My Plant-Based Family

Feeding My Family a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet, On a Budget

quinoa salad

Quinoa Recipe Roundup

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Last week at Healthy Cravings I talked all about Quinoa. I was making a list of recipes to send out to the participants when I realized I needed a Quinoa Pinterest Board. Now I’m able to save all of my quinoa recipes in one place.

Quinoa Recipes

I don’t want to miss out on your favorite recipes too! Leave a comment with your favorite recipes so I can Pin them!

My Favorite Quinoa Recipes

Quinoa-Lentil Tacos

1. Quinoa-Lentil Tacos are my favorite way to eat tacos! They taste great in crunchy taco shells or in a giant veggie filled burrito.

Quinoa seasoned for Tacos

2. Quinoa Taco “Meat” comes a close second. It is perfect for people who can’t eat lentils and is easy to mix up using leftover quinoa.

Quinoa-Squash Salad

3. Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad is a great salad for fall and winter. Seasonal veggies can be substituted once your squash is gone.

Lemony Quinoa wraps final 3

4. Light and Lemony Quinoa Salad is perfect for warm weather or anyone wanting a filling but not heavy meal. This is a great wrap to fuel your workout. I ditch the wrap and serve this in a bowl for my 2 year old. He is a veggie lover and loves quinoa.

Summer Berry breakfast quinoa HT1

5. Summer Berry Breakfast Quinoa can be made any time of year. I usually keep frozen berries in the freezer but when I’m out I just substitute diced apples. My boys beg for quinoa all the time. The 4 year old always means “breakfast quinoa” because he likes it sweetened.

6. Chickpea Quinoa Stir Fry was a family favorite, thanks in part to the fresh pineapple that really made it great. After we found out about my sons pineapple allergy we switched to nectarines or leaving pineapple on the side and adding it to the individual plates.

I also love to add quinoa to soups, stir fry’s and casseroles. Many people even add it to their smoothies. I have lots of other quinoa recipes in the works.

What are your favorite Plant-Based quinoa recipes? Leave a comment below so I can pin them to my new Quinoa Pinterest Board.

Virtual Vegan Potluck: Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad

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Welcome to My Plant-Based Family and the Virtual Vegan Potluck. Today over 100 bloggers are joining forces to entice you with delicious vegan recipes. I signed up to bring a salad. I chose to incorporate two seasonal flavors, butternut squash and fresh cranberries.

If you want to start at the very beginning of the potluck go to Vegan Bloggers Unite! There are buttons at the bottom of this recipe you can follow to progress through the potluck.

Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad with Oil-Free Cranberry Dressing

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 Ingredients for Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad 1 serving (dressing recipe below)

  • 2-3 cups of your favorite salad greens
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup roasted or steamed butternut squash
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 2 Tbsp dried cranberries
  • 1/4 of an onion

Do

  1. Cut onions into rings and cook in a hot skillet, stirring regularly until onions are crispy.
  2. In a medium bowl mix cooked quinoa, squash and cranberries together and carefully stir in grated ginger.
  3. Spoon quinoa mixture over fresh greens. Top with cooked onions and oil-free cranberry dressing.
  4. If desired toss everything together.

Tip: My husband prefers this salad without the onion, feel free to leave it out.

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Oil-Free Cranberry Salad Dressing

Ingredients (2-4 servings)

  • 1/4 cup fresh cranberries
  • 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • zest from 1 orange
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp xanthum gum

Do

  1. Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor (I used my Magic Bullet) and process until everything is smooth.
  2. Taste and add more maple syrup if it is to tart or add more water or juice if dressing is too thick.

Tip: If you don’t have xanthum gum you can get away without it if you do not add the water. The dressing will be more tart and thinner but works great in a tossed salad. You could also add a little corn starch instead.

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In previous potlucks I’ve brought Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins, Gluten-Free Apple Muffins and a Lentil Shepherds Pie. If you are just stopping in today for the potluck feel free to look around, maybe checkout my Recipe Page. It is full of Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes that are oil-free and mostly Gluten-Free.

You can go backward in the potluck to 86 Lemons by clicking the Go Back button below; or journey forward to In Fine Balance by clicking the Go Forward button.

 

Meal Plan Monday: Feeling Good

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I am in a super good mood this morning! I’m so happy that it might be annoying if you were around me, I am feeling good! Part of the reason may be that I finally feel like I am back to normal from our trip, (I’m almost done whining about the trip, well maybe) it sure took a toll. I am still finding myself drinking a little too much caffeine, but too much for me is still less average for the normal person. 🙂 

The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not on our circumstances. We carry the seeds of the one or the other about with us in our minds wherever we go. –Martha Washington

Last week I made my fist attempt at gluten-free vegan baking getting ready for the Virtual Vegan Potluck on May 12th. I’m happy to say it turned out pretty good and I’m planning to try another recipe in the next day or two.  

Meal Plan

Breakfast will be Breakfast Rice (like Breakfast Quinoa but made with brown rice), Fruit and Nut Butter toast, oatmeal, and leftover gluten-free pancakes.

Lunch will be leftovers, spinach and veggie wraps, sandwiches and whatever else we get a hankering for.

Snacks are usually fruit, smoothies, veggies with hummus or gluten-free banana-blueberry bread.

Dinner

Monday: Hawaiian Chickpea Teriyaki from Lindsey at the Happy Herbivore.

Tuesday: Gluten-free pasta with steamed veggies, and sauce

Wednesday: International Quinoa Salad from Susan at Fat-Free Vegan.

Thursday: Black Bean Burgers or nuggets for the kids, potatoes, and avocado. 

Friday: Leftovers or something easy for the munchkins. 

Saturday is the Virtual Vegan Potluck! Make sure you visit and checkout delicious vegan recipes from all over the world!