Kale, Quinoa & Asparagus

 I had some extra asparagus laying around a few weeks ago, so I decided to make a kale and quinoa dish and add some! I settled on a spicy version of this dish so to give it a little extra kick. It got great reviews from those who tried it. One thing that was said was that the spicyness really doesn’t kick you in the face. It is more the perfect amount of spicyness to make things interesting. If you’re looking for a great side dish for dinner tonight look no further![amd-yrecipe-recipe:221]

Kale, Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

 I love experimenting with kale, quinoa and sweet potatoes. There are just so many different ways you can prepare them! And almost all of them are super tasty. This recipe is no exception. I’ve used a lot of fresh herbs which lends the recipe a brighter quality. While you certainly don’t need to use fresh herbs, I highly suggest it if you happen to have them on hand.This dish is very much on the savory side. I personally love the combination of thyme and nutmeg in a dish together. However, Alex doesn’t like nutmeg at all so this wasn’t his favorite dish in the world. Since this dish has both quinoa and sweet potato it is very hearty. If you would like a lighter dish you can leave one of them out.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:164]

Spicy Kale and Quinoa

After my savory kale and quinoa recipe Alex decided I needed to come up with a spicier version, one that he would enjoy. Well I came up with this one and he told me it hit the spot! He said it was just the right amount of spicy and delicious. I don’t enjoy spicy so I actually didn’t try this dish, but it got the Alex stamp of approval.This is a spicy mixture over kale greens and quinoa for some added whole grains. Since neither kale nor quinoa have any major flavor on their own, they really take a hold of whatever spices are added to the dish. This makes the perfect compliment to grilled chicken or BBQ’d ribs. Since it is gluten free anyone can enjoy this dish!  This is definitely something you need to add to your dinner rotation, you will enjoy it a lot.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:110]

Savory Kale and Quinoa

Kale was on sale again at the grocery store this week so I thought I’d try a couple new recipes! This recipe is a very savory version with plenty of kale greens and quinoa for added grains. I have a second version of this recipe going up later this week that is a spicy alternative to this.I personally love the way thyme and nutmeg work together to give a well-rounded taste. I’ve also included a little bit of white pepper and of course salt for a complex flavor combination. Alex doesn’t particularly like this combination, he says there isn’t enough spicy. So if you like spicy foods you may not enjoy this particular recipe.This recipe calls for prepared quinoa. I typically purchase organic frozen (prepared) quinoa from Trader Joe’s. I simply reheat it before adding it to this recipe. You can use reheated quinoa or you can prepare your own from the directions on the packaging.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:108]

Chicken and Quinoa Soup

I’d been wanting to try quinoa for a long time now and since it is a gluten free grain I thought it would be a fantastic addition to a soup. I’ve based this recipe on a chicken and barley soup (which isn’t gluten free) and it is just as good as the original idea.

You need to make sure to prepare your quinoa before you make the recipe. I’ve used Trader Joe’s Organic Fully Cooked (frozen) Quinoa. It was easy to prepare, I just popped it in the microwave for a few minutes then it was ready to add to the soup.

You also want to cook your chicken in advance. What I like to do is when I’m cooking chicken in the crock pot I add a few extra chicken breasts. I cook them until done then shred it. I set aside what I need for another recipe. If I’m going to use the chicken in the next week I will store it in the refrigerator. If it is going to be longer I will freeze it. This works very well. You just want to unfreeze the chicken before adding it to any recipe.

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Chicken and Quinoa Soup:32oz Chicken Broth2 Carrots (chopped)2 Celery Stalks (chopped)1 Green Onion (chopped)½ Cup Onion (diced)3 Minced Garlic Cloves14.5oz can Diced Tomatoes (drained)8oz Prepared Quinoa2 Cups Shredded Chicken1/8 Teaspoon Salt¼ Teaspoon White Pepper¼ Teaspoon Thyme1/8 Teaspoon RosemaryDash of Nutmeg

Prepare your quinoa according to the directions on the package.

Combine the chicken broth, carrot, celery, green onion, onion and tomatoes in a large dutch oven and heat until boiling.

Add the seasoning, chicken and quinoa and bring back to a boil.

Serve immediately.

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