Havana Quinoa Salad

 Did you know quinoa is loaded with protein? It's actually a seed that is jam-packed with all of the amino acids of meat, but cooks up super fluffy like rice. That was news to me! Since I learned that awesome info, I've been looking for ways to use quinoa in tasty family meals.  Here is a quinoa-chicken salad that tastes something like a punchy tabouli or pasta salad. It is super fresh and summery and your family won't have a clue how many healthy veggies you just snuck in on them!

What you will need: (serves 4)

1 chicken breast

1 T Havana Cuban Inspired Seasoning

1 C quinoa (uncooked)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

4 C fresh baby spinach and/or kale

1 C cilantro

1 C mint leaves

3 green onions (sliced)

1/3 C black olives - halved

1 yellow bell pepper - cut into small pieces

1/2 C cherry tomatoes - halved

juice from 2 limes

1 T red wine vinegar

1/3 C olive oil

1/2 C crumbled queso fresco

salt/pepper to taste

Get the quinoa cooking. It cooks just like rice. 1 C quinoa + 2 C water in a rice cooker or pot with a lid. Gently boil for 20 minutes until the water has absorbed.

Meanwhile, cut the chicken into slices and coat with Havana Seasoning.  Saute' in a little oil until cooked - shred or cut it up a bit and set it aside.

Throw your spinach, cilantro, mint, and red pepper flakes into a food processor and pulse until it is all finely chopped together. Toss this mixture into a large bowl along with the lime juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Add the chicken, olives, peppers, onions, and tomatoes to the bowl. 

Put the cooked quinoa in a strainer and rinse it under cold water.  Drain it well and add it to the bowl. 

Now give it all a good toss together and add salt/black pepper to taste.  Top it with the crumbled queso fresco and enjoy!

*To make this dish deliciously vegetarian, omit the chicken and add 1 T of Havana Seasoning to the lime juice instead!

Super yummy, frenchy, easy chicken -pot-pie

Super yummy, frenchy, easy chicken -pot-pie

Ma oui! Country french cuisine is not as fussy and difficult as they would have you believe.  Here's a recipe for a very elegant chicken pie that will come together in a snap.

What you will need:

2 C cooked chicken (I use what's left over of a roasted chicken from the night before)

5 green onions or 1 leek

2 C sliced button mushrooms (par-boiled potatoes can also be used if your crew isn't fond of mushrooms)

2 T sour cream

1 T flour

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 T 'the bird' spice mix

1 C chicken or vegetable broth

salt/pepper

olive oil/butter

roll-out pie crust

Saute' the chicken, green onions, mushrooms, and seasoning in a few tablespoons of butter and/or olive oil over medium heat.

Stir in the sour cream, flour, mustard.

Add the broth and simmer together for about 5 minutes.

Check the taste for salt/pepper and add more if you'd like.

Pour the mixture into an oven-safe baking dish and cover with a rolled out, pre-made pie crust.

Cut a few vents into the top of the crust and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

I like to stuff a few fresh herbs into the vent for added aromatics, but that's totally optional. I also never, ever do an egg wash on the crust, but it does make the crust nice and shiny if you want to take that extra step.

Voila! 

If you want to bump up the veg, you can add some thawed, frozen veggies of your liking to the pie at the saute' stage, or replace the meat with them altogether!

Spiced Shakerato

Spiced Shakerato

I love watching Italian cooking shows. Their kitchen and food philosophies are so similar to my own, and I primarily learned to cook from Italian chefs. Here's a Tuscan favorite I learned for a summer time heat-beater and afternoon pick-me-up with my spicy twist. 

What you will need per person:

6 oz brewed espresso

1 tsp of your favorite spiced sugar (try Mayan Mocha!)

2 bowls, a whisk, ice, and a cocktail shaker

Stir the sugar into the warm espresso in a small bowl.

Place the small bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice and whisk the espresso until it cools completely.

Pour the cooled espresso into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

Now make your kid shake it -

- and shake it.

Pour the cold, spiced coffee down the side of a small glass, preserving the foam. Buon divertimento!