Cauliflower Fried Rice with Spring Veggies and Chives

Weekday dinner just got exciting in a big way. If you like Chinese food you are going to love this healthy version of Fried Rice. It has all of the yummy components of traditional Fried Rice minus the rice. 

Rice is most likely a pantry staple in most homes used as a starchy side next to or with veggies and meat of some sort or as a 'filler' for a vegetarian meal. Debatably, rice, especially processed white rice really isn't a healthy food to eat and has several downfalls to it's few qualities. For instance, and I'll keep it super short so I don't bore you (more than I already am?) white rice has been waaaay over processed and completely stripped of any nutritional value, enough so that the FDA requires that it be "enriched" or "fortified" with vitamins and minerals.

Brown rice while a healthier option for it's vitamin content and fiber still has a few concerning negative qualities so I eat it vary rarely if at all any more.  Why?  Brown rice is very good at naturally 'leeching' non organic arsenic, found in pesticides and insecticides from the soil and water and is absorbed by rice as it grows. The inorganic form of arsenic, a toxin known to cause liver, lung, kidney and bladder cancer. I found this out when I tried substituting brown rice syrup for sugar several years ago and did some research. A lot of research. 

All rice, grains and nuts have large amounts of phytic acid in them. 

Phytic acid, the storage form of phosphorus,  is one of those pesky “anti-nutrients” the Paleo community keeps telling you to avoid. It’s often considered an anti-nutrient because it  binds minerals in the digestive tract, making them less available to our bodies. 

The process that produces brown rice removes only the outermost layer, the hull, of the rice kernel and is the least damaging to its nutritional value. The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. Fully milled and polished white rice is required to be "enriched" with vitamins B1, B3 and iron. 

Buuttt......... 


White rice doesn't contain the phytate and trypsin inhibitor content of the less-milled brown rice and if you cook it properly (which neutralizes the haemagglutinin-lectin) you don’t have much to worry about as far as an anti-nutrient perspective. 

The debate goes on.... if you're interested in that sort of thing. 


Listen, eating rice is not going to kill you, quickly...... just kidding. However, I for one have decided that it's pretty much a super bland, super starchy (yeah, your body does need some starch to survive but there's starch in healthier foods out there) not so healthy food/filler to eat therefore, not worth it. 

Decide for yourself, I'm no expert. 

What I DO know for a fact is that eating more vegetables is a good thing. I for one can not get enough of them. Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies although if you told me I would say that when I was 10 I would have thought you were craze-E! I've been using cauliflower in lots of dishes like these Chipotle Cheddar Poppers,  Buffalo Cauliflower 'wings' and even as a healthy, gluten free pizza crust!

It's really hard to tell that this is not rice, especially with a little bit of Tamari sprinkled on top but you can taste cauliflower so if your a hater this dish might not be for you. However, my kids never raised a skeptical eyebrow and happily gobbled this Cauliflower Fried Rice up.

TIME     30 MINUTES        SERVES    6

1 medium head of cauliflower, leaves removed and chopped

1 cup mixed frozen vegetables, rinsed and drained

1 small red bell pepper, diced into small pieces

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sesame oil (for frying the cauliflower and egg)

4 large Organic, free range brown eggs, whisked

1 tablespoon Kevala Organic Toasted Sesame Oil

Organic, Wheat free Tamari sauce (optional)

Fresh chives, chopped

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. 

In a large food processor or powerful blender, place half of the cauliflower florets. Pulse several times until you have a rice like consistency. Be careful not to over process or you will have mush! Scoop cauliflower 'rice' into a bowl and set aside. Do this to the remaining cauliflower. 

Pour sesame oil (not the toasted kind) into the hot skillet. Dump the cauliflower carefully into the skillet and spread it out evenly over the pan tossing to cover with the oil. Let it sit for a few minutes to brown and release some moisture. Add the red bell pepper toss once or twice and let it continue to 'fry'.  

Add the rinsed and drained veggies, stir to combine. 

Meanwhile,  heat a non stick pan over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil (not toasted) to pan and swirl to coat. Pour in the eggs. Using a silicone spatula push the eggs towards the center of the pan working your way around. Let them sit for 1 minute then repeat, pushing them towards the center of the pan working your way around. Do not overcook the eggs! You want them to be undercooked and slightly runny.  

