quinoa – mythankfultable.com

Step Away from the Cheez-its and make yourself this Coconut Quinoa…

March 18, 2020 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Hello from the world different than it was when we rang it in. I saw a funny post today that said, “I didn’t intend to give up this much for Lent.” Which, was the humor I needed after the last week.

We are officially home from school, and I have thrown myself into a tailspin of bleaching and organizing and sorting. I haven’t been a good sleeper ever, and this hasn’t helped. For some reason controlling the list of crap I need to do in my house is helping. Only the people I love know how long my list is…and the fact that its typed out. Because, yeah… I don’t know. I’ve embraced my nerdness. Love it or leave it.

Now, in the light of all that is going on in the world I am very aware that I am blessed. I have a career where I am home, can still work, and do my part of social distancing. At this moment we are healthy, and if I can keep us this way and prevent us from causing harm to others, that’s the goal. I get that I am fortunate. I do. Wholeheartedly.

That said, I have kind of broken up with Weight Watchers. I have beenhosting a food-party that calls for every processed cheez-product-and-salt-carbs- chocolate-ice-cream-peanut-butter-standing-in-the-kitchen-alone-zone. I haven’t enjoyed bread for real in months. Game on. I baked bread last night and stood there with my children, real salted butter and real homemade strawberry jam and we had a party. I have eaten processed packaged cookies while making a puzzle. We have ordered take out unlike ever before.

I am essentially the swipe right of online dating with food.

However, we are in the “this is going to be for awhile” part of this process. We are five days in. This can not be my new lifestyle. I have worked too hard to eat my way through anxiety and grief. No matter how precious the Cheez its are in my world. (Think Gollum. That’s how I treat that big red box).

I am for using what I have on hand. I am for not wasting the food in my refrigerator. I want to be the culinary project runway and “make it work.” So when I saw a recipe for a creamy coconut quinoa on @kristydenney’s instagram story…I snapped that screenshot as fast as my fingers could.

The idea of quinoa being slowly cooked in coconut milk, with a hint of cinnamon sounded amazing. I changed up the recipe a bit to include shredded coconut, and almond milk. It’s a fairly simple recipe to follow. Similar to steel cut oats, but changed up. I feel like many of my readers may have half a container of quinoa around, so go ahead and grab it and make yourself a comforting breakfast that isn’t processed or fake cheese orange. (Wait, what…you don’t eat snack food for breakfast when you are stressed? Gold star for you…).

This recipe requires you to bring the coconut milk, water, and almond milk to a simmer with coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon, then slowly cook the quinoa. I added a little more almond milk because I didn’t want a crunchy texture…but you can cook it as you like.

Literally the options here are endless. I threw some more coconut and frozen blueberries on mine. Bananas, berries, maple syrup, peanut butter, nuts, more almond milk, whatever makes your heart happy here…go for it. Because, we need a little comfort today. We also need to nourish our hearts and souls and bodies.

Truthfully, most of last week I didn’t cook. Thursday night when we were told we were not going back to school I think my heart broke. As teachers we love our kids. We love our jobs. We love the routine of life as we know it. For some of us we extend our momma hearts to the students who need a momma’s heart. And now…everything looks different.

For a person who finds solace in cooking and feeding others, my heart kind of said, “why bother?”

But, my heart and your heart are resilient. And our kitchens need someone to create in it. Because we have people to feed, and will feed more and soon…because we live with hope, not despair.

My family, I am sending you so much love right now. I am sending you health and comfort, joy in seclusion, and a sense of wonder. I am sending you nourishment for your bodies, and hopefully, your hearts.

Put down the cheez its. They will be waiting for you later. I promise.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Much love,

Chrissy

Click below for printable recipe.

Creamy Coconut Quinoa

Print Recipe

Creamy coconut quinoa to serve as a base for a breakfast bowl or to eat on its own!

Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com modified from Kristy Denney’s recipe

Ingredients

Scale

1 Cup uncooked quinoa (I used tricolor because it is what I had on hand) rinse if necessary
13.5 ounce unsweetened Coconut Milk
1/4–1/3 Cup of Water
1/4–1/3 Cup of unsweetened Almond milk (I use the almond cashew blend because its what was in my refrigerator)
1 heaping teaspoon Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, water, cinnamon, and vanilla extract together and bring to a boil.
Reduce liquid to a simmer and add quinoa. Stir to combine, and lower heat to simmer.
Add almond milk and shredded coconut and cook until liquid is absorbed. I stirred frequently but not like you would with risotto.
(In Kristy’s recipe here is where she added collagen peptides…I did not)
Scoop into a bowl and top with whatever your heart desires.
Give yourself a hug from me.

Harvest Salad

November 7, 2018 by chrissy@mythankfultable.com

I have embraced all that is butternut squash of late. Bake it and make it into soup, roast it as a side dish, or use it in this autumnal salad.

I have not loved kale, however, ever. But chop it up, use it as a base with some delicious ingredients, and use a little lemon dressing…I find, I look forward to my kale-based lunch. No, seriously, I am slowly falling in love with this vegetable. (Does anyone else think of the chard solicitation in the Farmer’s Market episode of Parks and Recreation? No?) Well, maybe I’m falling in like with this vegetable…

This salad is a full-course meal in that it incorporates a lot of vegetables, quinoa (I like tricolored for the visual) and crunchy apples, cranberries, and creamy goat cheese. It is also sort of weight watcher’s friendly as it is veggie based and if you only use a little cheese/cranberries you get a solid meal for not a lot of points.

The beauty of this kind of salad is it is interchangeable. As in, you don’t like dried cranberries or goat cheese you can eliminate or swap them out. You don’t have quinoa but have farro on hand, same deal. You make the meal unique in what makes you happy and is available in your pantry.

For this recipe, I cubed up butternut squash, tossed it in a little maple syrup and olive oil, roasted it up for an hour or so (Think glorious orange cubes of tastiness). While that is happening, I am first cooking a quinoa in a little butter on the stove top, then adding chicken stock to cook. In my research, I read that browning the quinoa adds depth of flavor and “sets” the protein. While I like quinoa as is, even cooked in water, I definitely like the flavors of the butter and the stock. (Again, you do you). Meanwhile I am tearing up kale, dicing apple, red peppers, and even this time, raw thin asparagus stalks, and getting ready to combine.

I have made this where I do the squash and quinoa the night before, and assemble the rest the next day, and I have made it when the quinoa is still slightly warm when assembling. Both turn out great. I also like that in a land of meal prepping on Sunday, this salad holds up, unlike the regular lettuce or baby spinach salad, which can’t really be made too many days in advance (nothing is worse than the smell of spinach turning…blah).

For the dressing, I combined lemon juice, olive oil (I used blood orange olive oil but any will do), salt, pepper, and a little bit of maple syrup (can also leave it out). I shake it up in a mason jar and keep it on hand for when it’s time to serve. I am not a fan of pre-dressed salad, but you could certainly dress the salad prior to serving and it will hold up.

If you are like myself in that you try to pack healthy lunches ahead of time and stay on track during the day (I won’t pack the halloween candy so I can’t be tempted and then around two I am asking myself why…) this is a salad for you. If you don’t love kale, this is the salad for you. My children aren’t fans but I make it anyway. It’s a recipe for Chrissy. And we need those in our lives. Recipes that make us healthier and stronger and happier, right?