Broccoli salad...but better!

I never cared much for broccoli as a youngin'...I didn't hate the stuff but I didn't go out of my way to consume it. As my taste buds have matured and changed during my clean eating overhaul I have grown to really love those "baby trees" as my kids call them. Not only have my taste buds. changed but my cooking abilities have developed as well so I know how to cook it just the way I like it! I like to throw broccoli in soups and salads. It always works great in my crock pot casseroles or steamed with homemade clean cheese sauce. Broccoli salad has become a top pick broccoli dish of mine! But wait... Broccoli salad? Isn't that loaded with mayo and greasy bacon? Not Nikki's...it doesn't need any of that to be absolutely delightful summer dish! So I started creating this dish as just a broccoli salad but I wanted it to be more of a main dish opposed to a side dish so I threw some quinoa in a pot and tossed it in to give it more substance. Then paired this dish with my simple honey mustard grilled chicken. Perfection!

Broccoli & Quinoa salad

Ingredients:
1 c plain non fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp of honey
2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
5 c chopped broccoli
2 c halved green grapes
1/2 c diced onions
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c craisins
1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans
1 c uncooked quinoa
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Rinse quinoa, then cook quinoa according to directions of package (which is typically 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa over medium heat for 15-20 minutes). Set aside and let cool. Do this a couple hours before serving time .

Chop, dice, and shred everything about an hour before serving time. For the dressing whisk together yogurt, honey, mustard, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss until evenly coated.

Lastly, gently fold in the cooked and cooled quinoa, then cover and chill at least 30 minutes (feel free to chill longer). Serve and enjoy.

This recipe easily serves about 6 people so it's ideal for a summer BBQ or large group gathering. Feel free to adjust portions or make substitutions to satisfy your taste buds. You could even reduce the amount of dressing a little and leave out the quinoa for a typical broccoli salad. Diced apples, raisins, grated carrots, crumbled turkey bacon, other cheeses would all be great add-ins. I'm a big taste as you go and adjust accordingly type chef;-)




What makes broccoli so great? Well for starters a cup of broccoli is only 35 calories. The high fiber content aids in digestion, the high potassium levels maintain a healthy nervous system and brain function, magnesium & calcium regulate blood pressure, vitamin K along with the calcium keeps bones strong, then that good ol' vitamin C, beta-carotene, zinc, & selenium all protect and boost our immune system; fighting cancers and ridding the body of free radicals. Talk about a run on sentence- that's a lot of awesome goodness! All the more reason to eat your broccoli folks.

Stay tuned for more on living an active lifestyle next time!:)

Southwestern quinoa

I know, I know... I make A LOT of quinoa salads, and I add quinoa to a lot of my leafy salads as well, but it's just so tasty and versatile; it has yet to let me down so what's the problem?! Here is a yummy southwestern style quinoa salad I threw together the other day using the freshly picked corn and tomatoes we had gotten from a neighbor!

Ingredients: 

1 c rinsed uncooked quinoa

2 c. vegetable broth

2 tbsp olive oil

juice from 2 limes

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1/2-1 tbsp of chili powder

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 chopped bell pepper (I used 1/2 green, 1/2 red)

1/4 c chopped onion

1 avocado chopped

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

2 ears of corn on the cob

handful of cherry tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring 2 c. of water to boil, add quinoa bring back to boil and then cover and let simmer over medium heat for 12 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with fork, then recover and let sit for another 15 minutes. 

While your quinoa is cooking, cook your 2 ears of corn on the grill for about 15 minutes (or until done to your liking) rotating every 5 minutes. You can always grill it on the stove top, or boil as well, but the char from the grill adds a nice flavor. Heating a can of corn can work too but I try to limit the amount of preservative when I can so I prefer fresh (not to mention it tastes better)!

Cut the corn off the cob once cooked, then toss the corn, onion, peppers, and beans into the quinoa. 

Mix olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, garlic, and salt & pepper then drizzle on top of quinoa and toss.

Gently fold in your avocados and garnish with cherry tomatoes (I broiled my freshly picked tomatoes for 5 mins on high because I am not the biggest raw tomato fan). 

Then indulge.

For fun facts and health benefits of eating quinoa check out my previous post here!

We also had a block party a couple weeks back where I revised my famous broccoli quinoa salad I had posted way back in May before my Vegan transition. I had to bring a dish that I could eat, seeing as most block parties consist of BBQ meat, buttery rolls, and brownies. I was really craving my broccoli salad but I had to figure out how to make it vegan without sacrificing taste. If I do boast a little of myself, I must say I succeeded! I had multiple ask me if I brought the quinoa salad and requested the recipe. A guy in line in front of my father was going back for seconds and made the comment: "I have no idea what this is, but man is it good!"...to which my father went on to tell him that his daughter made it and that it's called quinoa. So I was pretty excited to be able to introduce this super healthy super grain to another person. Anyways, I made it the same way I did in my previous post except I removed the cheese and greek yogurt and for the dressing, I increased amounts of liquids I used. So I used 1/2 c honey, 1/2 c olive oil, probably close to 4 tbsp of dijon mustard, 1 tbsp of minced garlic, and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. All the remaining ingredients stayed the same and I let it chill for an hour before the party to allow all the flavors to blend. Feel free to taste test before the party and add a little more of this or that to satisfy your taste buds! Vegan friendly, yet still DELISH!

Feedback or requests are always welcome!

Stay tuned for some peachy recipes coming later this week!

UNTIL THEN:

Stay positive. Stay strong. Stay focused.