First off..okay let’s state the obvious I’m not 18-22 yrs old, I have kids, a full schedule- so mix in school finals and I’m like my kids’ put it ” toast”, yup. I evolve into a mindless freak, sleeping only a few hours each night trying to study as much as my old brain can retain, spending countless hours on the computer researching and relying on my 10yr old for meals. I do have to sing her praises, she has been my savior throughout these finals and I count my blessing each day for her. I also appreciate the outpouring of love that was showered on her by my fellow bloggie friends for her contribution to my blog–honestly I should really just let her take over. So getting back to me being in a zombie state this past week, then I find myself totally pampered on the weekend for Mother’s Day. I wasn’t suprised I know they appreciate me, love me but what gets me is the language/conversation changes, I’m sure all you mommies know I what I mean….the day is filled with
“let me get that..for you”
“wow your pretty”
“sit down, we’ll clean up”
“why don’t you rest, take a nap”
“wow we really appreciate you..”
“do you need anything?”
And people I took complete advantage of this..all of it yup, l let my hubby clean up, I took a long shower, I took a VERY long nap, and I let them take me out to lunch. When the new week began I felt revived, refreshed and ready to cook again, but I wanted brain food–ya know something clean, something to help me regain some of the fried brain cells I had lost. I quickly turned to quinoa, ya I like others sing the praises of quinoa…but could I incorporate it into my day, my WHOLE day?
wow was I ever pleasantly suprised at my outcome..breakfast, lunch and dinner and being the sweet thang I am– even made cookies. Let me tell you these meals were exactly what I needed to refuel my brain, body and soul to prepare myself for the upcoming weeks.
Let’s eat…
For breakfast we had a quinoa pudding made with milk and eggs making the quinoa so creamy I secretly felt guilty, like I was eating dessert…The only change to the recipe I made was to exchange ground cardamom for ground cinnamon- not because of taste issues, I just didn’t have cardamom on hand.
Quinoa Pudding
Body and Soul Magazine
2008
Serves 8.
- 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 4 cups skim milk
- 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
For lunch we had a quinoa salad with roasted veggies…roasted carrots, baby zucchini and sauteed spinach with garlic.
Chuls made a quick vinaigrette to splash on our salad…of lemon juice, agave, brown mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil…
When dinner came around I knew I had to satisfy my hungry hubby so I made quinoa veggie burgers…beans, carrots,scallions, panko and eggs gave these a hearty texture…
Stuffed into a pita with crunchy cucumbers in a Greek style dressing gave these burgers a refreshing bite…
I did crave heat with my meal, so I made fries using baking and sweet potatoes…
They are super easy cut your potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, add your jalapeno slice and place in a hot oven…cook until roasted about 15 minutes, watch them oven temps vary. Warning the sweet potatoes really took in the heat from the jalapenos.
Need something sweet after dinner but ever so good for you…How about quinoa cookies with agave, pb, coconut and oatmeal…
These cookies are dense, chewy but pack a nice punch. They are very easy to put together but are baked at a low temp for 1 hour (I know- I know) I baked them for a hour and they still seemed too soft. I cranked the oven up and baked them a little longer. My girls said they tasted like a granola bar…
I can’t take credit for the cookie recipe, my little sis found it while she was blog surfing…I’ve created a little blog loving monster she calls me during the day and says “have you seen this blog?” so funny.. I’m not sure if this blogger is still blogging her last post was in Dec. 2009 but it was a great recipe…
New Monn Quinoa Coconut Cookies
January 9, 2009
1/2 c natural peanut butter
1/3 c raw agave nectar
2 T freshly ground flax seeds
2 c cooked quinoa, completely cooled (Make sure this is not too wet or the cookies won’t hold together. It should be on the dry side and fluffy. If yours is pretty saucy, make sure to cook it a bit longer to evaporate the excess water.)
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c dried, shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/4 c raw cacoa nibs (Optional) I did not use them..
Preheat the oven on its lowest setting. Mine was 170 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. The parchment paper is non-negotiable. (FYI, you could easily pull this off in a dehydrator or solar oven, if you have either.)
In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, agave, and ground flax seeds. Mix in the quinoa, oats, and coconut. Fold in the cacao nibs if you’re using them. Your mixture should be pretty clumpy, as shown below. If your quinoa was a bit on the wet side when you started, it may not want to hold together at this point. If that’s the case, toss in a bit more flax and peanut butter and see if that helps.
I had a really fun day eating all my quinoa packed meals, and the best part…..EVERYONE gobbled them up — which is always a plus!! Enjoy!!