Add the toasted sesame oil to the cauliflower, store to combine. Pour the eggs into the cauliflower and quickly fold them into the mixture cooking just 1-2 minutes more until eggs are just done. Remove from heat, serve in bowls piping hot. Garnish with tamari and chives.

resources 

Precision Nutrition

Fit Bomb

Spring Pea and Pistachio Pasta with Ricotta #SundaySuppers

Simplicity is what I think of for Mother's Day. Simple, home made gifts from my children made from the heart. Hugs and kisses and I love you's first thing in the morning served with oddly shaped pancakes on a platter next to a flower picked from the garden.  note to self: we need a garden.

Also, I like to remind myself how lucky I am to have three mothers in my life each of them special to me in very unique ways. My own mom who has lived with me for most of my adult life has taught me by devoted example how to live a very natural lifestyle and has always been there to help watch our children and love them (sometimes I'm sure they love her more than me ;) She is my constant friend, companion and shoulder to cry on. 

My step mom who married my dad when I was at the tempered age of 15 loves me despite those first few years of resentment, anger and the confusion of divorce and joining two large families into one. I've grown to know her as a true friend and someone I look up to and love for her sweet and understanding spirit.

My mother in law, well we have different ways of thinking at times, both of us strong willed and opinionated. She values family first and foremost and is a dedicated mother and wife. We have grown to understand and respect each other in most ways and it is a relationship I look forward to growing. Mostly, I love her for raising a man I love beyond words. 


Simplicity in all things for Mother's day is what I look forward to the most. Breakfast in bed, a clean house that I had nothing to do with and a simple dinner we can sit down to and enjoy as a family. This simple pasta was creamy and light with one of my favorite fresh herbs, tarragon to add just a touch of unpretentious flavor. 


You could add any vegetables to make this more substantial, summer zucchini, sweet peppers, mushrooms. Chicken, diced ham, shrimp or crab would also go well in this dish.

Ingredients

1 cup roasted unsalted pistachio nuts (buy them in their shell, if possible)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 small handful of fresh tarragon leaves

1/3 cup grated good quality Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

a pinch of sea salt

6 oz whole grain pasta

zest of 1 large lemon

a squeeze of lemon juice

Put the first 6 ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse till nuts are finely ground. 

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until is is just al dente. Drain water from pasta reserving a few tablespoons and set aside.  

Pour pasta into a large serving bowl. Grate in the zest of the lemon, and add a squeeze of the juice. Toss the pasta with the pistachio mixture adding a tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water if too dry. Add most of the ricotta to the hot pasta until creamy and well coated. Spoon in additional small spoonfuls of ricotta for texture and extra bits of creamy goodness. Spoon pasta into bowls, serve with freshly ground cracked pepper and Garnish with tarragon sprigs.

This is my very first Sunday Supper post and I couldn't be more excited! There is a growing number of fantastic bloggers who commit to share a common value of families eating together at the table each and every Sunday. I have been in a blogging 'rut' for the last several months asking myself why exactly I put in the time that I do towards blogging when it doesn't seem to reach the masses or make a difference in the way people feel about healthy eating. I hope Sunday Suppers will help me continue to reach my goal of 'Family First' and "Healthy Habits'. 

I want to thank my friend Liz of 'That Skinny Chick Can Bake' for hosting this weeks Sunday Supper. I've been a follower of her blog for, well ever! If you haven't yet, please visit her site for creative and mouthwatering desserts and more. She's a real sweetheart.


Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our http://pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/sundaysupper/">#SundaySupper Pinterest board
for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Tuna and White Bean Cakes with Shaved Spring Asparagus and a Light, Lemon Tarragon Sauce {gluten free}

Question.  How do you make crab cakes when you're craving them like nobodies business but you   a.) don't have any crab and  b.) are on a budget? 

Answer.  You doll up some tuna with fresh herbs, lemon and shaved asparagus, dip it by the forkful with no shame into a tangy lemon, tarragon yogurt sauce and wash it down with a glass of Pinot Grigio.


Delima averted.





Then, just to gloat, you tell yourself that you are being super health conscience because you ate a practically perfect meal by utilizing the antioxidants in the wine and gave your body a good dose of healthy Omega 3's which are hard to come by these days, thereby forgetting all about the fact that you aren't  in fact  having crab cakes.  Pssshhhh, who needs em?

