Sometimes all Monday needs is a splash of color. This Thai Rainbow Quinoa Bowl was just the spritz of color I needed to put an extra pep in my step for the last working Monday of the year! Let that sink in for a second. Last Monday in the office. Now go ahead and give into that mental “raise the roof”. You know you wanna. In this week’s meal prep, a bed of quinoa gets a burst of color from rainbow carrots, red cabbage, curly kale and spring peas, plus a snap of satay-inspired flavor with a creamy peanut sauce. Get the lowdown on why eating the rainbow matters and sashay to that recipe below.

Take a gander at those technicolor veggies! Pretty trippy, right? Veggies are having a renaissance and now you can find carrots, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower in an array of colors that are pleasing to both the eyes and taste buds. And, it’s not just specialty stores or farmer’s markets that sell these pretty jewels. Just last week I discovered these purple Brussel sprouts at Whole Foods, the rainbow carrots at Trader Joe’s and Broccoflower (or green cauliflower) at Cermak, my (traditionally Hispanic) neighborhood grocery store.

So the question is, are these just pretty on the eyes, or is there something more to eating colorful veggies? Unlike those technicolor poinsettias this time of year, these veggies are not dyed these pretty hues. According to WebMD, they get their vivid array of coloring from phytonutrients that protect the plants, which then offer a multitude of benefits when you consume these vegetables. And according to America’s PhytoNutrient Report, 8 out of 10 Americans are falling short of almost every color in their daily diet. Wondering the benefits from each color group? Check out this blog post I wrote a few weeks ago.

Now that I’ve hopefully satisfied your visual curiosity, let’s get to tantalizing your taste buds. You’ll want to lick the spoon with this creamy peanut buttery sauce that has a hint of spice and just the right touch of sweet. It comes together in 10 minutes or less and only requires 5 simple ingredients – natural creamy peanut butter, coconut milk, coconut sugar, red curry paste and apple cider vinegar. A couple of tips: make sure to get natural peanut butter without any added emulsifiers (the kind where there is a layer of oil on the top) to get the right texture and also pick up full fat, unsweetened coconut milk in a can. Remember that your body needs a little bit of fat to digest the nutrients in these vegetables, so don’t skimp on the good stuff and watch out for added sugars that aren’t necessary.

The beauty of this recipe is that 1.) the most complex part is the sauce 2.) it will make tons of this delicious sauce, which can be used in a variety of other recipes (best dipping sauce for skewers, just sayin’) and 3.) the sauce can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks. While the sauce is simmering, you can get the quinoa going on the stove top. Make sure to always rinse the quinoa beforehand, which removes its natural coating, called saponin. This coating can otherwise taste bitter or soapy. While a lot of packaged quinoa is pre-rinsed, it doesn’t to double down. With the sauce simmering and the quinoa cooking on the stove top, you can multi-task and chop up the veggies for this fresh salad!

Thai Rainbow Quinoa Bowl
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:
Quinoa
– 1 cup of quinoa like Bob’s Red Mill
– 2 cups of vegetable broth like Pacific Foods Organic (or water)
Thai Peanut Sauce
– One 13.5 oz can of full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk like Thai Kitchen
– 1/4 C of red curry paste like Thai Kitchen
– 3/4 C natural, creamy and unsweetened peanut butter like 365 Everyday
– 3/4 C coconut sugar (or white refined sugar)
– 2 T apple cider vinegar
– 1/2 T salt
– 1/2 C water
Salad
– 1 bag of Mann’s Kale Beet Blend (or chop your own kale, red cabbage and golden beets)
– 1 bag of fresh snow peas, cut in half
– 1 bunch of rainbow carrots, cut into thin medallions
– 1/3 C of roasted, salted peanuts, chopped
– optional cilantro garnish

Directions:
Step 1: Start the quinoa by adding the vegetable broth to a small sauce pan over medium heat on the stove top. After rinsing the quinoa under water, add it to the sauce pan of vegetable broth. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy.
Step 2: Make the sauce by adding all of the ingredients to another small sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk until it comes to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for another 3-5 minutes whisking sporadically to ensure the bottom does not burn. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Step 3: Assuming you chopped the vegetables while the quinoa was cooking, it’s time to assemble everything! Once the quinoa is cooked, put it in a medium bowl and add as much of the kale beet blend, snow peas and carrot medallions as you’d like. Divide into 3-4 portions, then garnish with the chopped nuts and as much of the sauce as you’d like.