Submitting this to Two for Tuesday
These recipes all look so good. I will definitely be making veggie quinoa burgers and coconut quinoa cookies very soon. Thanks for sharing.
I love quinoa – so happy to see that lots of folks are loving it too! I often soak the seeds 3-6 hours (or overnight) before incorporating them into recipes, as they germinate very quickly, and become even more nutritious. 🙂
(Thanks for submitting these awesome cookies B!)
I bought some quinoa back in September and haven’t had anything to do with it. The breakfast pudding sounds phenomenal (and like a great way to get some extra ‘brain food’ in at breakfast!)
These may also be the healthiest cookies I’ve ever heard of… They look delicious, though!
I’m so glad you enjoyed my New Moon Quinoa cookies! I just started my blog back up after a long hiatus (crazy work situation for the past 18 months) and was shocked to see I had loads of comments in the approval queue raving about the recipe.
In any case, I am alive and kicking, the blog is back to active status, and I look forward to reading your work and trying your recipes! Your site looks great, and I have a heck of a weakness for delicious Mexican food!
Best,
Laurel
I posted about quinoa for Two for Tuesdays also. But I have to tell you, I am impressed with all of the ways you came up with using this wonderful ingredient.
Oh, my goodness! I love this! I feel like i’m addicted to quinoa lately and I’m always looking for new ways to use it! What a wonderful post full of ideas! Thank you so much for adding this to our Two for Tuesday blog hop this week.
And once again your pictures are BEAUTIFUL! And fun! And make me miss having a working camera.
Bonnie! I am so totally impressed with your food photography and creativity with quinoa! The veggie burgers made me want to take a bit of my screen! Thanks for sharing the real food love at the Two for Tuesday recipe blog hop! 🙂 alex
I have a bag of quinoa sitting in my pantry. All I’ve ever done with it is make salad. I am inspired.
What an awesome post…so much deliciousness packed into one little spot! I could handle a day of quinoa…for sure! And sweet potato fries are my favorite, so it’s like a little slice of heaven here today! Thanks so much for sharing it with Two for Tuesdays this week!! =)
Hi! I found your blog via Monet’s comments, and I am so impressed! Your pictures are beautiful, your creations are stunning, and your writing is bright and honest! I am so glad to have found your site, and I can’t wait to spend my lunch poking around your archives!
Yay!!
— Lauren, Lauren’s Little Kitchen
http://laurenslittlekitchen.com
This is my kinda brain food. It all looks delicious and filling. Perfect for me. Sounds like you had a great Mother’s Day, and spent it with the most important ones in your life.
I’m so impressed right now. What a wonderful day of eats! I love quinoa and find myself eating it again and again…I’m currently working on perfecting a quinoa whole wheat bread so we have been eating more of the grain than usual!
How fun! I love how you ate quinoa ALL day! haha These recipes look fantastico and I will have to try these veggie burgers! Thanks for the inspiration for my grocery list next week!
Sounds like you had a wonderful Mother’s Day 🙂 … perfect after surviving your exams.
I know you’ve heard it a million times, but those quinoa burgers sound incredible… and I would eat a beef burger any day over most veggie burgers. Great idea!
That quinoa burger sounds really good in an odd sort of way. Absolutely beautiful photos!
Everything looks so yummie, specially the quinoa burger 🙂 Great pictures!
I love your day o’ quinoa. And that burger in the pita looks really good!
Every photo is absolutely gorgeous and you are blessed. When I start my ‘diet’ next week (don’t laugh :-), I’ll be making some of these recipes. Promise!
Wow, what gorgeous food! That is a lovely surprise. Your family is great!
Cheers,
Rosa
Wow! This is the first time I see how quinoa can be used in a variety of cooking/ baking methods. All of them look superhealthy and superyummy!! I just fall in love with quinoa……
These are my kind of meals alright! Everything looks so delicious and fantastically healthy, nothing to feel guilty about here. I especially like the look of that quinoa salad!
Wow, that quinoa salad looks great and so colorful!
I think I may have just discovered a gold mine. My gosh – a mom with kids who has a full day – ya think? Making three gorgeous meals like that (and then photographing and writing about them) would lay me back for the day. What beautiful healthy, nutritious and delicious food! And economical, to boot! Those are the days that are unforgettable. When we work to feed our family with food that creates memories – and brighter brains! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Valerie
I didn’t know what quinoas were before I read this post….hehe
But they look really nice……I really want to try them! Sounds like you had an awesome mothers day!
wow. you have been busy. I’ll take one of everything! That pita looks wicked good! I am hungry…
Sounds like you had a wonderful Mother’s Day! I love quinoa — the pudding sounds amazing — been meaning to give it a try. Delicious salad!
