The beauty of a culinary pas de deux - Asparagus with Soft-Cooked Eggs

Ingredients:

1/2 pound Asparagus, tough ends removed
2 tbs olive oil
2 eggs
salt, pepper
2 ounces creamy garlic and herb cheese (such as Boursin) or neufchâtel (light cream) cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces or 2 ounces grated parmesan cheese(optional)

Directions:
1. Cook asparagus in medium skillet of boiling water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Return asparagus to skillet, stir over medium heat.
3. Add eggs; (and cheese) stir (cheese melts, if using) and gently cook them until just before they're set, remove from heat and let the heat in the pan finish cooking them about 2 minutes.
4.No further adornment required, serve with fresh chives and whole grain bread, and let the flavors dance together!

Easy Zucchini Tart

Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted according to manufacturer's directions
6 ounces low fat ricotta cheese, drained of any excess liquid in a fine sieve
1 medium zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh dill
Flour, for work surface
Salt and pepper

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the puff pastry into a 9-inch pie dish.

2. Using a large wooden spoon, combine the eggs, ricotta, black pepper and fresh dill. Spread the ricotta filling evenly over the pastry base, leaving a 1-inch border.

3. Press the Zucchini slices and arrange in a single layer over the cheese spread. Spray with olive oil. You can brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg yolk to have a nice golden color (optional)

4. Bake until zucchinis are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Slice and serve warm!

Asparagus Tart

Yes Puff Pastry! But everybody has one (or more?) guilty pleasure food...and puff pastry is one of mine. We have this love and hate relationship. I love the comfort and the texture of the puff pastry but hate the fact that it is made of butter! Growing up my mom always had puff pastry in the freezer, for quick afternoon tea treats. I usually don't buy it, you know what they say " out of sight - out of mind!" and it is really true! I was doing my grocery shopping before my knee surgery and couldn't resist buying a pack of puff pastry since it is very easy and quick to prepare a meal with it ( or at least how I justified it, anyway).

As you can see it is hard to resist if your pleasure factor is waiting for you right in your freezer. I still tried to make this recipe lower calorie and substituted the Gruyere cheese with low fat ricotta cheese.  All I could say it was easy, fast and tasty!

Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted according to manufacturer's directions
6 ounces low fat ricotta cheese, drained of any excess liquid in a fine sieve
 or 5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
Flour, for work surface
Salt and pepper

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. 

2. Using a large wooden spoon, combine the eggs, ricotta, black pepper and the nutmeg. Spread the ricotta filling evenly over the pastry base, leaving a 1-inch border.

3. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the cheese spread. Spray with olive oil. You can brush the edges of the puff pastry with egg yolk to have a nice golden color (optional)

4. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Slice and serve warm!

Asparagus Quiche with Brown Rice Crust

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked brown rice (3/4 cup uncooked)
1/2 pound asparagus (cut into 1-inch long pieces and steamed)
1 small or 1/2 medium yellow summer squash, cut lenghtwise
1/4 cup tablespoons shredded cheddar or gruyere cheese
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp nutmeg
* Serves 6 


Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, cook the rice using the package directions, omitting the salt and margarine.

2. When the rice is almost done, preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly spray a medium skillet and a 9-inch quiche dish or pie pan with cooking spray.

3. Saute the squash, asparagus, and garlic in the skillet over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

4.  In a medium bowl, stir together the cooked rice, eggs, salt, pepper paprika and nutmeg. Press the mixture over the bottom and up the side of the quiche dish. Bake for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

5. In a medium bowl, stir together the milk, and the asparagus, squash. Pour into the hot rice crust. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Artichokes with Fava Bean Purée (Favali Zeytinyagli Enginar)

The magic beans that grew overnight into a beanstalk that reached into the clouds could be fava beans. Fava Beans or Broad Beans (actually a member of the pea family) are among the world's oldest cultivated beans.You might consider making these under-appreciated beans a more frequent addition to your diet, especially if you are seeking more fiber in your diet.

Fava beans are especially high in fiber (85% of the RDV), and also high in iron (30% of a day's requirement), and very low in sodium. Additionally, they contain no cholesterol and are low in fat. While the nutrition and health benefits of fava beans are quite impressive, they are also countered by the fact that favas do contain 50 grams of total carbohydrates and almost 300 calories per 3/4 cup serving. Fava beans are also noted to contain L-dopa, which is used as a drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Additionally, as with most whole grains, consumption of fava beans can help reduce risks associated with heart disease.

Not convinced yet? their buttery texture and nutty taste makes it worth time consuming prep time! It is actually fun too, I shelled them together with my five year old daughter! A real playdate for both of us!

