Southwestern Quinoa

Southwestern Quinoa

Recipe by:  Designs by Jeanne R

Southwestern Quinoa you ask?  Sure, why not?!  Anaheim green chilies are really plentiful in Tucson this time of year, and you can usually purchase them by the box or burlap bag at many of the markets.  If you’re really fortunate, you’ll find a temporary roasting station set up outside, that will do the roasting for you, which will save a lot of time.  Many Tucsonans take advantage of this seasonal market (coming from New Mexico) to package and freeze the chilies for future use.

Garden Salad with Yogurt Feta Vinaigrette

Garden Salad with Yogurt Feta Vinaigrette

My usual preparation of any type of vinaigrette salad, is to add the oil, vinegar & seasonings straight onto the salad.  I’ll call this my “toss and taste” method, and once again does not involve a recipe.  So adding ingredients to a bowl, I forced myself to measure & taste as I went, and I came up with this dressing recipe.  I don’t normally use yogurt, but as I mentioned in another post, I am trying to teach myself to cook with Greek yogurt as a healthier alternative.  

Veggie Egg Foo Young

Veggie Egg Foo Young

How do you make Egg Foo Young? Well, I’m not sure of the “proper” way to make it, I just know what I do.  This was one of those recipes that was born out of necessity.  Years ago when I worked outside of my home, I worked the swing shift.  I wanted to bring homemade food for “lunch” or in this case it was dinner.  If I felt organized, I’d prep things, then freeze them into individual dinners.  It sure made life easier for me, and in the long run it was a time saver, less expensive, and healthier, too.  Egg Foo Young was one of those “go to” meals for me, and I’d use whatever I had on hand.  Sometimes, for example, I’d use crooked neck yellow squash, sliced up in place of the bean sprouts.  I’d pack a little scoopful of seasoned rice on the side, and I was ready to go!

Toasted Sesame & Rainbow Chard

Toasted Sesame & Rainbow Chard

I just love the freshness of this recipe.  It evolved from my habit of putting soy sauce and fresh cracked pepper on lightly cooked greens, then I tweaked it from there.  Simple, flavorful, healthy…you really couldn’t ask for more.

Cauliflower Bacon Salad

Summer goodness!  This time of year brings so many options in the way of produce.  I just love to peruse the market early in the morning, discovering the freshest and most abundant they have to offer.  It’s such a good feeling to walk through the kitchen door, market bags in tow, with the promise of seemingly endless possibilities and food creations!

Lemon Basil & Peppercorn Chicken

Basil, Lemon & Peppercorn Chicken

There’s something about fresh basil that feels like sunshine!
This recipe was inspired by a gift of fresh basil from my neighbor, Sandy.  For the first time in years, I don’t have basil growing in my herb garden, and she was gracious enough to offer trimmings of her healthy basil plants. As she presented them to me over our back wall, the spicy, almost pepper-like fragrance wafted through the air.
The wheels started turning, and I knew I wanted to make something equally as fresh and healthy.