QUICKIE RECIPE: Stir-Fried Quinoa with Scrambled Eggs

Even with the best planning, we all have days where we need to produce a meal in next to no time. Fortunately, it IS possible to make a decent meal very quickly, even from scratch!

This little number makes a frequent appearance at my house when I want something hot for lunch and there are no leftovers to be had (and that's most of the time, with two teenage boys in residence!)

If you have some cooked quinoa in the fridge, you can be eating this in 10 minutes. It's a surprisingly filling meal, and would work equally well for a quick weeknight dinner. (By the way, if you *don't* have some cooked quinoa in the fridge, it's a great staple to have on hand as this is just one of many things you can whip up with it in just a few minutes! You can always freeze it if you haven't used it all up after a few days).

Here's what you've gotta do:

• Heat about a tablespoon of your favourite cooking oil/fat in a nonstick pan (I love my cast iron!) 

• Toss in half a chopped onion and half a medium grated carrot and saute for a minute or two until they soften. Throw in about 1/4 cup of frozen peas and 3/4 cup cooked quinoa; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the peas are heated through.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste (add about 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley if you have it on hand).

• Turn this mixture out onto your serving plate, getting the pan as clean as you can. 

• Put the pan back on the heat and add a small chunk of butter. Beat one or two eggs with a splash of milk; once the butter is melted and pan is hot, add eggs to pan and scramble to desired doneness. Place on top of quinoa mixture. 

• Top with a spoonful of sour cream and a couple of sliced green onions.

You're done!

How easy was that?!?

This makes one generous portion, and can easily be doubled/tripled/quadrupled to feed your desired amount of people (just adjust your pan size accordingly so you don't overfill the pan).

What's your favourite super-quick meal?

For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible) 

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RECIPE: Green Pea & Lettuce Soup with Lemon Oregano French Toast Sticks

Even though the temperatures are still well below zero, I'm starting to crave spring greens in a big way - asparagus season just cannot get here soon enough as far as I'm concerned!

While it's going to be a while yet before I'm biting into a satisfyingly crunchy stalk of sauteed asparagus, I decided a green soup would be in order since it would both fulfill my craving for more greens *and* help keep me warm.

This simple soup is extremely quick and easy to make, and has a pleasant, mild flavour that even the kids should love (if you can convince them to try a spoonful of very green liquid!)

Serving Lemon Oregano French Toast on the side should help win over any reluctant family members. This was my first foray into a more savoury French toast and now I can't believe I never tried it before - it's wonderfully fragrant as it cooks up!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 head mild leaf lettuce (such as Bibb or Boston), thoroughly washed and coarsely chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups frozen peas
¼ cup light cream
1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

3 eggs

3 tbsp milk

juice of ½ a lemon

1 tsp dried oregano (or use 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano if you have some on hand)

a pinch of salt

6 thick slices of bread

1-2 tbsp butter for frying

Instructions:

• In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add lettuce and cook just until wilted.

• Add stock and peas and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

• Blend in small batches in blender until smooth (*carefully* as hot liquid has a tendency to spurt!)

• Return to saucepan and add cream, salt and pepper. Heat over medium-low heat until hot.

Now it's time to make the French toast sticks:

• In a wide, shallow bowl combine the eggs, milk, lemon juice, oregano and salt.

• Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan over medium heat; add about ½ tablespoon of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan as it melts.

• Cut each slice of bread into 3 "fingers"; dip each bread finger into egg mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly (don't dip more at one time than you can fit in your pan!).

• Cook bread fingers for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown; if slices are thick enough turn them on their sides to cook briefly as well. Add more butter to pan as needed to prevent sticking when cooking subsequent batches of French toast sticks.

Serve soup with French toast sticks on the side for dipping.

Serves 4
 

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RECIPE: Quinoa and Zucchini Corn Cakes

I've been making some variation or other of corn cakes for years. They are a quick and easy vegetarian (a.k.a. cheap) meal that is perfect for the warmer months of the year as preparing them doesn't heat up the kitchen too much. I've been experimenting with quinoa a lot lately and decided to try adding some to these corn cakes to give them a nutrition boost. They were a lot more filling than I expected! If fresh corn is in season, it will make these extra special, but you can use frozen or canned corn if fresh isn't available.

These are great with any type of salad on the side - you can find some of my favourite spring & summer salads here. In the above photo, they are shown with my Build a Cucumber and Bean Salad.