Ingredients

1 lb peeled artichoke bottoms (7-8 pieces) or 1 lb frozen or 2 canned artichoke bottoms

1 lb fresh or frozen fava beans, shelled
1 onion, petite diced
2 tbsp dried mint flakes or 1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
juice of 2 lemons
1/3 cup olive oil
1 bunch dill, chopped
1  1/2 tbsp sugar
salt

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a pan. Stir in onion, saute until translucent.

2. Add fava beans, mint, and half of dill. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Seal the pot with aluminum foil and place the lid. Cook on medium for 30 minutes or until beans are cooked. When they are cooked mash the beans and let them cool.

3.In a separate broad pot,  Add lemon juice, sugar, and hot water. Place artichokes in the pot: pointy sides facing up. Cook for 20 -25 min until artichokes are tender. Once you turn it off, sprinkle salt. Let artichokes cool in the pot.

4. When they're not hot anymore place artichokes on a serving plate and stuff them with fava bean puree.

5.Garnish with dill on top.

* Optional: You can also add one medium carrot to fava bean puree, if you like.

This recipe my first submission for this month's My Legume Love Affair, one of my favorite events brought by Susan from the Well Seasoned Cook and hosted by A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa

Barley Risotto with Mushrooms & Gremolata

I don't think I will ever use arborio rice for risotto again. I used mix of fresh and dried mushrooms, smokiness of the dried mushrooms and barley's robust and nutty flavor combined with fresh lemon zest, parsley and garlic leaves a rich and pleasant taste on your palate.

Ingredients

For the gremolata:

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

For the barley risotto:

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed

1 cup hot water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms (such as morels, shiitakes, oyster, or chanterelles), sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 teaspoons kosher salt; more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

6 to 7 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken or vegetable broth

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cups pearled barley

Directions

To make the gremolata: In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic.

To make the risotto:

1. Soak the porcini in the hot water for at least 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve and reserve. Chop the porcini into small pieces.

2. In a large saute pan with straight sides, heat the oil over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Saute the sliced fresh mushrooms until they release some liquid and are browned, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the porcini and the reserved liquid, scraping up any browned bits. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mushrooms and liquid to a bowl.

4. In a saucepan, bring the broth to a boil, reduce the heat, partially cover, and hold at a simmer. In the pan used for the mushrooms, melt the butter over medium heat.

5. Add the onion and cook until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons coarse salt and the barley, and stir until the grains are coated with butter.

6.  Add 1 cup of the hot broth, reduce the heat to low, and stir frequently until the broth is absorbed. Stir in another cup of broth. Once it's absorbed, add 1 more cup, stirring until it's also absorbed. Add 2 more cups and simmer the barley, stirring frequently, until it softens but isn't completely tender and the liquid is almost absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked mushrooms and their liquid and 1 to 2 more cups of broth. Simmer until the barley is tender, about 10 minutes more, stirring frequently and adding hot water or broth if needed.

 

The total cooking time for the barley can range from 30 to 60 minutes. Stir in the gremolata and adjust the seasonings to taste. Serve hot.

Recipe is adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, May 1, 2002. pp 62

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble with Oatmeal Almond Topping

Serve with ice cream, frozen yogurt or soy ice cream for delightful family memories. Your kids will thank you!

Rhubarb Filling
2 lb. rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or 2 16-oz pkgs. frozen rhubarb
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Oatmeal Topping
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup Sliced Almonds
2 Tbs. canola oil
1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
 
Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.To make Rhubarb Filling: Toss together all ingredients in glass or other nonreactive bowl. Let stand 15 minutes to release juices.

3.To make Oatmeal Topping: Place all ingredients in bowl of food processor and pulse until mixture is chunky and begins to hold together.

4.Spoon rhubarb mixture into prepared baking dish with slotted spoon, leaving any liquid in bowl. Discard liquid. Top with oatmeal mixture. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Cool on rack 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe is adapted from one of my favorite magazines, Vegetarian Times Issue: March 1, 2007 p.73

Berrylicious Rhubarb Parfaits

I felt like a little kid with a new toy when I spotted the fresh rhubarb at our farmers market last week. Just like waiting for the release of a latest toy I have been waiting for the peak rhubarb season!  I exaggerated a little bit and bought a  lot more than we needed, my husband was happy, hoping for a delicious strawberry rhubarb pie. He even got me a new pie dish -Paula Deen's line, the queen of country style pies. Even though she has great tasting recipes, Paula Deen uses a lot of butter just like Julia Child.