I gotta go get soem quinoa. Those burgers and cookies look good. Chuls is a gem!
Honestly Bonnie – you could tell me this entire, amazing spread was based on bird seed instead of quinoa and I’d still be drooling! Everything looks fabulous!
It is so wonderful that you have a supportive daughter that cooks for you. All of these quinoa dishes sound so good, especially that quinoa burger!!!
Wow it was a quinoa day! The burgers sound great. I haven’t tried quinoa for breakfast yet. It’s on my list.
That quinoa burger looks like the real thing! So quinoa day today, or very day? Everything looks good! I need to sample quinoa, by jove!
I’m so glad you left me a comment so I could find your site! Everything looks wonderful! In fact, those photos are making me hungry! 🙂
Quinoa is a wonderful food! I feel so healthy after my journey with your blog post. Thanks for sharing!
Dear Bonnie – This food will indeed help me grow some extra much needed gray cells….I mean isn’t quinoa the super food!
I am so glad you’re getting pampered. The food looks so healthy and wonderful.
I always love how full of goodness and freshness the meals you create are. I am so very partial to your burgers and sweet potatoes…with jalapenos no less. Yummmm!!!!
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
Your photos are truly stunning Bonnie! I’m so glad you had a lovely day and were spoilt. I want all of these dishes on this page but it’s Sunday evening and the shops are closed. Sigh!
Quinoa PUDDING AND COOKIES?!?!?! *does a jig*. Like Jem says/sings “Truly, truly, truly outrageous!”. I’m used to quinoa in a savoury dish. But knowing that it can be incorporated into sweets, makes the day that much better.
Thanks Bonnie 😉
Thanks for sharing the recipe! I am always on the lookout for great recipes – it sounds yummy.
Your dishes are always perfect! I love especially the cookies.
Haha that is so sweet! And the cookies sound and look so good. But a whole hour?? Lol Idk if I would be able to wait that long! 😀
Hey Bonnie, what a sweet family-I’m glad they’re helping you when you need it. Tell Julsi I said she’s a very good girl & awesome kitchen witch!
By the way, I have some ancient grain a.k.a. quinoa on the counter. It’s wild black quinoa and says it’s organic. I’m going to try that burger-it looks so good with those cucumbers smothered in Greek sauce-yum.
What a wonderful and healthy day of food! Chuls is a gem!
bumped in here for the first time…love your space…that pita sandwich and cookies looks awesome….del-ish…Awesome pics….too good!
That is a healthy whole day!
OH MY GOD! It was a quinoa fest, and Chuls made the vinaigrette??
This Girl is the bomb (with Randy Jackson’s voice). You are lucky, it should be mother’s day more often right? Once a month at least.
Everything looks so yummy and brainy. 😀
Your 10 year old…is an absolute DARLING! When I was 10, all I did for my mom was give her headaches! haha!
I never did like quinoa…I always thought it had a weird fishy smell. But that pudding..wow! I MUST try that!
Your mother’s day weekend sounds perfect! These quinoa recipes are brilliant! I must try the pudding and the burgers. The burgers look especially intriguing. Yum! I feel smarter just reading about quinoa! 🙂
Those cookies look and sound soooo good!! The texture must be amazing! I’ve never tried quinoa, but I just bought my first bag of red quinoa and I’m excited to try it tonight!
Everything looks delicious and great pics! Relax and have a great weekend!
I’m so glad to hear you had a happy mother’s day sweetie! You deserve it! And good luck with all of your studying.
I love your decision to do a Day of Quinoa! You were so inventive with it and I can’t wait to try all of these. You must have gotten superpowers from eating so much of this superfood!
All around fantastic post. Funny, well-written, amazing photos.
Two big thumbs up!
Cheers!
It sounds like you have a lovely family who is there to support you. Those cookies look to die for. Thanks for the recipe.
amazing! all those recipes look so tasty! I have never tried sweet potatoes baked that way, well, i can’t roast potatoes to save my life (they always stick to the damn pan) but I’ll have to try that recipe.
wow…you are GENIUS!! I think I need to challenge myself to quinoa for a day now 🙂 I’ve recently become obsessed with the stuff.
SO glad you had a great mother’s day, and finals are over with – wahoo!! you can breather now 😉
i’m definitely fully on board the quinoa train, and the ways you’ve used it are all so enticing! brain food indeed. 🙂