No Bake "Energy Bites"

If you ask people to think of a common "side effect" of pregnancy I am sure that answers relating to increased appetite would be the most popular. That wasn't the case for me. I was really apathetic towards food. I ate healthy and made sure I was getting enough for me and the baby but I wasn't particularly ravenous or craving crazy meals while pregnant. Now that the baby is here and I am nursing it is a completely different story.

The newborn stage is a rough stage, especially for a nursing mother. Not only is the baby dependent on you for all of his/her sustenance, you are getting up several times throughout the night and you are always "on call". For me, I was left feeling exhausted, hungry, and craving all the sweets! Add in a husband currently living four hours away and I was starting to feel a little crazy. 

This is where these little nuggets come into place. I can grab a few "bites" and sit down to nurse. I can satiate my sweet tooth and urge to snack all at once. I will admit this idea isn't novel or unique. Everyone has a recipe for energy/protein balls/bites. After a few hours of going through recipes, I couldn't find one that fit everything I wanted in an easy snack and utilized on hand ingredients so I came up with my own recipe. This one uses almond butter and unsalted butter, and leaves out the coconut. 

No Bake Almond Butter "Energy Bites"

ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats 
• 1/2 cup of almond butter (mine was a little "dry" since I used homemade so I did 1/3c almond butter and 1/4c unsalted butter. If you use store bought nut butter you don't need the unsalted butter)
• 1/4 c of mini chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp honey 
• 2 Tbsp flax seeds

directions

1. Thoroughly combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. 
2. Chill the mixture for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. 
3. Form the chilled "dough" into 1-inch balls. 
4. Store in an air tight container in the fridge. 

Southwestern Quinoa

Something I mentioned on Friday has really been weighing in my mind lately. We made this recipe Thursday night and Berkeley mentioned something about sharing the recipe online. I told him probably not because it was "just something I make." Out of nowhere it hit me, I say that all the time about so many of our meals.

I also realized, I have been getting caught up with needing to have the best recipes, the newest and most unique recipes, with stellar photos. For the last year or so, I have been forgetting that I originally started this blog to have documentation of all the random and delicious things I come up with in the kitchen. A place to share the hilarious stories about my failed experiments. Somewhere along the line I forgot that.

Served with a baked chicken thigh

So here it is. A delicious recipe. A great comfort meal. Something that can be eaten alone or as a side or brought to a potluck! It is easy and filling.

Southwestern Quinoa
serves 6-8
ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups broth or water
• 1 (approx 14-15 oz) can black beans, drained
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (4 oz) can green chilies
• 1 cup corn niblets
• salt and pepper to taste

directions

1. Add olive oil and butter to a deep sided pan or a medium to large sized pot. Add garlic and cook until just fragrant. 
2. Add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and liquid is absorbed. 
3. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper if desired and served. 

Turkey Quinoa Noodle Soup

We are currently in that period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are all sorts of holiday gatherings scheduled and I feel like I am swimming in turkey leftovers! This recipe takes advantage of that turkey and makes the best soup I have ever had. The best thing is that it is so versatile that other meats could be substituted for the turkey.

Although it isn't the prettiest soup, it is hearty, warm, and filling. It is the perfect soup for warming up these past few days. I am sure it will be making quite a few appearances in my lunch this ski season!

Turkey Quinoa Noodle Soup
ingredients

• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 tsp thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 7-8 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup small noodles
• 3-4 cup leftover turkey
• 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 t. parsley
• Dash cayenne (optional)
• 1 small can corn niblets

directions

1. Saute onion and carrots in butter, add thyme garlic, salt and pepper, and quinoa. Continue sauté until quinoa is lightly toasted. 
2. Add chicken stock and noodles. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the noodles and quinoa are tender. 
3. Add turkey, sour cream, parsley, and the can of corn. bring back to a simmer for 5 minutes and then serve.

Orange Apricot Quinoa

Continuing with sharing our gluten free Thanksgiving, today is my recipe for a quinoa dish that was the equivalent for stuffing or dressing in this case.

Instead of fiddling with gluten free boxed mixes or using gluten free breads, we just stuck with a grain option that I knew was going to be free of that pesky little protein. The recipe is a little more adventurous with the addition of nuts and atypical dried fruits, but it was delicious! I am hoping to use this recipe as a base for several other quinoa sides to come.

Orange Apricot Quinoa
ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat quinoa 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
• 5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 
• sea salt 
• 10 dried apricots, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 
• 1/4 medium-sized red onion, finely sliced or diced
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

directions

1. Pour quinoa into a medium-sized bowl, rinse, and set aside. In a small pot, combine water, orange juice, olive oil, 4 teaspoons vinegar and a pinch of sea salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the dried apricots and ginger. Let simmer for about 1 minute. 
2. After a quick stir, pour the quinoa into the orange juice mixture. Stir just to eliminate any pockets of dry quinoa.
3. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the carrot into ribbons over the couscous, then cover and cook for 25 minutes or until quinoa is thoroughly cooked. 
4. Rinse the sliced onion under running water and then toss it with 1 teaspoon vinegar in a small bowl to mellow the flavor.
5. Lightly toast almonds in a small pan over medium heat being sure to toss regularly to prevent burning. When the quinoa is cooked, fluff it with a fork, then mix in the onion and almonds. Serve warm or chilled.