Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

We got a small preview into spring this week …. and then mother nature slammed us with a winter storm to remind us it is NOT spring. Nope! It’s still February. It’s ok, we know its coming now! How about trying to hold the feeling with a lovely spring like colourful and zesty sweet potato quinoa salad? This recipe was given to me and invented by a patient of mine. Thank you Miriam !

I haven’t tried this one myself (so no pictures yet) but I plan to this week or weekend and will add pictures when I do!

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Ingredients

Here are the ingredients for the sweet potato quinoa salad

cooked quinoa (about a cup)

chick peas (around half a can rinsed)

one sweet potato cut into chunks

cherry tomatoes (halved)

yellow or red pepper cut into chunks

For the dressing:

Combine a couple tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of a lemon, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayene pepper, chili powder, dried parsley and salt and pepper

This gives the salad a nice zip!

Directions

Simply combine all ingredients for the salad and toss. Mix the salad dressing separately and pour over top and toss all ingredients. Sweet potato quinoa salad will keep for a couple days in the fridge and actually tastes better in a day or two as the dressing gets absorbed. Hope you love it!

Left over chickpeas?

So now that you made this sweet potato quinoa salad you now have a half a can of left over chick peas…. what to do with it?

Here are some ideas – try making this Humus recipe from a friend’s blog OR

This is what I am trying this time: the same amazing patient Miriam told me to toss the left over chickpeas with salt and place on a parchment lined baking sheet – put into a preheated oven at 275F for about 20 mins till crispy and eat them as a crunchy and yummy snack! Toasted Chick peas- yes please!

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Red Beans and Rice from Jamaica with Love(Peas and Rice)

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Peas and Rice (red beans and rice)

I just got back from a trip with a friend to Jamaica – the lovely Runaway Bay. It was amazing. Of course one one my goals was to eat Jerk Chicken and Red Beans and Rice (they call this peas and rice and I am sure they are right but for some odd reason I have always called this dish red beans and rice). Well, let me tell you -goal acheived!

Another goal was to get an authentic recipe for red beans and rice (aka peas and rice). So I asked a local – who promptly pulled in one of her co-workers telling me she is an awesome cook. She recounted the way she makes it and I am going to tell you… so lucky.

I will give this authentic recipe for red beans and rice a try next week. Of course the proportions are all made up by me so it may need some tweaking… She gave me the recipe but obviously does all by feel/sight/memory just like all good cooks and grandmothers everyweher

Ingredients

Red kidney beans (dried) – around 1 cup

water

coconut milk (1-2 cans)

scotch bonnet pepper (one whole fresh one)

long grain white rice – 1 cup

brown sugar 1-2 tablespoons

Thyme (I have no idea how much – go by feel on this one 1 teaspoon? 1 tablespoon? your guess is as good as mine)

Scallions – 1 or two skinned and smushed but not chopped

So, by her telling, the key ingredients are coconut milk and brown sugar. I have seen some other recipes with garlic but the one I got while actually standing IN Jamaica did not have garlic mentioned… it may be worth trying both ways to see which you prefer.

Directions for Red Beans and Rice

So I have seen recipes that say soak the beans overnight in water then boil… my lovely Chef told me just to boil the dry beans and keep adding water and boiling until they are soft and you can smash them with a fork.

Then drain the water and add all other ingredients and just enough coconut milk to cover rice without it coming through the surface.

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what the recipe looked like at this stage

Boil like you would with rice and that is it. Take out the whole hot pepper and scallions, mix and serve. I served this one with Jerk Chicken – I used the Memories of Montego Bay PC premade sauce – it is spicy! so be careful only use a bit at a time till you know what you like – this time I used a whole bottle on 6 whole chicken legs (skin on) and it was a bit too burning for my hubby (I liked it though!) cut it with sour cream if you need to put out the fire!

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Easy and delicious – even better on legs and BBQ in the summer
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This time I just baked it but it was a bit hot… go with less sauce and brush on and have some on the side if needed.

All I did was dump the sauce on the chicken and bake at 375 F for 45 mins to an hour… so easy. If you want to try to make your own Jerk Chicken check out these recipes:

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Jerk Chicken

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/jamaican-jerk-chicken

Korean BBQ Chicken Thighs that are Paleo and Healthy!

So this is a recipe I have had in my repertoire for quite some time…. It came originally from a friend who got it from another website at some point. I have modified it to my tastes and made it even simpler than it was – it was super simple to begin with. It is easy, tasty, healthy and fast. All the greats of a weeknight recipe – try out this awesome one for Korean BBQ chicken thighs.

Korean BBQ Chicken thighs with Cauliflower rice

Ingredients for Korean BBQ chicken

Here are the things you need to make this yummy Korean BBQ chicken thighs recipe … yes of course we start with the chicken thighs…

Chicken thighs – boneless skinless – 6

Garlic – 1 or 2 cloves finely minced

Honey – 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Gochujang paste (Korean chili paste- see below) 2-3 Tablespoons (match honey addition)

Ginger – 1 teaspoon

Sesame oil – 1 teaspoon

Sesame seeds – about a tablespoon

Green onions (1 chopped)

Kosher or Sea salt – about 1/4 teaspoon or to taste

The only thing that is at all difficult here is the Gochujang  chili paste – this I actually find at a large grocery store with a big international or Asian section or at an Asian grocery store…. see picture below. The Gochujang paste is the key ingredient in this Korean BBQ chicken thighs recipe so it is a must and I don’t think that there is a substitute. This one pictured I found in my fridge and it prompted me to make this recipe again before the Best Before date.

Directions

Line a baking dish with parchment – first I spray the bottom with non-stick spray or coat with a bit of oil using a paper towel or brush. Preheat oven to 425 F.

Lining the pan with parchment makes cleanup super easy for Korean BBQ chicken

Mix chili paste, honey, oil, ginger, garlic and salt and add to chicken thighs – I do this in a plastic bag and let it sit overnight if I have time. If not I mix all of this then pour it over the thighs in the dish making sure it is all coated. Let’s be honest, I don’t always have the foresight to marinate the chicken. So if you do marinate then just toss the contents of your bag into the lined baking dish when ready – try to spread out the thighs so they lay flat and are in one layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes – then broil if you wish (they will be cooked before broiling) for 10 minutes – I often skip this step and bake only but add a few minutes. That is it – you have Korean BBQ Chicken thighs at the ready – garnish with chopped green onion and toasted sesame seeds and serve with rice or calulifower rice.

To make cauliflower rice check out this recipe from a prior post for Slow Cooker Coconut Curried Chicken and Cauliflower Rice and scroll to the bottom… Hey, I forgot about this one – it is good too!

This recipe is sweet and savory and a bit smokey – so so good.