Warm Mediterranean Quinoa and Black Bean Salad Recipe

Well, it's time for a new recipe. I made this warm salad last week on one of those crisp fall days. As the quinoa was simmering in its spice infused broth, the aroma wafted through my kitchen. Aaah, Fall.  I love these days, before the icy, jarring fingers of winter pierce our skin. Sorry, I get carried away sometimes. Without any further ado, here is my recipe for Warm Mediterranean Quinoa and Black Bean Salad. By the way, it's vegetarian and Gluten Free. Enjoy!

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Vegetable Stock

1 can Organic Black Beans- rinsed and drained

1/2 Red Onion- diced

1 Tomato- diced

1 Small Cucumber- diced

1 Avocado- diced

1 Tsp Garam Masala

1 Tsp Tumeric

1 Tsp Cumin

1/4 cup Feta Cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Tzatziki Sauce- prepared ( I like Trader Joe's.)

Place Quinoa and Vegetable Stock into a 1 1/2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer until 1/2 of liquid is absorbed. Add Black Beans and Spices and continue to simmer, covered, until all of liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit for 2 minutes. Transfer Quinoa to glass or ceramic bowl. Add Onion, Tomato, Cucumber, and Avocado. Toss. Sprinkle with Feta, salt and pepper. Toss lightly. You can add a dollop to bowl; or, you can add a dollop to each individual serving.

So easy and so tasty! It only takes about 20 minutes to make!

Gluten Free Portobello Sandwich and Fruity Herbal Iced Tea

Sometimes, I'm just in the mood for a good sandwich and a tall glass of iced tea.  This is one of my favorite sandwiches.  If I'm in the mood for cheesy goodness, I add a nice chunk of mozzarella cheese. You can also use Gluten-free hamburger buns or a ciabatta roll.  Schar makes a fabulous ciabatta roll that is gluten-free.  As for the iced tea, I make a pitcher of this every week.  It's refreshing, caffeine-free, and healthy.  What's not to like?

Gluten-free Portobello Sandwich

2 Slices Udi's Gluten-free Multi-grain Bread, toasted
1 Portobello Mushroom Cap
1 Handful Organic Spring Mix Greens
1 Slice Fresh Organic Tomato
1/2 Avocado, sliced

Marinade/Dressing
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Crushed Garlic
1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Teaspoon Trader Joe's South African Smoke Seasoning Blend (optional)

Whisk together ingredients for marinade in glass bowl big enough to fit mushroom.  Place mushroom in marinade.  After 15 minutes, flip mushroom and let sit for another 15 minutes.  Once 30 minutes total has elapsed, remove mushroom. You can either grill or saute mushroom.  I like mine grilled for about 2 minutes on each side. You can also saute in a pan with a little splash of olive oil for about 4 minutes on each side ( If you like it softer, just cook for a bit longer).  Pour 1/2 of Marinade into cup to baste mushroom while cooking. Place spring mix, tomato slice, and avocado slices into marinade bowl and toss.  Once mushroom is cooked to the texture you prefer, remove from grill or pan and place on one toast slice. Remove spring mix from marinade and place upon mushroom.  Next, place tomato slice and avocado on top of spring mix. Top with second slice of toast. Boom! It's that easy! You can make as many of these as you like. Just increase the ingredients accordingly.

Fruity Herbal Tea

Big Glass Bowl (Should hold at least 5 cups water)
2 Liter Glass Pitcher
5 Bags Herbal Tea of your choice. I like Melaleuca herbal tea.
4 Cups Filtered Water
1/4 Cup each of 2 Fruits of your choice ( I usually use frozen, organic fruit)

Bring 4 cups of water to boiling point. Let sit on stove for 1 minute.  Pour boiling water into glass bowl. Add tea bags. Let steep for 20 minutes to 1 hour. Some people find herbal teas to be bitter if left to steep for longer than 20 minutes. If you are one of them, don't steep for over 20 minutes. Once preferred time has elapsed, remove tea bags and discard ( or refrigerate them to put over your eyes and relax later).  Drop fruit into pitcher. Pour tea into pitcher, over fruit. Fill pitcher to 2 liter level with cold, filtered water. Refrigerate.
I usually use frozen blueberries and strawberries.  Some other ideas are orange slices, lemon slices, raspberries, or peaches.  Your tea will keep in refrigerator for 1 week.  If you like your tea sweetened, I recommend adding stevia per glass instead of all at once.  In my experience, Stevia can get a bit bitter after a few days.

Enjoy!

Super Simple Gluten Free Orzo Salad

This is a super simple recipe. You can even make it the night before to have for lunch the next day.

2 cups cooked Gluten-free orzo ( I like Delallo brand)

1 small cucumber, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 avocado, cut into small chunks

1/4 cup feta cheese ( I like Trader Joe's made with sheep's milk in brine)

1/4 cup lemon juice

Splash of red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon Greek olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook orzo according to package. Meanwhile, dice tomatoes and cucumber. Cut avocado into small chunks. Once orzo is cooked, drain and rinse in lukewarm water. Place orzo in large bowl. Add all ingredients and toss lightly. Place in refrigerator and let sit for at least 10 minutes.  Serve.

Voila! Easy and delicious.