Moroccan Couscous & Chickpea Salad

This recipe is always a hit.  Great to serve at a party where dishes will sit unrefrigerated. 

1 c. Israeli couscous                                1/2 c. dried cherries or cranberries

1 c. boiling water                                     5 T olive oil, divided

1 lrg orange bell pepper, cut bite size       1 lrg onion, thin sliced

1 1/2 t. ground cumin                              1/2 tsp. ground ginger    

1/4 tsp. cinnamon                                    Salt +Pepper

2 cups chick peas, drained                       1/4 c. fresh cilantro

3 T rice wine vinegar                                3 T. frozen orange juice concentrate

Place couscous and dried cherries or cranberries in medium bowl . Add boiling water; cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit until  water is absorbed, about 5 mins

Meanwhile, heat 2 T olive oil in large skillet, add pepper and onions and saute until tender, about 5 mins, and season with cumin, ginger cinnamon and S+P as they cook. Add to couscous, along with chickpeas and cilantro. 

Whisk remaining 3 T of olive oil with vinegar and orange juice concentrate. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Warm Bulghur Salad

1/2 cup bulghur wheat                         1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley            1/4 cup minced red onion
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice                         1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt                                                 Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint, cilantro, or flat-leaf parsley

Sautee 1 skinless chicken breast (6 oz.), cut into thin strips. 

In medium saucepan, cook bulghur according to package directions. (15 minutes)

Steam broccoli florets in pan with small amount of water until just barely tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Carefully transfer broccoli to sieve or colander and let drain.

In small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and oil.

In large bowl, place cooked hot bulghur. Lightly toss with fork to separate kernels. With fork, mix in parsley, onion and mint (or other fresh herb). While tossing mixture lightly with fork, drizzle in juice-oil mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide salad between two plates. Top each with half the chicken.  Serves 2.

Brown Rice with Vegetables and Beans

Brown rice is a complex carbohydrate so it digests more slowly than white and is therefore a better choice nutritionally. 

3 cups cooked brown rice  prepared in advance

2 T. olive oil                                                              1/2 cup chopped onion                    

1/2 cup  green peas (frozen or fresh)                     1 cup chopped mushrooms

 1/4 teaspoon sea  salt                                               1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a skillet over medium low heat, warm olive oil. Cook chopped onion and green peas and mushrooms in oil for 4 minutes. Add rice, salt and pepper; cook until hot and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.   Add a splash of lemon for flavor.       Serves 4.

If you want to have a meatless meal and still have more protein, add 1 can of rinsed cooked beans of your choice to the ingredients. 

A complimentary side dish of steamed broccoli completes the meal.

Cooling Barley Salad

The healing properties of barley are many cooling thermal nature; sweet and salty flavor; strengthens the spleen-pancreas, regulates the stomach and fortifies intestines; builds the blood and yin fluids and moistens dryness.  Paul Pitchford:  Healing with Whole Foods, Contains gluten so this is a grain that would be excluded from the menu of someone with Celiac disease. 
 

½ cup barley                                          ½ cup curly parsley, chopped into small pieces
½ green onion (scallion), chopped       ½ cucumber, diced into small pieces
1 tomato, diced                                      light dressing (lemon juice, seasoned olive oil)

cook barley in one and one quarter cups of water, bringing to a boil, then simmer until water is absorbed (approximately 60 minutes) After barley is cooked, place in a strainer and rinse with cold water 
Mix the vegetables together, fold in dressing that is seasoned to your choice
Add barley, mixing to combine ingredients,  and chill in refrigerator.

Millet with Spicy Tomato Sauce

 1 cup  millet grains                                            1 t. salt 
 3 cups  water

1. Combine millet, salt, and water in a 2-quart (2 liter) saucepan. 
2. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat down to low and steam for 15 minutes. 
3. Remove from heat, and set aside for 15 minutes without lifting lid.

Tomato Sauce 

2 lbs.  Roma plum tomatoes, chopped                         1 large onion, finely chopped 
2 to 3 dashes ground cinnamon                                    1 or 2 dashes ground cloves 
1 t. ground cumin                                                           1/2 t. chili powder 
1/2 to 1 t. salt                                                                  Freshly ground black pepper to taste      

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Garnish 

1 T. chopped fresh chives, basil, or thyme                     2 T. toasted pumpkin seeds

1. Combine tomato sauce ingredients in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until soft and broken down, about 12 to 15 minutes. 
2. To Serve: Spoon millet into a large bowl or casserole. Ladle some of the tomato sauce over the top. 
3. Garnish with fresh herbs and pumpkin seeds, and serve remainder of the sauce at the table. Serves 4 to 6.

Simple & Tasty Ways to Use Whole Grains

Make one or two whole grains when you have time. I make them over the weekend and put only a little flavor on them so I can use them in different ways over the next week. 

Breakfast:  

Sautee a couple of finely shredded large kale leaves in olive oil and garlic.

Add your cooked quinoa to the pan and heat through

Season with ground black pepper

Add one poached egg to top.    Really solid breakfast of complex carbs, nutrient rich kale and quality protein. 

Lunch

Make a salad of greens and cucumbers and avocado

Add a scoop of one of your whole grains

Add another scoop of sockeye salmon

Use a very small amount of olive oil and vinegar of your choice. 

Dinner

Sautee vegetable of your choice - maybe onions, mushrooms, green beans, carrots

Prepare a 3-4 oz. piece of wild salmon  - bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until done

Make vegetables the largest part of your plate, then add one cup of your grains, and finally the fish. 

 Note:  to prepare quinoa, rinse and place 1 cup in a pan with 2 cups water or broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Easy!

Brown rice: 1 cup brown rice to 2- 1/2 cups water or broth Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for about 1 hour until liquid is absorbed.