Everything but the Kitchen Sink Quinoa

Between my garden, the block party, and random food I have cooked in the past few weeks, I had a lot of veggies to use up.  In my quest to find recipes for cucumbers, lots of my friends said to make quinoa.  So I gave it whirl.  The measurements in this really don't matter, whatever you like the most, put more of that in! I think it turned out pretty good!

Ingredients: 
1 cup quinoa- rinsed
cucumber
tomatoes
kalamata olives
yellow pepper
red onion
salt & pepper
feta cheese
lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
2 T olive oil

Directions: 
Cook quinoa according to package.
Chop all veggies (about 1/4 cup of each).
Once quinoa is cooled, add the veggies, olive oil, lemon juice, feta, and salt and pepper. Toss together.


Let marinate for a few hours.  This makes A LOT!

Breakfast Quinoa

I was trying a little healthy kick, and gave this a try.  I even set my alarm to get up early to make it! After a few disasters, I would say it is a good healthy breakfast, that would be better with fresh fruit (which I added to the directions, but didn't have when I made it!)

Ingredients
2 cups milk (I used vanilla soy, because I wanted to use it up!)
1 cup quiona, rinsed
3 T brown sugar, plus more for serving
1/8 t. cinnamon, plus more for serving
1 cup berries

Directions
Bring milk to a boil in a small sauce pan- WATCH IT! Mine boiled over!
Add quinoa, and return to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, unitl 3/4 of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Stir in sugar & cinnamon.  Cook, until almost all the milk has been absorbed, 8 minutes. Stir in berries and cook for 30 seconds.  Serve with additional berries, milk, sugar, and cinnamon

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Pizza Bites with Quinoa

I have been wanting to try these for a while, however, I never had all of the ingredients. So after my massive trip to the grocery store, I was ready to go. (Or so I thought, turns out I was out of pizza sauce, and they were still good!) These use Quinoa which is the latest "super food." Quinoa cooks like rice, you need 2 times as much water as quinoa. There are many variations you can make with these using the quinoa, egg, onion base!

Ingredients: (Makes 12)
•1 cups cooked quinoa (1/2 cup uncooked)


•1 large egg

•1/2 cup finely chopped onion

•1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

•1 tsp minced garlic

•1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

•1/2 cup chopped pepperoni slices
•Sprinkle of Pizza Seasoning from Penzey's
•1/2 tsp paprika

•1/2 tsp dried crushed oregano

•pizza sauce for dipping (I use Pizza Squeeze, in a bottle!)


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Mix all ingredients together, except for pizza sauce
3. Put 1 Tablespoon of mixture into each greased mini muffin cup. Sprinkle with Pizza Seasoning.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
5. Serve with pizza sauce

*Adapted from So Very Blessed-- She doubled it and used different spices. I didn't need 30 bites! :)