Quinoa Tabbouleh

Urgh! Why do they put cilantro and parsley right next to each other?  I am notorious for looking at one product and then grabbing another.  Of course I don't realize my mistake until after I have already paid for it and I am home unpacking.  I just got through using up the two conditioner bottles I grabbed last year...seriously, why do the shampoo and conditioner bottles look exactly alike? 

Anyhow, I grabbed parsley the other day when I meant to grab cilantro.  I needed two bunches of cilantro so I checked the first one then grabbed a second bunch.  To be fair, they were right next to each other and there was no sign that labeled which side had which herb.  What do I do now?

Well the only dish I know how to make that takes a lot of parsley is Tabbouleh.  Traditionally its made with bulgar wheat but with my allergies I substituted it with quinoa.  I used to eat it with pita chips, but I haven't found a gluten free version yet.  Instead, I serve it with potato chips and mini bell peppers.  I pretend that it's healthy even though I'm eating it with chips.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

1/2 cup fully cooked quinoa (you can use a rice cooker, 1 part quinoa and 2 parts water)
1/4 cup lemon juice or juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use less since I eat this with potato chips)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch finely chopped parsley (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 onion chopped
1/4 cup chopped cucumbers
10 grape tomatoes cut into quarters

Cook quinoa either on stove top or in rice cooker.  Follow directions on the package.  It's typically 1 part quinoa and 2 parts water (for example, 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water).  I prefer the rice cooker since I can set it up and do other things.

Mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Add dressing to cooked quinoa and set aside.

In a separate bowl add parsley, onion, cucumber, and tomatoes.  Add quinoa and dressing to vegetables.  Mix well and refrigerate 30 minutes to overnight.  Serve cold with potato chips and cut vegetables like mini bell peppers and jicama.

Yummy!

Egg Scramble Muffins

I was chatting with my sister-in-law this weekend and she has recently taken on the gluten & dairy free diet.  Now I do not think I am an expert in any way on nutrition, but I have been on many diets to know what it's like to take on such a challenge.  

The first few days are brutal.  I get headaches, I can't focus, and all I want to do is go to sleep...well eat a pan of brownies first then go to sleep.  I have found success in surviving the beginning of diets by having approved food easily ready.  

Lately, I have had some free time so I offered to help out my SIL (sister-in-law).  She works A LOT and I thought it would be fun to stock her freezer with some yummy food.  I don't get to eat to eggs since I am allergic to them so I knew I just had to make this dish for her!

Egg Scramble Muffins

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 diced onion

8-10 diced mini bell peppers

1 package baby spinach (about 4 cups)

Salt & pepper

6 slices thick bacon chopped into small pieces

1 dozen eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin tins.  This dish makes 24 regular sized muffins.  

Heat oil in pan and saute onion.  Add bell pepper once onion is translucent and cook for a minute to soften peppers.  Stir in spinach and cook until it wilts.  Season with salt & pepper.  Distribute vegetables into muffin tin.  Cook bacon in empty pan, no oil necessary, until the edges crisp.  Do not worry about cooking the bacon completely since you are going to bake the dish in the oven.  Scramble eggs in a liquid measuring cup for easy pouring.  Pour each muffin tin until they are 2/3 full.  

Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until the middle is cooked through.  

Feel free to experiment with different vegetables and breakfast sausage.  These muffins can be made ahead and frozen.  Just be sure to portion out what you will want to eat into separate containers as it will be hard to break apart once frozen. Not sure how long they last in the freezer, they get eaten in my house within a week!

My OCD really shows in this picture.  This is "evenly distributing" in each pan. Yes, I kept moving things around until each pan was satisfactorily even.

Mmmmm! Bacon! My house smelled so good after this step.

Peek-a-boo, are you guys done yet?

And here they are ready to be portioned out and frozen.  

My SIL just gave me the seal of approval on these muffins.  I'm going to try mushroom and italian sausage next!

Tuna Tartare

 

For my birthday many years ago, my husband took me out to a sushi fusion place that served tuna tartare.  We have been obsessed with it ever since!  We order it everywhere we go, but it has been hard to enjoy with my food allergies.  I had the best one while on my trip in SoCal this past week, but I have been paying for it with a bad bout of eczema.  Urgh!

I wanted to recreate the recipe in an allergy friendly way so that I can enjoy this dish without having to be locked up in a dark room.  I tried it out last night and my husband seemed to like it! 

Tuna Tartare

1 avocado
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 lb sashimi grade tuna diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped scallion

Base Sauce:
1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
2 tablespoon eggless mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 cloves minced garlic

Mix base sauce and topping in separate bowls and set aside.  Mix avocado, garlic, and lemon juice and set aside.  Mix diced tuna with olive oil and scallion.

To plate this dish, pour base sauce on the bottom of the plate.  Pile avocado in the middle and layer the tuna mixture on top.  Dollop mayonnaise topping on top of the tuna. 

After admiring the pretty presentation, mix everything together and serve with potato chips.