Pan-Asian Quinoa Bowl

Here is another recipe I originally created for Sakara Life, that was inspired by one of my favorite brunch spots, The Farmer's Daughter. Situated in the center of town, The Farmer's Daughter brings farm to table fare to the lucky patrons of Easton, MA. Although it's a bit of a drive for those of us on the South Shore, distance doesn't seem to be a barrier for me when it comes to food. I've sampled quite a bit off the menu, and can highly recommend their "knock your socks off" banana pancakes, brioche french toast, eggs benedict, nutella belgian waffles, stonehill fried egg sandwich, huevos rancheros, farm burger, and my tried and true favorite: The Pan-Asian Salad topped with a veggie burger. I've eaten quite a few veggie burgers, and this is hands down my favorite rendition. Quinoa packed, and Moroccan spiced, this burger is typically plated between two buns (also delicious), topped with sweet tomato jam, and served with a side of AMAZING chickpea salad. If you're the normal type of person who can eat bread at a restaurant and not feel guilt, go the traditional route. But if you're more like me, the I-should-probably-add-spinach-to-that type, go for the salad. It will not disappoint. Besides the incredible food, the Farmer's Daughter is decorated impeccably. The high gloss bar and tables are drool worthy, and all the touches of brass really take this breakfast and lunch eatery to the next level. I cannot say it enough: if you live within a somewhat reasonable distance to Easton, go to The Farmer's Daughter (and bring me back takeout)!

The original version of the Pan-Asian is made with black quinoa and I get it topped with a pretty enormous veggie burger. And while I will always order this favorite when I'm visiting Easton, it can get a little carby to make all the time at home. I opted for the quinoa, and left the veggie burger for my dreams. You might notice the kale in the pictures above also. As the token health nut of the family, I have to confess, I don't love raw kale. I will never put it in my smoothies, and I'd really prefer an arugula or mixed greens salad to a kale version. Sauteed kale, totally different story. But when I'm trying to reach my kale quota for the month/year, I'll choke down a bowl or two. 

Pan-Asian Quinoa Bowl 

1 serving cooked quinoa

1-2 radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup onion, minced

1 carrot, peeled into ribbons

2-3 cups organic mixed baby greens

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 tablespoon black sesame seeds

1/2 cup shelled edamame, thawed

Sweet + Spicy Peanut Sauce

1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon liquid aminos

1/2 tablespoon honey

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece of ginger, grated

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch of himalayan salt

Start by cooking your quinoa. I usually make a larger batch to keep on hand in the fridge for quick meal planning. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in 1 cup quinoa, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, and a pinch of pink himalayan salt. Simmer (covered) on low heat for about 15 minutes. When the water is absorbed, and quinoa looks fluffy, remove from heat. Place a piece of paper towel over the pot, and place the cover over the paper towel. Let cool for about 15 minutes, and you will have perfectly cooked quinoa.

While the quinoa is cooling, whisk together the ingredients for the peanut sauce, set aside.

Add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl. When the quinoa has cooled, add it to the bowl. Pour the sauce over the quinoa and vegetables and mix well. Diced avocado makes a delicious topping, as do homemade veggie burgers. Enjoy! xx

Toasted Sesame Kale + Coconut Bowl with Sauteed Mushrooms + Scallions

Another post I did for Sakara Life!

I get a lot of recipe inspiration from various social media outlets. When I started blogging in 2008 other food blogs were my main source, but since then, the world of social media has exploded, and so has my supply of mouth-watering images of food. Pinterest and Instagram have been absolute game changers. Want to quickly kill two hours while simultaneously increase your appetite and give your do-it yourself-esteem a slap in the face? Visit either of these websites. Besides the fact that they make my inner Martha Stewart shrivel when I see pictures of gorgeous closets I'll never fill, beautiful homes I'll never own, furniture I'll never reupholster, and holiday decorations I'll never make, they are a really great spot for meal ideas. My sister and I always say that food is the one luxury we can afford. So I may not ever get to dine in the same kitchen as these people, but I can eat the same meal - probably better if I'm behind the knife (toot toot).

Heidi Swanson's recipe for kale salad with toasted coconut is all over the blogosphere, and is delicious just as written. But when reading some comments on the Sakara Life instagram account, someone had asked for ideas on cooking with mushrooms. I'd recently made Heidi's recipe, and knew that sauteed creminis would make a perfect addition. Not to mention her recipe makes four servings, and I always end up eating half of it, which amounts to a few hundred calories in oil consumption, and a couple hundred more in coconut flakes. And while all of those calories come from healthy fats, my skinny jeans just might have a problem with eating this bowl on the daily. I knew I had to come up with a version of this hearty favorite that would allow me to keep wearing my favorite closet essentials.

All of the flavors remain the same here, just in reduced quantities. I kept the volume of kale on the larger side, because c'mon, it's kale. The coconut flakes were reduced, but made up for with coconut oil to bring out more of the coconut flavor, and because coconut oil is pretty much God's gift to earth. Hair conditioner, frizz fighter, tooth whitener, makeup remover, night cream, deodorant, sunscreen - and that's just the beauty benefits. When consumed, coconut oil helps to rev up the enzymes in the body that break down fats, along with knocking out the free radicals in our bodies that speed up aging and disease. Seriously, the uses for this magic tree nut are endless. The sesame oil works perfectly with the sauteed mushrooms to make this dish really meaty and filling. And to keep with the Asian influence, I substituted liquid aminos for the soy sauce, making this meal a great source of protein.

Toasted Sesame Kale + Coconut Bowl
Looking for some breakfast inspiration? 
Top with a fried egg, and call it a game changer

Serves 1

lacinato kale (around 10 stalks) 

2 heaping tablespoons coconut flakes

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, plus 1/2 teaspoon

1 tablespoon liquid aminos, plus 1/2 teaspoon

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

scallions, thinly sliced

cooked grain of your choice (farro, brown rice, quinoa)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss kale and coconut with 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon liquid aminos. Bake for 5 minutes, toss, and continue to bake for another 2 minutes.