With all due respect to these great chefs, I don't believe natural fresh ingredients need ton of butter to enhance the flavor. So I have been looking for low fat rhubarb dessert recipes, a recipe that doesn't include too much butter to overwhelm the tanginess of the fresh rhubarb and the sweetness of the strawberries. It took longer than I thought, for couple of days my rhubarb and I were staring at each other, I started to panic fearing that I won't be able to use them when they are still fresh but finally my quest is over and it was worth the wait! This parfait is simple, delicious and gives a pleasantly fresh flavor. If you don't have time to make the vanilla pudding at home you can also use 1 qt. vanilla soy ice cream (or low-fat plain yogurt). I still promise the classic pie to my husband but he has to wait until I achieve my goal of perfect low fat pie crust!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 lb. rhubarb, about 6 medium stalks, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups) Field-grown rhubarb have a more predominant flavor than hothouse. Generally, the redder the stalk, the less sweetener is needed. If it is stringy, just remove the tough strings as you would with celery
1 medium orange, juiced and zest grated (1/3 cup juice; 2 Tbs. zest)
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen

For Low Fat Vanilla Pudding

2 cups 1% low-fat milk or soy milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean


Directions

1. Place 4 large parfait glasses or wine glasses in freezer to chill.

2. Combine all ingredients for the pudding except vanilla in a saucepan (if you are using vanilla bean, put the seeds and the bean in with the milk and strain it after the boil). Stir well to eliminate lumps. Heat to boiling over medium heat, about 7 minutes. Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla extract. 

3. Spread rhubarb in single layer in large skillet, and heat over medium heat. When rhubarb sizzles, cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes without stirring. Remove lid, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until liquid is evaporated and rhubarb is tender, but not mushy. Rhubarb can quickly cook down into a syrupy liquid, so keep an eye on it to retain some texture for this recipe. Add the berry mixture and transfer to bowl.

3. If you sweeten rhubarb after it is cooked, you will need less sweetener therefore combine maple syrup, orange juice, orange zest, and ginger in small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 7 minutes, or until mixture is syrupy. Fold syrup into rhubarb. Cool.

4. Scoop 1/4 cup vanilla pudding or soy ice cream into bottom of each chilled wine glass. Top with 1/4 cup rhubarb mixture and another 1/4-cup scoop ice cream. Divide remaining rhubarb mixture among glasses. Enjoy!

Roasted Asparagus with Tangerine Dressing

Simple, fresh and delicious. I served it as a side with miso glazed salmon and the combination was great. This would be a great dish for entertaining, especially since you can do it ahead of time. You can also grill the asparagus. Just be careful not to over cook the asparagus. Thinner asparagus cooks faster than thicker asparagus.

Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 teaspoon olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
2 large tangerines or small oranges
1/3 cup fresh tangerine juice or orange juice
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons oriental sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated tangerine peel or orange peel
1 garlic clove, pressed
3/4 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion tops
2 tablespoons finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts ( I used sliced almonds)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place asparagus in medium bowl. Pour enough cold water over asparagus to cover; let stand 15 minutes. Drain. (Soaking them first keeps them from drying out)

2. Spread asparagus in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; drizzle with oil. Roast asparagus until crisp-tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer asparagus to platter; cool.

3. Using sharp knife, cut peel and white pith from tangerines. Cut between membranes to release segments. Arrange tangerine segments atop asparagus.

4.  Whisk tangerine juice, vinegar, sesame oil, peel, garlic and ginger in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle over asparagus. Sprinkle with green onion tops and peanuts (or almonds) and serve.

Recipe is adapted from Epicurious, http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Asparagus-Salad-with-Tangerine-Dressing-101393#ixzz0nfdPRFg7

Miso Glazed Salmon with Roasted Asparagus

Try this recipe and you will be addicted, instead of heavy butter loaded complex sauces, this healthy and easy recipe is offering a flavor intensive meal.  For a healthier meal and the best flavor try to get wild caught salmon. It feeds largely on krill, which gives it the lovely pink color.  In contrast, farmed salmon are fed pigments to achieve their ruby glow. Farmed salmon are also fed antibiotics to keep them healthy while living in a confined space. Check out previously frozen coho salmon in the fish case at your neighborhood market. Wild caught Alaskan coho salmon is readily available.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sweet white miso paste,
2 tablespoons mirin, (Japanese rice wine)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, or tamari
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
A few drops hot pepper sauce (optional)
1 1/4 pounds center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions*
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley

* I added 1 tbs sesame oil and 1 tbs honey to the above ingredients and used organic rice vinegar instead of mirin since the ones I could find our grocery store included corn syrup.

