QUINOA PASTA WITH BACON, SPINICH AND GOAT CHEESE - GLUTEN FREE OPTION

I originally found this sauce recipe on Pinterest (I'm a huge pinner) and I am always nervous to try them. When it comes to food on Pinterest everything always looks appetizing but I feel like itsbecause of the photography not necessarily because of the taste. I see a photo and my imagination and pallet start to imagine what it would taste like. I obviously subconsciously imagine what I want it to taste like more then it probably does in reality. This recipe was one of those pleasantly surprising ones that matched my taste buds imagination. Although I altered some ingredients and ingredient portions it essentially takes the same foundation and I recommend you go further and try to make it your own (by like adding chilly flakes for example).

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 Packs of Quinoa Spaghetti Pasta
1 Pack of Bacon cut into 1 inch width
1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
1 TBSP Maple Syrup
10 oz Baby Spinach - washed (this will later shrink down so don't worry if you think it is a lot)
10-14 OZ Goat Cheese (4 OZ will be used for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

Boil water for the pasta in a large pot. Add salt when it comes to a boil and let it dissolve for a minute before adding in the pasta.

While you wait for the water to boil, in a large skillet start cooking the bacon. Cook the bacon on a high heat until the edges of the bacon get crisp and brown then reduce the heat and continue to cook until all the bacon has become crispy and the fat has been rendered. You can remove the bacon from the skillet and set it aside in a bowl. You will need the bacon in a second. Do not though away the grease.

**You may think there is a lot of bacon grease left in the pan but this will be the base of your sauce so you can remove some but leave at least 3/4 of it in the skillet.

Next turn the heat up on the stove and add it your red wine vinegar. This may not smell nice at first but it will help to pull all the crispy bacon bits that are stuck on the bottom of the skillet back into the sauce and adds more flavor later. Make sure when you pour the vinegar in you mix it around in the grease and scrape the bottom of the skillet to help loosen the bits of bacon stuck there.

At this point your water should be boiling so put the quinoa pasta in. You will need to stir the quinoa pasta often for the first three minutes so that it doesn't lump together. After the first three minutes you can let it cook for an additional 9-10 minutes stirring occasionally. After that it should be al-dente! 

After about two minutes of scrapping the skillet add the bacon back in and the maple syrup and mix together.

Next slowly start to introduce handfuls of spinach into the pan. Stirring the whole time until all the spinach has been introduced.

Strain the quinoa pasta and add it into the skillet when ready. If the pasta is not ready just put the skillet to the side until it is. When pasta is ready add it in stir it up in the skilled so it is covered in bacon grease, bacon and spinach (no heat required anymore) Next add 9-10 dollops of goat cheese on top and stir in (the heat from the pasta will melt it into the pasta).

Twirl and place on a plate with a dollop of goat cheese on top as garnish and it is ready to be served.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Id love to hear your thoughts below. Please leave me a comment and I will try and answer all your questions. Did you make it your own? Tell me about it!

** some goat cheese has gluten in it. If there is no gluten in your goat cheese this recipe will be gluten free - obviously hehe

BARBECUED ONION AND LEMON CHICKEN! GLUTEN FREE, SOY FREE, PALEO

If you are looking for an easy meal you just found it. This barbecued onion lemon chicken CAN'T get any simpler. I usually marinate the chicken for at least 24 hours but if you are planning on having a BBQ this pre planned meat option could save you time before your guest arrive. All you gotta do is put it on the bbq, let it cook and dinner is ready!

Okay, okay! Enough talking lets get to work...

So I had 12 people over for dinner when I made this so I marinated 10 chicken thighs, 10 drumsticks and 3 chicken breasts. I left the skin on the chicken thighs and drumsticks and just used regular skinless chicken breasts.

INGREDIENTS:

23 pcs of Chicken - duh
7 Large Onions -chopped
14 Lemons - peeled and halved

DIRECTIONS:

Get a large bowl. Wash the chicken and dry them off with a piece of paper towel and add them to the bowl.

Next take the onion and lemon and put it in a blender till it makes a mush. Add it to the bowl. Make sure there is enough marinade that the chicken is completely submerged!

Marinate for 24 hours!

DONE!! That simple and soooooo tasty. If there is any left over it taste even better the next day.

HAPPY COOKING :)

Liked this recipe? Let me know in the comments below.

 

QUINOA TABBOULEH - GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN, VEGITARIAN, SOY FREE

TABBOULEH traditionally is made with bulgur wheat or couscous. I made this recipe using quinoa as a substitute for its health and gluten free attributes and lets get real it taste pretty much the same. I really enjoy Tabbouleh salad as it goes with just about everything. Its also really good to keep in the fridge as a healthy snack and the Quinoa is a slow digesting carb/protien mix that makes you feel fuller longer - BOOM! 

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup of Quinoa
2 Bushes of Parsley (cut off stems and mince)
1 Bush or 3/4 Cup of Mint (cut of stems and mince)
3 Medium Tomatoes
1/2 a Large Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Measure out 1 cup of Quinoa and add it to two cups of water. Bring the water and quinoa to a boil then cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

In the meantime go ahead and wash, dry and mince your Parsley and Mint. Add it to a large bowl.