Spoon kale and coconut mixture on top of cooked oat groats/farro/brown rice and toss with an additional 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon liquid aminos, and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Top with sauteed mushrooms and sliced scallions.

Sauteed Mushrooms

6 cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly

1/4 tablespoon coconut oil

Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until nicely browned. Do not salt.

Curried Kale + Brown Rice Bowl

**Another post I did for Sakara Life...enjoy!**

I'm always trying to recreate favorite dishes of mine - to make them more healthy, to save some money, or both. This particular bowl was inspired by one of my favorite Cambridge hotspots, Life Alive. It's one of the few restaurants I go to that I actually feel really good about eating anything on the menu. They're 100% vegetarian, have tons of vegan, gluten-free, macrobiotic, and raw options, and some really delicious fresh juices and smoothies. And although I make it a point to swing by whenever I'm in the area, I pretty much always order the same thing. I'm a creature of habit, what can I say? This curried kale and brown rice bowl is my take on their Swami Bowl. Packed with greens, seasoned with a sweet and spicy miso curry sauce, and topped with nutritional yeast, raisins, and almonds, this nutrient dense bowl screams flavor. And now that I've mastered it, I feel even better knowing exactly what I'm eating, and in what quantities. It also allows me to sneak in some more of the green stuff (insider info: I always order half the rice and double the kale - just as good. 

Curried Kale + Brown Rice Bowl 

1 serving cooked brown rice

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1-2 cups broccoli florets 

1/2 an onion, sliced

2-3 stalks kale, leaves removed

2 tablespoons tamari almonds, chopped

2 tablespoons raisins

Curry Miso Sauce

1/2 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon white miso paste

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tablespoon bragg's

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Whisk all of the curry miso sauce ingredients together, and set aside.

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the carrots, broccoli, onion, and kale, season with salt, add about 1/4-1/2 cup water, and cover for a few minutes to steam the vegetables. When the onions are soft, and the broccoli is still bright green, uncover, and turn the heat to low. Add the brown rice and the curry miso sauce. Mix everything together on low heat until the flavors are evenly distributed. Top with the raisins and almonds, and an extra sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Serve with some sliced avocado for even more skin-loving superfoods.

Blueberry + Cucumber + Mint Super Smoothie

I'm a girl of habit. If I find something that works, I typically stick with it. Platforms are everything, yoga pants get me, coconut oil will change your life, and if my hair isn't in a top knot, you've caught me on an off day. I wish I could say those habits also included daily gym sessions, but for some reason I can't get that one to stick. I mean I'm no sloth. I'm good about getting some cardio in a few times a week, but I wish I could get a strength training routine down. I really just need to retire right about now-ish so I can live the quaintrelle lifestyle I was born to live. Working just gets in the way of everything I'd really love to be doing...waking up carefree, sipping a morning green juice, catching up on my favorite websites over my lemon tea, exercising my well rested body before taking down my usual breakfast smoothie...aaahhh the good life. Imagine waking up to a Saturday schedule everyday? I think I'd be really good at that. If I could just somehow transition from my current nanny status to stay-at-home wife/mom status I think I could realize my full potential.

"Hi. I'm Earth. Have we met?" Back to those habits. They most definitely include eating the same food day in, day out for months/years at a time. I go through food phases. I seriously don't get sick of anything (besides working). I know it's good to vary your diet and all, but honestly, when I come up with a new delicious meal, I look forward to eating it. every. day. You do you. I'll do me. And I'll throw in a multivitamin just to cover my bases.

Making smoothies has become somewhat of a routine for me. My sister thinks I've given up on solid food all together. I haven't. It's just an easy way to ensure I'm getting in the nutrients my body needs, and this blend is packed to the brim with all the good stuff. I've come up with some killer frozen drink combinations, but this one is pretty much how I start every day. If I'm fueling up before a workout, I usually top it with some raw chocolate granola. I use coconut water, but use whatever you like - regular old water works great too. I love adding mint to my smoothies, but if I'm all out, I'll throw in some cinnamon. I pretty much always add the blueberries, but I'll vary the cherry part with what I have in the freezer. Pineapple is another favorite. Half a banana is delicious. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries - all good. The coconut oil is a recent addition, but I find it really makes me feel more satisfied, not to mention how great it is for your overall health and wellbeing. After you measure some into your smoothie, slather some on your face, and get back to that housewife dreaming.

Blueberry + Cucumber + Mint Super Smoothie
If your blender is not very high-powered, try peeling your cucumber for a smoother drink
Makes 1 large smoothie

1 cup coconut water, almond milk, or liquid of choice 

1/2-3/4 cup frozen wild blueberries

1/2 cup frozen cherries

1/2 cucumber, unpeeled and diced

a few sprigs of mint

vanilla protein powder (I use this one)

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

2 cups spinach, packed
a few stalks of lacinato kale
1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Add everything to your blender and give it a whirl. Although I wish I could say I blend this up every morning with my Vitamix, unfortunately I'm still waiting on that one. I do use the Nutri-Bullet however, and love it. Really. It's a little on the small side, so typically I blend everything but the spinach, then jam in as much spinach as possible for round two of blending. It creates such a smooth drink, I imagine it being similar to the holy grail of blenders, just on a smaller scale. But if you're ever looking to surprise me with a gift, I'll gladly accept a Vitamix!

*BTW, I took the smoothie picture before adding in the spinach/kale. Greens have a way of muddying up the color of a lot of drinks. Sometimes the colors are so pretty, I refuse to add the greens.