Directions:

1.Position oven rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil. Coat foil with cooking spray.

2.Toast sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.

3.Whisk miso, mirin, soy sauce (or tamari), ginger and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl until smooth.

4.Place salmon fillets, skin-side down, in the prepared pan. Brush generously with the miso mixture. Broil salmon, 3 to 4 inches from the heat source, until opaque in the center, 6 to 8 minutes.

5.Transfer the salmon to warmed plates and garnish with the reserved sesame seeds, scallions and cilantro (or parsley).

Recipe is adapted from The Essential EatingWell Cookbook, 2004.

Strawberry Smoothie for Breakfast and Smoothie Cake for Tea Time

It doesn't have to be mother's day to remind our loved ones how much we appreciate them. This Sunday grab mom's favorite magazines and make her a healthy smoothie or a fruit platter for breakfast. And if you have leftover smoothies or fruits  incorporate them into the following cake recipe and serve it with tea for a great afternoon snack.

Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen (or 6 fresh) strawberries

1 medium banana, cut into 1 inch pieces (preferably frozen)

1 cup vanilla rice milk, or soy milk or low fat milk

1/3 cup orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons honey (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth.

Spontaneous Smoothie Cake

The following cake recipe is not a conventional one; it is the outcome of  my efforts to use leftover smoothies and fruit platters. Why not enjoy the fruits and leftover smoothies in a different form? Re-using is better for the environment than recycling, of course you can compost your leftover fruits but here is a better way to use them. I know when baking exact measurements are very important, but depending on the amount of fruit or smoothie you have, you can adjust the amount of flour. The batter should  not be too watery or too thick.  The goal for this cake is to re-use leftover nutrient rich fruits, the cake will be moist with a pleasing fruity flavor.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 eggs

1/2 honey or 1 cup sugar

leftover fruits approx. 1 1/2 cup (I had sliced banana, orange, strawberry, and pineapple)

leftover smoothie1 or 1/2 cup (any type)

1 tsp vanilla extract (use only pure vanilla extract to avoid added corn syrup)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 cup canola oil

1/3 cup walnuts or sliced almonds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour one 9x13 inch pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon set aside. If you are using fruits or both fruits and smoothie put them into a blender with honey, sugar, vanilla and oil blend all the ingredients for 1 min.

2. Add the fruit mixture in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with fruit mixture, beating just to combine. Finally, stir in walnuts and dried cranberries. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Strawberry Glaze

If you like you can add a touch of strawberry glaze made with fresh strawberries with no added butter and corn syrup just the flavor of fresh strawberries.  

Ingredients:
2 cups ripe strawberries, washed and hulled
1/3 cup agave nectar (1/2 cup or sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water*
1 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

Crush the strawberries and place in a saucepan with sugar, water, salt and cornstarch. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly as it thicken it will turn clearer. Cool slightly before serve.

If you don't have cornstarch at home you can just add 3 tablespoons vanilla pudding. You don't need to add agave nectar if you are using vanilla pudding.

Artichokes!! You either love them or you just haven’t had a great one yet! / Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms (Zeytinyagli Enginar)

It's peak artichoke season, if you love artichokes but hate cleaning them continue reading. The best thing about this recipe is that not only it tastes great, it is also very easy to make.

Ingredients:
6 fresh artichoke bottoms, cleaned
If you don't want to spend time with cleaning fresh ones:
1 pack of frozen artichoke bottoms,
or
2 cans of artichoke bottoms
1/2 pound green peas
2 medium carrots, petite diced (I used 1 pound frozen mixed peas and carrots)
1 small potato petite diced
1 onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 bunch dill, chopped (you can also use dried dill if you don't have the fresh dill)*

Directions:

1. Mix onions, peas, carrots, sugar, salt, and 1/4 bunch of dill in a bowl.
2. If you are using canned artichokes drain and rinse well. If using frozen thaw according to package directions then place the artichokes facing up in a broad pan.
3. Cover the artichokes with stuffing. Do not actually try to stuff them, just put the stuffing in the pot and cover the artichokes.
4. Mix olive oil, sugar and water and pour over the artichokes.
5. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn on low for another 25-30 minutes
6. Garnish with dill and serve when it is cold with lemon juice on top. I strongly suggest making this dish ahead since it tastes even better the next day!

* Dill is the must have ingredient in this recipe, it just doesn't taste complete without it, if you don't have fresh dill at home, either use dried ones or have another trip to grocery store, it is worth it.