It also occurred to me that this batter is suspiciously similar to the one I use for making hushpuppies. So, I think you could probably get away with deep frying these by the spoonful like you do with hushpuppies if you want a special treat (and with the additional of the veggies and quinoa, they'll be a lot more nutrient-dense than your average hushpuppy!)

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup cooked quinoa

oil or bacon fat for pan frying

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, butter, onion, zucchini, corn and quinoa. Add the buttermilk mixture to the cornmeal mixture, stirring gently just until combined.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil or fat in a large frying pan (I like to use my cast iron skillet for these). Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan for each corn cake. Cook until they start to form bubbles on top; flip and cook another minute or two, or until golden brown on second side.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Makes about 3 dozen corn cakes.

RECIPE: African-Style Vegetable Stew

Since I had so many positive responses to my Spicy Black Bean Bake, I thought I'd share another recipe for a quick and easy vegetarian entree. This simple stew is more filling than you might suspect. It's perfect served with fresh homemade bread, biscuits, or cornbread on the side. More vegetables can easily be added based on what you've got hanging around in the fridge and freezer.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 small or 1/2 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in oil until onion begins to soften. Add the cabbage and sweet potatoes and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until cabbage softens. Add tomatoes, water, peanut butter, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. Serves 4.

Love the peanut-and-tomato combination? Try these other recipes:
West African Style Baked Beans
Spicy Peanut and Tomato Soup

Need to use up the rest of that cabbage?
Colourful Cabbage Salad

I shared this recipe at Just Another Meatless Monday, My Meatless Mondays, Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays, Mouthwatering Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Full Plate Thursday,  Frugal Food Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday, the GCC Recipe Swap, Friday Favorites, Fat Camp Friday and Seasonal Sunday.

RECIPE: Southwestern Spiced Barley & Vegetable Salad

I'm not sure why barley isn't a more popular grain. It's one of my favourites - I love its unique and satisfying chewiness. When most people think of barley they think of soups and stews; I love to use it in cold summer salads like this one! It's usually cheaper to buy barley at the bulk food store rather than prepackaged at the supermarket. Variations of this salad, using whatever fresh vegetables are on sale, appear regularly on our summer table. It's a great accompaniment to just about anything you might have grilled on the barbecue (shown here with Lime and Garlic Chicken).

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
about 3/4 lb or so fresh green beans
1 small red pepper, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest & juice of one lime
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, bring the chicken or vegetable stock to a boil. Add the barley and simmer until barley is tender and liquid is almost all absorbed, about 45-60 minutes. While barley is cooking, chop the green beans into 1" pieces and steam or boil them until tender-crisp. In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and mix until well-blended. In serving dish, combine the cooked barley with the green beans, peppers, and dressing, and stir gently until well combined. Refrigerate until serving. This will keep well for a couple of days in the fridge.

I shared this recipe at Tasty Tuesday,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table and Friday Favorites.

RECIPE: Thai-Style Peanutty Pasta

 All of us LOVE peanut butter around here! So I'm always looking for more ways to use it (especially when I've stocked up on it at rock-bottom prices). This is a great way to use peanut butter in a main dish. It's more substantial and filling than you might expect, and the combination of sweet, salty and spicy flavours characteristic of Thai cooking is oh-so-satisfying. Increase the amount of cayenne pepper if you'd like the sauce to have a bit more of a bite to it. You can substitute different vegetables based on what you have on hand - asparagus would work well in place of the broccoli (just saute it til tender-crisp before adding to the pasta).

8 oz spaghetti noodles
3 medium carrots, sliced into disks
1 bunch broccoli, chopped into bite-size florets
13 oz can coconut milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
juice and zest of 1 lime
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3-4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta and carrots, steaming the broccoli florets over the boiling water for the last few minutes of cooking time.

While pasta and vegetables are cooking, make the peanut sauce:
In a medium saucepan, heat coconut milk until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and zest, salt and cayenne pepper.

Once pasta and vegetables are cooked and drained, toss with the peanut sauce. Sprinkle green onions and peanuts over top and serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

This recipe is linked to Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, What's on the Menu Wednesday, and the GCC Recipe Swap.

RECIPE: West African-Style Baked Beans

Here in Canada, we just had our May long weekend (it was Victoria Day yesterday) and I know all my American readers will be celebrating Memorial Day this coming weekend. That means it's time to break out some great warm-weather recipes!