Stay tuned for another recipe using this sauce because you will have leftovers!

The post Life {and Food} in Technicolor appeared first on The Shooks Life.

When there’s bacon fat in the dressing…you KNOW it’s gonna be good. I’m still lapping up summer, but fall football has got me roasting up this Autumn Quinoa Bowl with golden butternut squash, ruby red beets, toasted pecans, peppery arugula and you guessed it, BACON! I’ll admit that I’m not a huge fan of bacon (shocker!), but when I do fry it up, it’s gonna be WORTH IT! And there’s no skimping on this one – turkey bacon is cheating – when I splurge, I splurge on the good stuff. Pony up and get yourself some of that sweet bacon laden goodness below.

One thing that can be intimidating about trying new ingredients is not knowing how to 1.) prep it and 2.) cook it. Well it’s your lucky day, because I’m going to teach you both how to prep and how to roast butternut squash. We’re heading into fall (I know it’s August and I want to deny it, but it’s true) so I’m going to help you get ahead of the game so that when everyone else gets around to making their fall favorites, you can be the butternut squash know-it-all.

The odd bell shape of butternut squash can make it intimidating, but I’m here to share just how easy peasy it is to peel and chop this fall favorite.  You’ll need a few things to accomplish this surprisingly easy task: 1.) a peeler 2.) a sharp knife and 3.) a large spoon.

Here’s your step by step once you have your tools assembled:

1.) First, I cut off the top and bottom stem to create a smooth, flat surface on each end, as shown in the first picture of the squash.
2.) Next, I cut the butternut squash in half, making a horizontal slice at the top of the “bell” or rounded base.
3.) After that I peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler, drawing the peeler towards by body while hold the squash to be able to apply the appropriate pressure. The peel is technically edible, but more rigid than the “meat” in the center.

4.) Once both ends are peeled, scoop the “guts” of the rounded portion out with a large spoon. Again, the seeds are edible raw or roasted, so feel free to preserve.
5.) Finally, slice each end horizontally to create 1-inch high discs, then slice into 1-inch cubes. Not all the pieces will be perfect cubes, but that is totally okay! No need to trim and waste perfectly good butternut squash!

It may sound like a lot of steps, but as long as you have a sharp knife, it really isn’t that hard. AND you can multi-task and do the prep work while the pecans toast. Beets will get the same treatment – peeling and slicing into cubes. Alternatively, you can roast the beets in advance, which is my preferred method, to avoid the mess of peeling raw beets.

Here’s my secret for advance prepping the beets:

1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F then rinse the beets under cool water to remove any of the dirt. Loosely wrap each beet in tin foil.
2.) Place beets on a baking sheet (or don’t if you want to pick them up individually) and bake in the oven for 90 minutes. Yes, it’s a long time. In fact, plenty of time to paint your nails, apply a mask and plan out your life’s work. Just sayin’. Get sh*t done.
3.) Remove the beets from the oven once easily pierced with a fork. Allow to cool, then watch how easy it is to peel away the skins and slice. Keep in the fridge for 3-5 days. Magic.

Alternatively, you can peel and slice the beets raw, but let’s be honest, that’s messy. Beets are always messy, but the raw way is messier – doable, but messier. Your pick! At the end of the day, either way you make it, you’ll have a pan of gorgeous roasted vegetables (actually, butternut squash is technically a fruit, but who cares about technicalities when you it’s deliciously nutty and full of fiber, potassium and Vitamin A?).