Quick Mixed Berry Topping

You can also serve this topping over angel food cake or Greek-style yogurt. (Recipe is adapted from EatingWell Magazine March/April 2008)

Got Quinoa? Turkish Tabbouleh (Kısır) with Quinoa

Quinoa is a recently rediscovered ancient "grain" once considered "the gold of the Incas." Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. These amino acid-rich seeds are not only very nutritious, but also very delicious. Cooked quinoa seeds are fluffy and creamy, yet slightly crunchy. They have a delicate, somewhat nutty flavor. You can serve this dish as a salad, appetizer or light summertime meal.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups cold water

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp pepper paste

1/2 cup olive oil

2-3 green onions, finely chopped

1 small red onion, petite diced

1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 large tomato, diced

1 cucumber, petite diced

2 tbsp pomegranate syrup*

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp mint flakes

juice of 1 lemon

Romain lettuce leaves

Directions:

1.Soak the quinoa for 15 min - 1/2 hour in it's cooking pot. Soaking helps quinoa to cook evenly, and loosens up the outer coating of saponin, which can give a bitter taste if not removed. If you don't have time for a longer soaking, use hot water and soak for five minutes

2.To Rinse: Stir the quinoa with your hand, and carefully pour off the rinsing water, using a fine mesh strainer at the last. Drain quinoa well in the strainer, transfer to the cooking pot, add 1 1/2 cups water & 1/2 tsp salt if desired.

3.Bring to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and turn the heat down to simmer cook for 15 minutes.

4. Remove quinoa from heat and allow to sit five minutes with the lid on. When cooking is complete, you will notice that the grains have become translucent, and the white germ has partially detached itself, appearing like a white-spiraled tail. If you desire the quinoa to have a nuttier flavor, you can dry roast it before cooking; to dry roast, place it in a skillet over medium-low heat and stir constantly for five minutes.

5. Put tomato and pepper paste in a big bowl and melt them with boiling hot water. Add the quiono into this mix. Stir once. Fluff quinoa gently with a fork.

6. Add pepper flakes, ground pepper, cumin, mint flakes, oil, pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, and red onion. Mix well. At this point taste to see if it needs more lemon juice.

7. Add tomatoes, spring onions, cucumber, and parsley. Mix gently and serve on a lettuce bed.

*Traditionally Kisir (Turkish Tabbouleh) is made with Bulgur. It is very delicious with bulgur also. If you want to try this recipe the traditional way use 2 cups of fine Bulgur and 2 cups of hot water instead of Quiona and skip the steps 1-4 above. Instead pour the tomato and pepper paste mix into bulgur. Stir and cover with a thick kitchen towel and let it soak the water for 10-15 minutes. Then repeat the steps six and seven.

If you don't have Pomegranate Syrup at home you can make your own, or you can find it online, I strongly suggest to make your own, it is not only great for this recipe it also makes a great salad dressing. If you decide not to use pomegranate syrup in this recipe increase the amount of lemon juice.

Pomegranate Syrup or Molasses

Ingredients

4 cups pomegranate juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

For Syrup: Place the pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice in a 4-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture has reduced to 1 1/2 cups, approximately 50 minutes. It should be the consistency of syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

For Molasses: Place the pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice in a 4-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture has reduced to 1 cup, approximately 70 minutes. It should be the consistency of thick syrup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool completely before covering and storing in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. (Recipe for Pomegranate Syrup-Molasses is adapted from Alton Brown for original molasses recipe go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pomegranate-syrup-or-molasses-recipe/index.html)

Very Berry Smoothie

Increase your daily intake of fruits with one easy drink, it takes less than 3 min. to make this smoothie. A healthy breakfast smoothie is a well-rounded fuel to power you through your day. It can also take the place of dessert or an afternoon snack. The secret to a great tasting smoothie is using frozen fruit which will yield thicker, more flavorful results. Not only is frozen fruit cheaper, frozen food has just as much if not more nutritional value than the "fresh"fruit you find on the shelves. This is because frozen fruits such as blueberries and strawberries are picked at their peak of freshness, while most fruit sold in stores is picked way before it's ripe so it doesn't expire before reaching the store shelves. Less time to ripen means less time to be fully enriched with all the nutrients that nature provides during the ripening process.

Ingredients:

1 small banana

1/2 cup soy milk

1 scoop soy protein (unflovared-unsweetened)

1/2 cup frozen unsweetened berries (rasperry, blackberry, strawberry)

1/3 pomegranate juice

1/3 crushed ice

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender.

2. Blend for about 10 seconds or until all ingredients are smooth

3. Enjoy!