Spanish Quinoa

Ingredients:

2 Tbs butter

1 medium onion, diced

2 tsp minced garlic cloves

2.5 cups rinsed quinoa

2 cans chicken broth (14.5 ounces each)

1 cup water

1 10-ounce can of Rotel tomatoes with diced chiles

1 cup picante sauce (I prefer mild)

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 and 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Melt butter in bottom of pot. Saute onions and garlic until soft. Mix in uncooked quinoa, stirring often. When quinoa begins to brown, add broth, water, tomatoes, picante sauce, chili powder, cumin, and salt. 

Stir well, cover, and simmer on low until quinoa is soft and water is absorbed. Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn't stick and burn. Remove from heat and leave covered for 5 more minutes.

By Megan Bradshaw

Bread Machine Honey Whole-Wheat Sandwich Bread

4 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (I used 2 cups white wheat and 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour for the recipe exchange)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

1/4 cup honey

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise yeast

Put ingredients in bread machine in this order (or per machine instructions): flour, salt, honey, oil, yeast, water. Use "dough option". When complete, press air bubbles out of dough on floured surface. Put in greased pan. Cover with towel and let rise. Cook 350 degrees, 20 minutes for small pans or 30 minutes for large. Adapted from 100 Days Real Food blog.

by Kerstin Anderson

Chicken Pasta Salad

Dressing:

2/3 cup white wine vinegar

1 cup oil

2/3 cup teriyaki sauce

6 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Salad: 

2/3 cups spinach

2 cups chopped chicken

1 can mandarin oranges

1 can chestnuts

1 bunch green onions chopped

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 box bowtie pasta

Cook pasta and mix with dressing and chicken. Let sit overnight or at least 2 hours. Add remaining ingredients just before serving. (or cranberries will stain the pasta pink).

By Fawn Fay

Spicy Roasted Vegetable Mac N Cheese

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small chunks

1/2 red pepper, diced

small zucchini, quartered and sliced

10 baby carrots, sliced thinly

1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped into small chunks

2 cups whole wheat pasta (elbow macaroni, rotini, penne, etc.)

1/4 cup olive oil plus a little more for drizzling

1 garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil.
Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil.

Toss broccoli, red pepper, squash and carrots onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, toss to coat veggies. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted. Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

by Trish Slussar

Mashed Potato Casserole

6 Potatoes - peeled, cut, boiled & mashed
4 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 c. Sour Cream
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 T Butter added to Mashed Potatoes
Cheese

Mix cream cheese and sour cream add to mashed potatoes.  Add salt & pepper.  Pour in greased 9x13 pan.  Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.  Add cheese during the last 15 minutes of baking.

by Heather Ashby

Adobo Chicken Salad

2 cups shredded chicken
1 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup corn
1 red bell pepper finely diced
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon Adobo sauce
1 Tablespoon lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Mix and serve on pitas, rolls, or tortilla chips.
by Terrah Anderson

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

yourhomebasedmom.com3 red bell peppers
2-3 Tbsp onion
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 C fresh basil
3 Tbsp olive oil
1- 1 1/2 C half and half
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 C grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat broiler.  Cut peppers in half and remove seeds. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and place cut side down on cookie sheet.  Place under broiler until skin is blackened and softened.  Place in a paper bag an alllow to steam for about 5-10 minutes.
Remove the skin from the peppers and cut into small pieces.
In a frying pan saute the garlic, sliced basil, red peppers and onion in olive oil.  Cook for 10 minutes.
Mix corn starch and half and half together well, no lumps.
Place mixture into blender (be careful it will be hot, leave the lid of blender slightly askew but not enough so that it will spray out)  Mix to desired consistency.  Put mixture back in frying pan and heat to a boil.  Add in half and half to the desired consistency.  Add in cheese and cook until cheese melts.  Stir in butter.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  If it thickens too much add some additional half and half.

Turkey Sandwiches

Turkey Sandwiches

by Marci Valentine

Asian Chicken Salad

Asian Chicken Pasta Salad
Katrine Judd as found on nobiggie.com

1 box bowtie (farfalle) pasta
4 chicken breasts cooked & shredded or all the breast meat of one rotisserie chicken
1/4 Cup green onions (sliced & diced into oblivion)
1/2 pack sliced almonds – toasted
1 bag spinach (stems removed)
1 sm. bag peapods
1 can Mandarin Oranges (drained)

The Dressing (double this into two batches)
1/4 Cup Sesame seeds (toasted)
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/3 Cup Red Wind Vinegar
1/3 Cup Veg. Oil *or Sesame Oil is great here too
2 TBS. Sugar
1/2 tsp. S & P

Marinate chicken & pasta in the dressing in the fridge overnight.

Smoked Salmon Pate'

Smoked Salmon Pate'

Meagan Darbous

This recipe comes from the book “The Top 100 Recipes for a Healthy Lunchbox” by Nicole Graimes. I know a lot of kids don’t like fish of any kind, including my son, but he will actually eat this and enjoys it because it’s in a creamy dip. If you can get your kids to eat it, it’s a good way for them to get some of their recommended Omega 3’s.

6oz. Smoked salmon pieces
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
¼ pound low-fat cream cheese
½ tsp. paprika
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Put the salmon, lemon juice, cream cheese, and paprika into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Season with pepper to taste.
2. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and put in the refrigerator.
3. Serve with healthy wheat or oat crackers.