My husband Howard is not a great fan of plain quinoa, but he does enjoy it when it’s cooked like a risotto. Ted, my son who is 7, is a big fan of plain quinoa but doesn’t enjoy it when I cook it like a risotto. As the main cook in our house I have a hard time pleasing everyone. Quinoa is a bit like Marmite – you either love it or hate it in this house. Unless, of course, you disguise it as a risotto then one person likes it and the other does not.
For me, quinoa is a super food that is very tasty however it is served. Quinoa is high in protein and has a sweet, nutty distinctive texture. It’s also a healthier alternative to starchier pasta and rice. Quinoa is a grain that is grown for its edible seed. The seed is then prepared and eaten in a similar way to a grain like rice. I enjoy eating it with lentils, beans, covered in tinned tomatoes and cooked like a risotto. I can understand why Howard and Ted aren’t always the biggest fans of this food. It does have a very unique flavour but I do think it’s one that the taste buds get used to in time. Here are 5 of our favourite recipes for you.
Chilli Meatballs on Tomato Rice
A few years ago we started eating less meat. I decided to start buying our meat from a local butchers. The butchers sell grass fed and herb fed meat. The farms they source from are regenerative in their nature. It means that all of the meat purchased benefits the natural ecosystem and develops land for the future. The butchers will only ever support pasture-raised animals, grass-fed meat, organic and free range meat.
My belief is the better the quality the meat, the more our bodies will thrive from it. Plus when I buy meat like this I feel that I’m helping the planet and the environment we live in. It’s slightly more expensive than buying from the supermarket but I know we are eating good quality.
That’s why we only eat meat at the weekend so we can afford to buy slightly better quality. When I make meals like this one the taste is always sublime. If you can afford to, switching to grass and herb fed meat, I believe will have a lot of health benefits for the planet and the people living on it.
For those for you that read my blog you will know that I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. Now that the UK is back in Lockdown I feel like I don’t leave the kitchen. I’m thinking of bringing the spare bed down and setting up camp right next to the oven. Only joking! On a serious note, I have spent a little more time in this area of our home and this loaf is one of the many creations we have loved.
After the festive season, we had a few leftovers in our cupboards that I decided to try in this sweet loaf. Walnuts and figs are great foods for helping to promote a healthy gut. They are packed full of fibre and have lots of vitamins and minerals that can help encourage good gut bacteria. As we had a lot of walnuts and figs and as I have been spending more time in the kitchen I decided to make this loaf and few other goodies as well. The results were amazing and I just had to share with you.
During this cold weather I love nothing more than warming foods like soups, stews and curries. Dishes like these let my body know it’s winter and it’s time to warm up from the inside out. Although, I have to admit, there are times I do crave a salad. My husband Howard has nicknamed me the rabbit as I tend to eat a lot of greens during the winter and the summer.
This year, as shh I’m secretly a rabbit in disguise, I have decided to try and cook myself warming salads. It means I won’t miss out on the foods I love and I will still be able to help my body’s central heating system. If you enjoy a salad but don’t like the coldness of them in the winter then this is one for your recipe books.
Vegan Seeded, Sweet Potato and Quinoa Loaf
Toast with butter and jam for breakfast is one of the most comforting foods I think I used to eat. In recent years I have discovered a gluten intolerance so I can no longer eat bread. I don’t miss bread but I do miss toast with butter and jam. I used to love waking up to a slice or two of toast and a cup of tea in the morning.
Nowadays I have lots of fun trying to create another version of the breads I used to eat. When I bought bread from the supermarket I would normally buy a seeded wholemeal loaf. I find that these breads have more flavour and texture. So that’s why I decided to make this version of my quinoa bread and it was delicious. I ate it for my breakfast and enjoyed every last crumb.
Slow cooker chilli’s are a staple meal in our house. I have made several different chillies in the past couple of years but I have to admit this is one of my favourites. It’s a simple dish to cook and it’s one that is packed full of goodness. Eating a chili is a great way to ensure that everyone in the family gets enough protein, fibre, iron and vitamin c, to name but a few health benefits.
Even better, slow cooking a chilli is one of the healthiest ways to cook it. The slower food is cooked the more nutrients are left in the meal. There is a recipe for the hob below but I really do recommend slow cookers. They are a brilliant tool to get a yummy meal on the table with minimum effort. Well worth a try.
These 5 quinoa recipes are simply delicious and very easy to cook. Even though Howard and Ted aren’t the biggest fans of these recipes they do seem to eat these dishes without any complaints. Quinoa is freezable so you can potentially make these dishes into large batches and store in the freezer for later. However you decide to eat these meals, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx
Googies Kitchen Life 