These tuna cakes are easy enough for a Monday night dinner -- or in my case a Tuesday night dinner. Tuesday's, without fail, are the crazy busiest Orthopedic days in surgery for some reason. Coincidentally (or not) it's also when people tend to call in sick, have some sort of emergency or just decide to spend the day soaking up the Spring sunshine (I would choose option 3 but I'm too chicken to make it happen).


This particular Tuesday provided to be all of the above plus an added curve ball. Seeing as we were short staffed (more than usual) I didn't get to work with the Ortho Doc who I usually assist during Makoplasty surgeries. Instead, I ended up doing total hips and knees with a Dr. I hardly ever work with meaning I couldn't rely on my "Auto Pilot" and had to use my memory/mommy brain instead....  at least until my coffee kicked in.... around noon. Not good.


My point,  I am mentally and physically and in all other ways exhausted on most every Tuesday. These tuna cakes are just a tad bit more complicate that spaghetti and meatballs or in our house, spaghetti and Italian sausage. You get the point. They are super easy to throw together.


A few chopped veggies and herbs thrown in a bowl with an egg and a can of tuna and you have yourself a  not so  fancy meal.

How can you not add asparagus to every meal during the Spring? Wait, am I the only one who worships this gorgeous veggie? No wonder since it's cousins are onion and garlic! 

I pulse a bit more than half of the white beans in my food processor and reserve some to add texture. 

Instead of using bread crumbs which you already know are high in gluten and cause bloating, stomach fat and various other ailments, I used finely chopped veggies and green onion and  nutritional yeast to bind the ingredients together. As you can see, they formed patties quite nicely.

If I had to pick one one of my top 3 favorite kitchen tools, my stone baking pan would and will be on the list forever! It browns veggie patties quickly and evenly using NO added oil and cleans by scraping with a spatula and hot water. Good bye fryer! 

{If you are at all interested in purchasing a stone baking sheet or any of my other favorite kitchen gadgets or ingredients, please consider buying through Simply Healthy Family's 'Store' and help support this blog. It's very much appreciated!} 

Using a simple veggie peeler, shave thin strips of asparagus and pile on top of your cooked tuna cakes. There is no need to cook or even blanch the asparagus, it tastes amazing when shaved into such thin strips and pairs perfectly with these tuna cakes. In fact, I found myself nibbling on my pile of curled asparagus while admiring the beautiful purple and green of my favorite vegetable.

Oh, you'll want to cut off the very tips of the asparagus, the spear, and save it for tomorrows salad or stir fry. The tips don't shave well but are conveniently most peoples favorite part.

This light and tangy dressing is the key to these tuna cakes.  I must admit that however healthy and flavorful they are, tuna cakes as well as any other fish cake are a bit dry without some sort of sauce to jazz it up. It makes a mundane meal extraordinary.

Crab cakes usually come with some version of aioli paired with them not only to compliment the flavors, but to add moisture. My tuna cakes are no exception. Instead of aioli, which base is mayo (if you know me, I can't stand mayo) I made a thick and creamy yogurt lemon-tarragon sauce to spoon on top of my cakes.  Not sure which I ate more of, the tuna cakes or the sauce.

TIME    30 MINUTES        SERVES    4-6

INGREDIENTS

2, 6 oz cans of Chunk Light Tuna, drained

1 cup cooked (or 1 can, drained and rinsed) cannellini beans

1 lemon, juiced 

2 eggs

1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced

2 tablespoons green onion, finely diced

1/4 cup carrot, grated finely (optional, adds sweetness)

2 tablespoons green onion, finely diced

 4 asparagus spears (tips removed and saved for future use) 

2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

1 tablespoon dried Tarragon

salt and pepper to taste

 1 cup Greek yogurt 

1 lemon (from above) zested

1 tablespoon dried Tarragon

pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 400F

In a food processor, pulse 3/4 of the beans until smooth. Spoon beans into a large bowl and add remaining whole beans. Add tuna, eggs, lemon, bell pepper, onion, nutritional yeast, tarragon, salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined. 