Nothing says summer to me like a great barbecued meal with some baked beans on the side. While I love traditional baked beans, we eat beans so often that I like to shake things up a bit with something slightly off the beaten path. These beans really fit the bill! They are deliciously good, and very different from traditional baked beans. They are my own adaptation of Madhur Jaffrey's "Baked Beans with Nigerian Seasonings" from World Vegetarian. My version is much quicker to prepare and heavier on the peanut butter & tomatoes - I like lots of rich sauce and lots of flavour! This dish is guaranteed to please both carnivores and vegetarians; it has been extremely well received at potluck dinners. My family loves these beans served with barbecued ribs and a hearty salad (Colourful Cabbage Salad, green bean or broccoli). Vegetarians can serve them with sauteed or grilled veggies and a hearty whole grain bread (like my Whole Wheat Bread or Pull Apart Garlic & Parmesan Breadsticks).

Ingredients:
Two 19 oz cans navy beans, rinsed and drained, or about 3 cups of cooked white beans
2 tbsp canola oil or other light vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp curry powder
6 Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup peanut butter (I use 2 really big spoonfuls!!)
about a tsp or so each salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups water

In a medium frying pan, saute the onions and garlic in the oil. Add curry powder and mix until well blended. Add tomatoes and cook until they start to soften. Add peanut butter, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Cook until bubbly. Add another cup of water and stir until well combined.

Put beans in a medium size casserole dish (1/2 - 2 quarts). Pour the peanut mixture over top, and stir gently until well blended.

Bake at 375F for about 1- 1 1/2 hrs. It should be really hot and bubbly and have a nice "crust" on the top.

I hope your family loves these as much as mine does!

This recipe is linked to the GCC Recipe Swap

(This post contains an affiliate link)

RECIPE: Build a Cucumber and Bean Salad

I've seen a lot of cucumber salad recipes flying around the internet lately - must be a sign of spring! Everyone in my family adores cucumbers, and we finally have local, reasonably-priced ones available again (after a loooong winter!), so I figured I'd whip up a cucumber salad of my own. One of the recipes I saw used chickpeas, and since I still have a lot of chickpeas in the freezer from the last time I cooked up a batch from dried, I decided to start with a cucumber and one can's worth of chickpeas and see where I went from there. Since we also had sweet peppers (also for the first time since fall!) I couldn't resist throwing some in for colour and crunch. Before I knew it, I had a gorgeous-looking salad that ended up being a huge hit with my family. This is definitely going to be a spring & summer staple around our house from now on!

To make the salad as pictured:

1 seedless cucumber, sliced and quartered
1/2 a red pepper, chopped
1/2 a yellow pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
2 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

In a medium sized casserole or serving dish, combine the cucumber, peppers, chickpeas and green onions.

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and stir until well blended. Pour over cucumber mixture, and stir gently until well blended.

That's it! Super easy, but super delicious (and really, isn't that the best kind of recipe?)

You could easily vary the ingredients, using what you have on hand, and come up with a winner every time! I've made this salad twice already, and the second time I tossed in some chives from my garden and some diced-up mozzarella. YUM! Feta would also be fantastic in this salad. When I had it for lunch the next day, I threw in some chopped avocado (no-one else in my family likes avocado, lol!) You could use white beans in place of the chickpeas, and tomatoes in place of (or in addition to) the peppers. For a Southwestern variation, use black beans instead of chickpeas, corn instead of yellow peppers, and lime juice instead of white wine vinegar. And throw in some avocado, too, unless you, too, have a family of avocado haters! You could sprinkle a bit of cumin and chili powder into the dressing as well, to give it a bit of a spicy kick.

There are enough possibilities for this salad to keep me experimenting all summer long. I'd love to hear what variation of this recipe becomes your "family favourite"!

RECIPE: Spicy Chickpea Pasta

This is a great recipe to pull out when you're overdue for a grocery shop and need to dig deep in the pantry! This dish is vegetarian as long as you use vegetable rather than chicken stock.

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
10-12 oz rotini pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 a sweet pepper (red, yellow, or orange)
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Half a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
19 0z can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen green beans
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp dried parsley (or about 1/4 cup fresh chopped)

Preparation:
1. Cook the pasta in boiling water.

2. While the pasta is cooking, in a large frying pan, saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil until they start to soften. Add the sweet pepper and cook until tender.

3. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, green beans, lemon juice, chili powder, cumin, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook until hot and bubbly and the green beans are completed heated through.

4. Pour sauce over cooked pasta and serve!