Then we get to part you’ve all been waiting for…BACON! Legit bacon is a MUST for this recipe. I’ve made it with turkey bacon and you won’t have any of the fatty delicious drippings to serve as your dressing and well, it will be dry. There’s no way around it. Live a little. Eat some bacon. I am not a doctor, but pretty sure it won’t kill you.

Now you might be wondering what the F is going on in the pic below. And if you thought I might be grilling bacon, you would be correct. Why am I being such a weirdo and not letting the sweet waft of bacon fill every crevice of my home? Well, you see, we’re trying to sell our house and not everyone likes the smell of bacon. Seems they prefer fresh linens, so linens win and bacon is segregated to the grills. Surprise, surprise, it works just the same! Bacon is dang delish no matter how or where you make it (expect in the microwave, please don’t ever zap your bacon…an angel cries every time a slice a bacon is put in the death trap that is a microwave).

There you have it! Let’s dive into the final steps below!

Fall Quinoa Bowl
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
-1 medium butternut squash
-4 beets
-1 package of bacon
-1 bag of arugula
-1 C of cooked quinoa
-1/2 C of pecan pieces
-1/2 sweet onion, small diced
-2 T of sherry wine
-salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions: 

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Farenheit. Place aluminum foil over a baking sheet. Add the pecan pieces to the baking sheet and mix with a little vegetable oil and sea salt. Once coated, place the baking sheet in the oven for 7-10 minutes, or until the nuts are fragrant and toasted. Set aside in a small bowl.
Step 2: Increase the oven temperature to 400 degree Farenheit. Prep the butternut squash as noted in the above post, peeling and slicing into 1-inch cubes. Do the same with the beets, rinsing, peeling and slicing into 1-inch cubes. Place on the same baking sheet that was used for the nuts. Coat in vegetable oil and sea salt, placing in the oven for 40 minutes to roast, flipping halway through. Vegetables are done when easily pierced with a fork. Option to then put on the broiler on high to get a crispy outer coating on the vegetables. Place in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Crisp the bacon slices in a pan, making sure to reserve the drippings in a glass measuring cup. Once the bacon is crisped, place on a paper towel lined plate to cool. When cool, use a kitchen sheers to slice into 1-inch pieces atop the bowl with the roasted butternut squash and beets.
Step 4: Make the dressing by drizzling the reserved bacon drippings in the fry pan (about 1/4 C) and heating over medium on the stove top. Add the diced onions, cooking until carmelized and browned. Remove from heat and swirl with the sherry wine. Add to the bowl of roasted butternut squash, beets and bacon. Mix together with the arugula.
Step 5: Assemble the quinoa bowls by layering a few spoonfuls of quinoa on each of the serving plates. Top with the roasted vegetable, bacon and arugula mixture. Add the toasted pecans and enjoy!

The post Roast It Real Good appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Healthy spins on classic dishes is my jam. And this veggie-filled bowl takes on the king of Italian dishes: chicken parm. This parm inspired veggie bowl is next level with Parmesan-crusted portobello mushrooms, pesto-infused quinoa, peppery arugula and fresh tomatoes drizzled with EVOO and shreds of fresh Parmesan cheese. I may never look at chicken (or eggplant) parm the same way. Get the dEATs for this Parmesan-Crusted Mushroom Bowl below!

I’m not usually one to read into a lot of hocus pocus, but there are a few defining characteristics of Aquarians that ring true to my core – and originality is one of them. I get a little thrill when I conjure up a new recipe especially when it seems so ridiculously obvious that you wonder, why didn’t someone else think of this? I get bored pretty easily and have been rotating through the same old salads for a couple of weeks. As I was walking home from work thinking about lunch the next day (I am ALWAYS thinking about what I’m going to be eating next, anyone else? Must be some innate cave woman survival mode mentality), I passed by an Italian restaurant and a little light bulb flickered on – chicken parm! There’s got to be a way to infuse all those comforting Italian flavors into a salad. And because it would be too easy to just translate to chicken I though, what about a mushroom version? Eureeka! The Mushroom Parm Bowl was born.