Using hands, shape mixture into small patties and place onto stone baking sheet or parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 400F for 10 minutes. Flip patties over and cook another5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare lemon tarragon sauce by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl. 

Shave asparagus as instructed above. 

Remove tuna patties from oven and place on plate.  Dollop with lemon, tarragon sauce and top with shaved asparagus.

Serve with a side of mixed Spring field greens and chilled Pinot Grigio.

Healthy Tips and Recipes for Families from Ellen Briggs of Family Food Experts & Kid Critics #WorldHealthDay

As a mom of 4 I know all about picky eaters! I totally get the time, effort, dedication and enormous amount of patience it takes to get kids to eat a variety of healthy foods. While I sometimes "sneak" healthy foods into our meals I much prefer to have fruits and vegetables openly visible on our plates so that my children can recognize them and eventually, hopefully have a better appreciation and knowledge about what healthy foods are. We are trying to raise health minded adults after all. 

So when I was contacted by Ellen Briggs, founder of Family Food Experts and author of several books geared towards families eating and being healthy I was excited to share some of the fun ideas and great tips with all of you. For instance, we all know that smell has a lot to do with how we perceive and even taste foods but did you know that you can easily remove the strong odors that many sulfuric veggies naturally have? 

How to REDUCE NASTY SULFUR SMELLS: Do your kids run away every time you cook broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage or brussel sprouts? Reduce their offensive odors by adding a piece of stale bread or 2 celery stalks in the cooking water. 

I'm loving all of the really simple recipes, tips and games on the Family Food Experts and Kid Critics website, I hope you will add them to your reading list!


Here are 5 tips inspired by the Fuel Your Dreams^TM program to help families with small children to choose and eat healthier foods. 

Teach your kids about the connection between what they eat and drink and what happens inside their bodies. Once they learn that 100 billion neurons in their brain send thousands of messages so they can run fast, they are totally motivated to eat avocados and sweet potatoes so they can be the best they can be.  Kids will eat healthy foods that taste good.

Don’t make broccoli a 4-letter word.  Find ways to include fruits and vegetables in creative and varied ways, and your kids will love to experiment and add it to their menu.

Be transparent with your kids – they’re too smart.  Rather than hiding, pureeing, masking vegetables, if you prepare and present them properly, kids will embrace vegetables and create healthy, lifelong habits.

You become what you eat and drink.  However, kids need a reason to eat healthy food beyond “your mom said so.”  So, for example, if a kid wants to be an NFL football player (a popular choice among boys) or a veterinarian (the number one pick among girls surveyed), educate them on what specific foods can “fuel their body for success.”

Don’t “dumb it down.”  Kids are critical thinkers (love to ask and understand the “why”); they love to vote (power); and they appreciate being heard. Further, kids are egocentric, focused primarily on their own desires. Once kids understand WHY nutrition fuels success, they will crave it.

The Family Food Experts^TM team is dedicated to providing healthier food solutions that kids love to eat so they can become the best they can be.  The team developed the Kid Kritics Approved^TMSeal as a way to make food purchasing and meal preparation easier for families by identifying foods that are “kid approved” that also pass firm ingredient standards.  

Fuel Your Dreams^TM uses a variety of educational and online tools to motivate kids to want to eat healthier so they can optimize their potential, and empowers parents to understand that kids will eat healthy foods as long as they taste good.

Founder Ellen Briggs authored “Are Your Kids Running on Empty?” and “Mom, I’m Hungry.  What’s for Dinner?”  Briggs hosts the "Family Food Experts TM Kitchen" radio show, and along with co-host Carolina Lima Jantac, MS, RD, LD, and Manager of Healthier Recipe Moms, hosts “Better Food Choices,” both found on iHeartRadio.  Briggshas been featured on Fox and Friends and on NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, and more. 

Some of my favorite recipes that get kids to eat their veggies:



Bubble and Squeak has yummy brussel sprouts, potatoes and cheese, yum!

Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos with South Western Black Beans are one of my kids favorite dinners.

Almost Meatless Sloppy Joe's

Baked Parmesan Eggplant Dippers

Share your tips and tricks on getting kids to eat healthier.

What is your child's favorite veggie? 

How do you incorporate veggies into your family's diet?

Quinoa Spring Pilaf

Fresh, raw Spring veggies are tossed with rainbow quinoa for this quick and tangy 

citrus infused pilaf.  

