Quinoa with Black Beans and Hominy

Ingredients


Quinoa:
1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Zest of 1 large lemon


Dressing:
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 large limes)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Two 15-ounce cans hominy, rinsed and drained
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated


Directions
For the quinoa: In a 2-quart saucepan, bring the quinoa, chicken broth, salt and lemon zest to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil, agave, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, salt and pepper until smooth.

In a serving bowl, combine the quinoa, hominy, black beans and cilantro. Add the dressing and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into the lettuce leaves and serve.

Per serving (based on 6 servings): Calories: 332; Total Fat: 13 grams; Saturated Fat: 1 gram; Protein: 9 grams; Total carbohydrates: 46 grams; Sugar: 12 grams; Fiber: 5 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 625 milligrams

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/quinoa-with-black-beans-and-hominy-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

My alterations:
No lemon zest, cilantro, lettuce leaves
Used lemon juice instead of lime 

Spicy Yogurt Sauce

I am loving this new creation:

Spicy Yogurt

1 C Greek/strained yogurt
1/2 C crumbled feta
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp tahini
1 tsp hot sauce (Tapatío is my favorite for this recipe)

Stir ingredients together. Use as topping for falafel, dipping sauce for pita chips, or eat as savory/spicy yogurt (my favorite!).

Variation:
Makes a really yummy meal as a savory yogurt--I added Ras el Hanout Moroccan spices or pureed beans (canned cannellini or garbanzo beans) a couple times and YUM.

Moroccan Turkey Meatballs: Pretend Falafel

Recipe for Moroccan turkey meatballs - The Perfect Pantry®

www.theperfectpantry.com

I thought I'd share a delicious recipe with y'all: http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2012/02/recipe-for-moroccan-turkey-meatballs.html

I used coconut flour instead of falafel mix, and served with hot sauce, yogurt-lemon-tahini sauce, and feta on a bed of spinach. It satisfied my craving for a
falafel sandwich!

Fruity Crab Salad

Menu planning. I'm trying to get more organized about it. Here's an attempt! A new tag called "recipes" where I shall list my very favorite recipe creations so I can easily access them when I need a menu planning fix.

Last night's dinner was a refreshing & fruity paleo salad creation:

2 oranges

2 kiwis

1/2 pint strawberries

1 can lump crab meat

1 head butter lettuce

1/2 C sliced almonds

1/2 C coconut

1 Tbsp grapeseed oil

Chop lettuce. Cut kiwis, strawberries, and one orange into bite-sized pieces. Toss with crab, almonds, and coconut. Dress with the juice of remaining orange and a drizzle of grapeseed oil.