Lighten up for spring - Recipes

Quinoa Bowl

(2 servings)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Quinoa

1 cup water

2 tsp curry powder (optional)

1/2 can organic chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly

1 cup broccoli, coarsely chopped- (note- keep pieces large enough so they are still distinguishable)

1 cup cauliflower, coarsely chopped- (note- keep pieces large enough so they are still distinguishable)

1 cup carrots, coarsely chopped - (note- keep pieces large enough so they are still distinguishable)

1 cup spinach, coarsely chopped

1 red pepper, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 Tbs flax oil

2 Tbs tamari

juice of 1/2 lemon

dash of sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions:

Rinse quinoa thoroughly and place in pot with water and curry powder. Bring to a rapid boil and then lower simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, allow to sit for 5 minutes and then fluff grain with a fork.

While quinoa is cooking, steam broccoli, carrots and cauliflower just until soft- but not mushy- about 6 minutes. They should be very vibrant in colour.

In a dry pan, lightly toast the sunflower and pumpkin seeds over medium heat just until they become slightly browned and aromatic. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a large mixing bowl, toss together quinoa, steamed veggies, spinach, red pepper, and parsley. Add seeds to the mix along with flax oil, tamari, lemon juice, sea salt and cayenne. Toss well and taste. Add more sea salt, pepper and/or lemon juice to taste Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Mix and Match Grain Bowl. Make It Your Own!

(2 servings)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup grains of choice (Brown rice, quinoa, millet, and barley are great options) Or use what you have already cooked in your fridge. You'll want about 1 cup)
1 cup water (omit if using already prepared grains)
2 tsp curry powder (optional)
1/2 can organic beans or lentils of choice (chickpeas, kidney beans, adzuki beans and green lentils are great options)
5-6 cups of vegetables (a mix of steamed and raw is nice)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1/2 cup lightly toasted nuts or seeds of choice
1/4 Tbs flax oil
2 Tbs tamari
juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions:

If cooking a grain: rinse thoroughly and follow recommended cooking time. While grain is cooking, prep your vegetables. If steaming, make sure you catch them once they get soft but too mushy. They should be very vibrant in colour.

In a dry pan, lightly toast the nuts and seeds over medium heat just until they become slightly browned and aromatic. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together grains, beans, steamed and raw veggies and the parsley. Add nuts and seeds to the mix along with flax oil, tamari, lemon juice, sea salt and cayenne. Toss well and taste. Add more sea salt, pepper and/or lemon juice to taste

Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Great vegetable options for this dish include broccoli (steamed), cauliflower (steamed), sweet potato (steamed), shredded purple cabbage (steamed), collards (steamed), zucchini (steamed), red or yellow pepper (raw), cucumber (raw), tomatoes (raw), kale (raw), spinach (raw), celery (raw), avocado (raw) or whatever veggies you have in your fridge.

Easy Pizza

(2 Servings)

Ingredients:

2 Tortillas of choice.

1/4 cup pesto and/or organic tomato paste

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 cup organic shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1/2 bell pepper, sliced

1/4 cup black olives, pitted and sliced

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

celtic sea salt and cayenne to taste

2 handfuls kale, shredded

flax oil to drizzle post baking

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350

Lay out tortillas on a pizza pan or parchment lined cookie sheet

Evenly spread out pesto and/or tomato paste

Layer vegetables over tortillas, reserving the kale for a moment.

Sprinkle pizzas with sea salt

Add kale last, this will allow it to crisp up at the top of the pizza

Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes, until edges of tortilla start to crisp and kale is crispy on top.

Additional Topping ideas: steamed broccoli or cauliflower, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, rosemary etc., shredded carrot, shredded cabbage, green beans, eggplant, zucchini, garlic, arugula, or thinly sliced sweet potato.

Quick Pizza Sauce

No time to make a pesto and plain tomato paste is too plane? Try this easy solution.

1 can organic tomato paste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dried herbs (oregano, basil and parsley are a great combination)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients together.

Spread on pizza crust.

Pizza Pesto

3 cups basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine the basil, olive oil and lemon juice in a food processor and process until smooth.

Add the toasted sunflower seeds and garlic and blend until pureed.

It’s now ready to be used on your pizza, or stored in the fridge in an air tight container.
You may also wish to freeze in an ice cube tray and transfer to a freezer safe container to use later.