It's beautiful and breezy here in Phoenix and totally tank top and flip flop weather!  Hooray!  Time to get a plan in action to take advantage of every minute of this 80 degree weather in the Valley of the Sun before triple digit scorching weather is here and it's our turn to be locked up inside.  Instead of being freezed in, we will be rubbing ice cubes on our necks, faces pressed close to a rotating fan.






Step 1. Get a pedicure and buy three new pairs of cute flip flops and two new pairs of sexy sandals (yes there's a difference).

Step 2. Purchase a new pair of Rock Star shades and sit by the pool to put some color back on your fish belly white arms and legs!

Step 3. Attend as many Spring training baseball games as possible while sporting your new semi-tanned bod.

{note to self: try not to gain 5 lbs this year eating Brats and drinking beer at aforementioned baseball games}

Step 4. Start making fresh, raw whenever possible meals using all of your favorite Spring veggies that are back in season!

Step 5. Try not to cry when swim suit shopping this year. We are going to eat healthier, exercise more and be even sexier bitches than we are right now!

Step 6. Go hiking every day before it reaches 115 degrees, lift weights, feel awesome!

I will in all honesty be eating this salad several times a week. I'm not one for eating the same thing over and over seeing as that I love trying new foods in new combinations but this one, this one's a keeper! Nothing beats simple + healthy + delicious.

recipe adapted from alexandra cooks

TIME    20 MINUTES        SERVES    4

Ingredients 

1 cup rainbow quinoa

1 cup **fresh fava beans (if not in season use frozen lima beans)

1 cup walnuts, chopped

4 to 5 scallions or spring onions, rinsed, trimmed and finely sliced

8 to 10 radishes, thinly sliced

kosher salt and pepper to taste

2 lemons, juiced

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or walnut oil)

Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve and rinse thoroughly  under cold water to remove the naturally "soapy film".  Add quinoa and fresh fava beans, lower heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is just absorbed. Remove from heat. Place in a large bowl to cool.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the walnuts, scallions, radishes, olive oil and lemon juice to the bowl. Toss to combine. If you prefer it a bit tangier like I do, add a tablespoon of champagne vinegar or more lemon.

**I personally do not eat soy beans because they are a GMO (genetically modified organism) which some studies  have shown to cause several health risks and complications, for me personally, they caused me to have pre-menopausal symptoms. Since genetic engineering means modifications of genes, and genes are the blueprint for making proteins, GE foods tend to make proteins not naturally found in their chemical structure. Many adverse reactions to food involve immune system response to proteins, and it would be logical to expect more of these adverse reactions in the case of GE foods.

sources

World's Healthiest Foods

Tex Mex Chicken and Rice with Bacon

Living in a house with picky eaters is really cramping my style.

My oldest son, who is now 19 (yeah, I'm old) loved spicy foods even when he was in diapers! I'll never forget the time we took a day trip up to Flagstaff, Az. when he was 6 years old and the pressure from his stuffy nose/sinuses got the better of him from the quick rise in elevation. My tough little guy was holding back sobs in pain. We pulled over in some little town in between Phoenix and Flagstaff and found a small, rickety Mexican Food joint {the best ones always are}. We sat on the small patio on fold out chairs and planned to order something quick while Britton had a chance to hopefully 'decompress'.

 The waiter/owner couldn't help but notice Britton, then a handsome young boy holding his head in pain (yes we had already tried a decongestant). He say's with a snap of his fingers

"I have just the thing for you mi amigo!"

A moment later, he was back with a very small, carefully held bowl of dark red, thin salsa (picante). Warily, yet somehow smugly, he placed it in front of my then 6 year old son. "This will solve your problem right away, but slowly o.k.!? 

Jim and I exchanged quick, nervous glances while my son, without hesitation, dove right in with a tortilla chip and shoveled a huge scoop of the liquid fire directly into his little mouth. His face just noticeably flinched in pain. He quickly gained his composure and while his eyes still wide in surprise, wiped his now runny nose and went back in for more. 

It couldn't be all that hot then right? My husband and I who are both Natives to Arizona (me by default) are not only used to spicy foods but require it in Mexican food and beyond. We both took a generous taste from the small bowl and immediately we were both teary eyed and gasping for air. That is some serious salsa!

