share it with you guys because it really is just that delicious. 

You know I love things that involve decadence and pure, utter gluttony. Example: the brown sugar-bacon waffles I made for a New Years Eve brunch. Sometimes though, I just love trying healthy recipes, but as always, they must taste good. When I want to try something new, healthy and delicious, I always turn to Heidi's recipes on 101 Cookbooks. She is seriously the supernatural food goddess! 

Anyways, on to this quinoa salad! It's simple, delicious and super satisfying. I absolutely loved, loved, loved it! If you've never tried quinoa, it's actually not a grain but rather a seed. It cooks up just like rice, heck, I even cooked mine in my rice cooker and it came out fantastically! It has this nice little crunch to it and has all kinds of good things packed into its little shell. 

My favorite part about this dish was the broccoli pesto. Wow, broccoli pesto, you've got something going on there! Combined with the toasty almond slivers, brine-y feta and smooth-as-butter avocado, you've got a great meal. If you still find yourself craving some protein, a grilled chicken breast would be fabulous on top.

Mise en place:

Double Broccoli Quinoa

Yields: 4 - 6 servings

Original recipe here.

3 cups cooked quinoa
     (soak the quinoa for 15 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, and cook with double the 
     amount of water in a large sauce pot or in a rice cooker)

5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems

3 medium garlic cloves

2/3 cups slivered almonds, toasted until golden

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 big pinches of salt

2 tbsn. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup heavy cream

optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil, sliced avocado, crumbled feta or goat cheese

Heat the quinoa and set aside. Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bring it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking, set aside. To make the broccoli pesto puree, combine 2 cups of the cooked broccoli, garlic, 1/2 cup of almonds, parmesan, salt and lemon juice into a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth. Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the pesto. Taste and adjust as needed. Top with the remaining almonds and whatever toppings you desire. 

Rachel Ray's "The Only Pizza You Will Ever Want Again"

After a long day of school, a long tedious meal is the last thing on anyone's mind. Rachel Ray sure comes to the rescue when you're in need of a quick and satisfying meal, after all she has come to be known as the "Queen of Quick." This pizza was definitely a tummy pleaser and full of flavor and actually surprisingly nutritious and substantial. 

As a note, I recommend making a stop at your local Trader Joes for your ingredients. They have individual portions of pizza dough for only about $1.50 and in plain, whole wheat (which we used), and garlic & herb. You can find all of the other ingredients there also, which makes for an easy shopping trip. 

Recipe is as follows (tweaked for convenience):

For the crust:

1 (16 oz.) package of pizza dough 

2 tsn. olive oil

2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano

For the toppings:

1/3 lb. broccoli, chopped and steamed

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 lb. chicken (pre-cooked), chopped

1 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese

10 sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

12 - 15 leaves of basil, chiffonaded

Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. On a large baking sheet lined with foil, stretch out your pizza dough and form the crust. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and minced garlic, mix well. Spread the mixture over the crust. Top with the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and broccoli. Next, sprinkle the pizza with the mozzarella, salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Top with the basil and serve.

How to Chiffonade Basil:

Stack your basil leaves on top of each other, then roll the basil into a little cigarette. Take your knife and slice the "cigarette" very thinly. And there you have it!