Recipe: Vegetable chili with quinoa

Recipe: Vegetable chili with quinoa

Over the summer I became obsessed with quinoa.  I think it's seriously the greatest food ever! So so good for you.  I found this quinoa chili recipe on www.vegweb.com.  Incidentally I also love vegweb.  I'm not vegan or even vegetarian but there are tons of great recipes on there.  I've tried a few and they are all delicious : ) I don't like spicy foods so I alter the spices a bit...definitely leave the chili powder and crushed red peppersout if you're like me.  I forgot one time and made the recipe as is and I couldn't even eat it, it was SO hot.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 carrots, chopped
2 to 3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
14 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
14 ounces refried beans or pinto beans (drained and rinsed, if pinto)
1 cup quinoa
2 cup vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
avocado and cilantro, to garnish

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute onions, carrots, and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, red peppers and garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2) Deglaze the pot with tomatoes. Cook 1 minute, then stir in beans, making sure refried beans are fully incorporated. Bring to a boil, then stir in broth and quinoa.

3) Cover and cook over medium heat until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with fresh avocado and cilantro.

Source of recipe: I based this recipe on chili that I had on a canoe trip that ended up being AMAZING.

Makes: 6-8 servings, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 30 minutes

*I used 1.5 cups of broth and was happy with the consistency, and I used more beans than the recipe called for.

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm *loving* the movie I saw On Sunday with my sweet friend C, The King's Speech

I'm *loving* the Live Clean smoothing cream I recently bought: it's paraben/pthalate/phosphate free, pure vegan, cruelty free, is biodegradable, and has recyclable packaging.  For more info on Live Clean, click here

I'm *loving* the boa scarves I'm knitting for friends.

I'm *loving* that I got to see my lovely friend J for some delicious White Spot and Lululemon shopping.

I'm *loving* that my high-school friend E is getting married on Friday!

I'm *loving* that I was able to find my two psychology textbooks on amazon for much cheaper than at my university bookstore

I'm *loving* Urban Decay primer potion.  It's seriously like super glue for eyeshadow, but it comes off easily with eye makeup remover.

I'm *loving* that I've reached double digits in followers hehe.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Recipe: Chicken Quesadillas

My friends and I are making quesadillas my first night back at school, and I can't wait to try this recipe!

Easy grilled chicken quesadilla recipe

Chicken quesadilla recipe…for 4

*4 large flour tortillas

*About ¾ lb of grilled marinated chicken breast sliced thinly (use whatever marinade you like, a lime/soy based marinade works well for Mexican dishes)

*Sautéed onions and sweet peppers (about 1 big onion, and two sweet red peppers, sautéed until softened

1 heaping cup of refried black or pinto beans

¾ pound of grated cheese…use Monterey jack or a mixture of half cheddar and mozzarella.

Heat your heaviest frying pan on medium, and then spread a thin layer of refried beans over half of each open tortilla. On top of the beans lay the chicken, vegetables and cheese, and fold over in half so you have four half circles ready to be fried.

Lay as many as will fit in your heavy fry pan, and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until browned and slightly crisped, flip over and repeat for the other side. Hold warm in a low over until all four of the quesadillas have been finished.

These are large enough to make a good meal for one each. Serve with a fresh tomato salsa, a spicy Mexican tomato or tomatillo salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

If you lack any of the above ingredients (except of course the tortillas or the cheese!) you can make these anyways, and they'll still be delicious.

If you wanna get fancy, combinations such as duck confit and mole, brie and pears or seared tuna and mango can transform the everyday quesadilla into a more urbane affair. You might end up sort of missing the point of the whole thing though!

Bold flavors, melted cheese and lots of salsas on the table...that's the real deal.

Recipe from: http://hubpages.com/hub/Grilled_chicken_quesadilla_recipe_The_classic_Tex_Mex_quesadilla

Poor nails

My nails have always been weak and they break easily.  Any tips for getting stronger, healthier nails?

My dream kitchen

If I had my very own house, this is the kitchen I would have:

The colour inspiration

Crossing my fingers for this exact mixer as my university graduation present!

The cabinets

The countertops

Movie review: The King's Speech

Yesterday I went out for dinner at White Spot (my fav!) with my friend J, followed by some quality Lululemon time :D Let's just say that girl is insane...I will definitely be finding a way to pay it forward : ) Here's a good story: J used to babysit me! She found me on facebook and when she was working in NYC I went down with a friend to visit her.  After Lululemon I headed over to the movie theatre in Coquitlam to see The King's Speech with my friend C.  It was incredible.  Amazing.  I want to see it again! The acting was incredible...if Colin Firth doesn't win an Oscar for this I will throw a hissy fit.  The cast was amazing...Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennett in the BBC Pride and Prejudice), the two guys who play Dumbledore & Wormtail in the Harry Potter movies, and the guy who played Mr. Collins in the BBC Pride & Prejudice.  So good!

New Year's Resolutions??

Maybe, maybe not.  Regardless of what you call them, here are a few things I'm hoping will find their way into 2011:

• Drink more water.  I drink waaay too much juice.  I could never give it up completely, especially in the mornings, but I definitely need to drink more water.  I dislike the taste of plain water, so I'll buy some lemons to put in it.
• Go to the gym at least three times a week, plus ice skating on Sundays (free at the campus arena!).  I'd like to tone up a bit!
• Spend less money on eating out.
• Space school work out by doing a little bit every day.
• Eat better and cook bigger meals on the weekends so I don't have to cook so much during the week.

Hmm...that's all I can think of for now!