To which the just returned waiter replies, "Well, I don't just put this out for anyone!"  My son, then requested a second bowl. My son.

My younger children on the other hand can't handle the ittiest bit of spice or most flavors other than cheese for that matter. This has created a serious cramp in my cooking style I tell you.
Seriously, serious.

How am I supposed to make Mexican food, a favorite cuisine of ours without loads of spiciness in it?

How am I supposed to make a Tex Mex Chicken Arroz without it having a kick to it?!!!

Initiation on! Someones gotta toughen up these kids. ;)

Oh, did I mention the best part about this meal (besides the stuffing into your face part?) It's a ONE POT meal my friends! Awww yeah!

Ingredients

4-6 boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of most of the fat

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup light beer such as Dos Equis Amber (or more broth or water)

1/2 cup of your favorite salsa (I love Safeway's brand, restaurant style Fire Roasted Salsa)

2 cups long grain rice

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 small yellow onion

1 medium red bell pepper

1 can black beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained

1 can sweet kernel corn, drained

1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

Avocado and cilantro for garnish

Using  ye old  spatula-tong method, cook bacon in a large, Dutch oven in batches so as not to over crowd. Remove and let drain on paper towels carefully draining the grease into an old can between each batch. Set aside for later. 

In a small food processor, finely chop onion and bell pepper. 

Reserve a tablespoon of the bacon fat and leave it in pan. Add chicken thighs and cook 2-3 minutes on each side to brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion and peppers to the pan and stir. Cook 5 minutes till translucent, stirring only once or twice.  

This is my favorite part, pour either the beer or about 1/2 cup of the broth into the pan while scraping of the browned bits with a spatula (don't use a metal one on a Dutch oven).  Now, add the tomato paste and using a slotted spatula stir it around the pot to combine it with veggies.  

Add the remaining chicken broth, salsa, rice and chicken thighs to the pot. Stirring to combine. Cook over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally. Add beans and corn, stir. Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Cook undisturbed for 20 minutes. Remove from heat let sit for 10-15 minutes if possible. 

Remove lid, fluff with a fork. 

Serve piping hot on plates with crumbled bacon on top. Garnish with avocado slices and cilantro. Serve with an ice cold beer. 

I entered this recipe into the Foodie Blogroll contest: 1,2,3 Cook and Snap on Facebook and it would make my day if you voted for me!!!

Roasted Cauliflower Florets with Sweet Curried Quinoa

Can we just talk for a minute about how hard it is to motivate myself to get anything at all done right now? Honestly, all I want to do is be outside and soak up the warm, perfect Arizona sun in all of its perfect glory. I realize most of the Country is struggling through a nasty winter at the moment and I'm sorry to rub it in your face, I don't mean to. I'm more than grateful for the gorgeous weather we have here in Phoenix and I mean to take advantage of  every single second of the sun basking, pool side lounging, Chardonnay sipping Spring we have been blessed with. Feel free to come visit us anytime (except June-August which pretty much sucks and it's your turn for bragging).


We've been either eating out (on patios of course), ordering in or making super simple, throw together lunches and dinners so as not to waste any time stuffed up indoors. I've come to terms with my laziness and in fact prefer to call it embracing and enjoying the present. Perspective people.

Make this when you are craving something simple, sweet and savory all at the same time. Don't forget the raisins, Yum! The end. 

recipe source  Cookie and Kate

SERVES     4        PREP TIME    10        COOK TIME    30

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or olive oil

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch sea salt

Curried Quinoa and Greens

2 teaspoons melted coconut oil or olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon curry powder of choice (optional)

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk

½ cup water

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander

⅓ cup raisins

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

4 cups baby spinach, baby kale, chard or arugula

 red pepper flakes to taste

Roast the cauliflower: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cauliflower florets with oil, cayenne p and a light sprinkle of sea salt. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes on the middle rack, turning halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and golden on the edges.

Cook the quinoa:

In a large pot warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently, 3- 5 minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, curry powder and cardamom and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, water, rinsed quinoa and raisins. Bring the mixture to a soft boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Stir in the salt, vinegar and greens. Spoon quinoa into bowls over roasted cauliflower. Add red pepper flakes to your taste.