Next chop the Tomatos in quarters and remove the seeds. Once the seeds are removed chop the tomato quarters down into small "pinkie nail" sizes. Add the chopped tomato to the bowl with the parsley and mint. 

Now you can chop the Onion into about the same size as you did the tomato and add it to the bowl.

Next you can mince the Garlic and add it to the bowl with the parsley, mint, tomatoes and onions.

Your quinoa should be done by now. If it is remove from heat and let cool. You don't want to add it to the bowl until it has completely cooled down.

While it is cooling you can juice the Lemons. I think I juiced about 5-6 lemons to yield about 1.5 Cups of juice.

Once the Quinoa has cooled down add it into the bowl with the other ingredients followed by the lemon juice. You can also add 2 TBSP of Olive oil and mix all the contents of the bowl together. You can add salt and pepper at the end for taste as well as more lemon juice if you fancy it.

Can you dig it???? Whats your take on Tabbouleh? Has anyone ever toasted their Quinoa before cooking it? Not sure how I feel about the taste. Share your thoughts by commenting.
 

This post was inspired by Tori Avey of http://toriavey.com/ She is one of the food blogs I always like to follow and be inspired by.

PERSIAN COOKING - BASMATI RICE WITH TADIG! VEGITARIAN, GLUTEN FREE, SOY FREE

If you have been to a Persian restaurant before you have probably had Persian basmati rice but have you had Tadig? Tadig is a crispy/cracker like layer of rice that can be found at the bottom of the pot and is something that my siblings and I fight over at dinner. Often Persian restaurants don't serve Tadig because in order to yield larger amounts of rice quickly they steam the rice which cooks it evenly and therefor doesn't produce Tadig. Cooking the rice in the traditional matter allows this crispy layer to form at the bottom which you later top the rice with before you serve. Once you get really good at making Tadig you can take it one step further and add in potato slices for extra flavor and decoration.  

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 TBSP Salt
3-4 Cups Basmati Rice (enough for 9-12 servings)
1/2 Cup of Butter
A pinch of Saffron
1-2 TBSP Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS:

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. You only need enough water to cover the amount of rice you are cooking plus another two to three cups.

While you are waiting for the pot of water to boil wash the rice in warm water, drain and repeat until the water becomes clear.

When the water in the pot starts to boil add in the salt and let boil for a minute then add in the rice and let the water continue to boil on high for 5 minutes.

While the rice is boiling melt butter in a small pot using the stove or in a bowl in the microwave. Grind the Saffron into a powder using a mortar and pestle and add it to the melted butter. Once the butter is melted add the saffron to it and mix together.

After the five minutes are done add warm water to the pot over the sink so the water overflows and all the starch sitting on the top of the water overflows out and over the rim.

After the starch is gone drain the rice into a colander (strainer). Place the pot back on the stove and add about 1 TBSP of olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pot. Add the rice back into the pot and mold the rice into a pyramid formation. Make four holes/tunnelsin the top of the pyramid that go all the way to the bottom of the pot using a chip stick or a knife and pour the melted butter and saffron down those holes. You can also save some butter and saffron and remove the top of the pyramid, dress the flat area with some butter and saffron and then replace the removed rice back on top.

Cook the rice for an additional 8 minutes on medium heat. Make sure the lid is tightly on so that the rice can steam. Check periodically to make sure there is no burning smell otherwise your stove may be too hot and you may be burning your tadig and the whole rice will taste burnt later - if this is the case turn down the heat.

After the 8 minutes are complete turn the temperature down even more to the lowest heat on your stove and let the rice continue to cook for 35 minutes.

After the 35 minute are complete the dish is ready to be plated. First empty the pot of the rice and then scrape and dig along the harden rice cracker bottom to release the tadig. Place the tadig on top of the rice with the browned side facing up.


The first time I tried this I did not succeed. I think I added a little to much oil to the bottom of the pot because I tend to "free pour" so do not worry it does take practice!!!

Have you done this before? Share your experience! I'd love to hear about your kitchen adventures.
 

Recipe Credit goes to Nurse Amanda

MANGO PEACH FRUIT ROLL UP - PLANT BASED, ORGANIC, GLUTEN FREE AND NO SUGAR ADDED

ACTUALLY the easiest thing to make on the planet. As a kid I loved fruit roll-up but as an adult I look for more healthier alternatives. Anyone can make a more natural fruit roll-up at home, all you need are the following:

INGREDIENTS:

FRUIT (I used 2 Large Mangos and 2 Peaches)

DIRECTIONS:

Cut the fruit up and place it in a blender till it is liquefied.

Pour the liquefied fruit on a banking sheet with wax paper or a non-stick baking mat. Spread the liquefied fruit out evenly using a spatula. Aim for about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.

Bake at 175 Degrees for 3-4 hours. If it is thicker you will need to let it bake for longer. If you have a lot of liquefied fruit you can use two trays or just put it all on one and bake for longer (could be up to 12 hours to fully dehydrate)

**its actually not cooking the fruit at this temperature it is only dehydrating it of its water content which leaves the natural sugars behind to create the fruit roll up! This can be used for most fruit except for anything that is made of 80% juice like citrus fruit. Berries, mango, peaches, pairs, plums, apples and kiwi's work best