Based on most of my blog content, you might be surprised that I don’t consider myself to be vegan or vegetarian, but most of my recipes are plant-based. Rather, I like to think of myself as a flexitarian (so Millennial, I know) and have been striving for more of a 80/20 ratio of veg-based to fish/meat based meals. It’s part of living a healthier, more holistic lifestyle that takes into consideration the impact of my choices on the environment and my body. And on this journey, I’ve been amazed by all the plant based options that can be so satisfying and nutrient dense! Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be a full-on convert, but in the meantime, I’m enjoying this journey of discovering new plant-based recipes and hope you are too!

If you’ve become a vegan/vegetarian convert, I’d love to hear about your journey and any of your favorite recipes or tips for maintaining a balanced diet. Feel free to comment below or shoot me an email at theshookslife@gmail.com.

I hope you enjoy this plant-based spin on traditional chicken parm!

Parmesan-Crusted Mushroom Bowl
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
Parmesan-Crusted Mushrooms
-1 pint of portobello mushrooms, sliced
-1/2 C panko bread crumbs
-1/4 C of shredded Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
-1/2 tsp oregano
-1/4 tsp garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/2 to 1 C of unsweetened almond milk
-1 T of olive oil
Pesto Quinoa
-1 C of quinoa, rinsed
-2 C of vegetable broth (or water)
-2 T of basil pesto
Salad
-1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes
-1 bag of arugula
-olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit and ready a baking sheet with a sheet of tin foil. Combine the almond milk and 1 T of olive oil in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, combine the panko bread crumbs, Parmesan, oregano, garlic power and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix well.
Step 2: Dip each mushroom slice in the almond milk mixture then coat both sides with the panko bread crumb mixture, shaking off any excess before placing on the foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crispy and lightly brown.
Step 3: Prep the quinoa by boiling the vegetable broth in a medium sauce pan over medium heat on the stove top. Once boiling, add the rinsed quinoa and cook covered for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is fully dissolved and the quinoa forms light fluffy tendrils. Add the basil pesto to the pot of quinoa and stir to combine.
Step 4: Prepare the salad bowl(s) by layering a handful or two of arugula as the base, then top with a handful of cherry tomatoes, two to three big spoonfuls of the pesto quinoa and as many of the mushrooms as you’d like. Drizzle with olive oil, a bit of salt and pepper and top with a few more shreds of Parmesan. Enjoy!

The post A Veggie Lover’s Take On Parm appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Everyone’s got their go-to recipe, song, friend. So this is clearly not a song or friend, but it IS my go-to recipe to share with my favorite people during my favorite season: summer. And I’m sharing this secret with you, internet friends, so thank me later. Read on for my Summer Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad.

It may not technically be summer, but I’ve never been one for technicalities. Spring, summer, same:same. Especially when it’s warm, the days are long and the sun is shining. The best is when the earth starts to erupt with all the greenery – herbs, flowers and all the glory of Mother Earth. My little herb garden isn’t quite in the flourishing stage, but 1.) I also left my herbs out for a week before planting them (black thumb) and 2.) it’s still early. So for now, I’ll be sourcing my herbs from my favorite farmer’s market, Green City Market.

The best recipes for group get-togethers are 1.) crowd-pleasers (duh) 2.) withstand the temps (no ice box cakes or heating required) and 3.) sing the songs of summer (let fruits & veggies reign on!). This summer tabbouleh hits all the marks. It’s loaded with fresh herbs, freshly squeezed citrus, ripe heirloom tomatoes and seedless cucumbers (modern science, thank you for solving my first world problems). I’m headed to a friend’s rooftop cookout this afternoon (rain pending!) and can’t wait to share this summer quinoa tabbouleh salad! Get the dEATs below and do me a favor, take this recipe everywhere you go this summer – even say it’s yours – I won’t tell anyone.

Summer Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
-1 C of quinoa, rinsed*
-2 C of vegetable broth (or water)
-1/4 C of olive oil
-1/4 C of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
-1 bunch of sliced scallions, both whites and greens
-1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
-1 hothouse cucumber, sliced crosswise into quarters
-1 bunch of mint leaves, chopped (about 1 C)**
-1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped (about 1 C, can include stems)**
-a couple handfuls of arugula
– 1-3 tsp salt, depending on your preference
– freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Step 1: Make the quinoa by boiling the vegetable broth (or water) in a small to medium size pot over the stove top on medium heat. Once boiling, add the quinoa to the pot of broth, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa has soaked up the liquid and is light and fluffy.
Step 2: Place the cooked quinoa in a serving bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper; mix well.
Step 3: Fold in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate and serve!

The flavor builds as it marinades in the herbs and lemon juice, so I always think it tastes that much more flavorful a few hours later, but you can also serve it right away.

*I’ve also made this recipe with other grains, like bulghur wheat or farro.
**If you have a food processor, I highly suggest using it to chop the herbs. It’ll be done in 2 minutes vs 10!

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

The post Salads of summer appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Put the lime in the coconut and eat ’em both together. Lime & coconut, peanut butter & jelly, mac & cheese – all flavor combo power couples. And with the summer heating up, I’m craving some island magic in the form of lighter citrus flavors. This coconut lime quinoa bowl is so simple, you’ll have time to make a margarita to go with it. Get the dEATs below.

Happy Memorial Day, friends! Sun’s out and summer is awakening in Chicago! With the amazing weather, no one wants to spend time in kitchen, including me, so I whipped up this quick coconut lime quinoa – perfect for those Memorial Day cookouts and leftovers all week long. The beauty of this recipe is that it is so versatile, light and quick to whip up with minimal effort. The quinoa on its own is a little island oasis as a side. Or, it can play main stage with the addition of brilliant bell peppers, creamy avocado slices and black beans for some extra plant-based protein. Let freedom ring because you’re queen (or king) of the combos with this gluten-free and vegan bowl. Bumming around and want some helpful tips? Check out the video below.

Coconut Lime Quinoa Bowl
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Coconut Lime Quinoa
– 1 C of quinoa, rinsed
– 2 C water or low-sodium broth of choice
– 2 T coconut oil
– 2 limes
– salt & pepper to taste
Bowl 
– 1 C of black beans
– 1 red bell pepper, diced
– 1 avocado, diced
– 1 lime
– drizzle of honey & olive oil
– optional: greens, cilantro, tomatoes, radishes

Directions:
Step 1: Boil the water broth in a medium sauce pan over medium heat on the stove top. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the rinsed quinoa. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa puffs up and the liquid cooks off.
Step 2: Rinse the lime and zest. Using a lime zester or fine grater, zest the rind, ensuring not to go so deep that you hit the white pith, which is quite bitter. Add the lime zest to the cooked quinoa. Add the coconut oil and mix together while the quinoa is still warm. Option to drizzle a bit of honey if you’d like some sweetness. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Step 3: Assemble your bowl with your preferred ingredients.
Top picture: add avocado, black beans and bell peppers to the quinoa and mix together gently to keep the avocado intact. Drizzle with honey, olive oil and a bit more lime juice. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Bottom picture: Make this into a salad with greens as your base (I like arugula for the peppery flavor), top with the coconut lime quinoa, black beans, sliced tomatoes, bell peppers, avocados and purple radish. For dressing, squeeze lime juice, add a dash of olive oil and a drizzle of honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Option to add shredded chicken for a more substantial meal, but this should be filling enough on its own with plenty of plant-based protein and healthy fat.

The post Coconut lime nirvana appeared first on The Shooks Life.