Mexican-Style Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I thought these deserved their own post. I originally wrote this recipe with hamburger meat, but substituted Quinoa and it was awesome!

4 peppers- Pablano if you like it spicy, Green Bell if not

1 1/2 cups Quinoa

4 cups Liquid- 1 can tomato sauce, the rest water

3 cups Corn

1 medium Onion, chopped

2 teaspoons Garlic Powder

1 tablespoon Cumin

1 tablespoon Chile Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

A few dashes of hot sauce(to taste)

1 cup Medium Cheddar Cheese (more or less to taste)

cilantro and sour cream to garnish

-Cut peppers in half and remove ribs and seeds. Put on baking sheet, skin side up, and broil until the outside begins to blister and char. Turn over and broil 2-4 minutes more.

-Boil water/tomato sauce mixture. Add in quinoa.Turn down heat and simmer until cooked. (or cook in rice cooker) Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, chile powder and hot sauce.

-In large skillet, saute onion on medium heat until cooked through and starting to brown slightly. Add in corn and saute until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in seasoned quinoa. Stuff mixture into peppers. Top with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream.

Food Storage Beans

Everyone has those cans of beans in their food storage right? They are easier to cook than you think, and they are much more delicious than canned beans. This method works for all kinds of beans. I used pinto beans this time:

Start by soaking 2 cups of beans (about 1 pound) in 8 cups of water over night.

The next morning. Drain the beans. Then put the soaked beans in a crock pot with 6 cups of water, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon dried onions OR half a medium onion chopped. Cook on high for 6-8 hours.

Then I take them and put them into food storage bags. Now, instead of opening a can of beans for soup or burritos, I just pull my home-made beans out of the freezer! Much more tasty, healthy (because I use a small amount of butter instead of lard), and cost effective than canned beans!

Caprese Pasta Salad with (Mostly Non-Fat) Creamy Basil Sauce

1 pound of short cut pasta—I prefer shells
1 pkg fresh Mozzarella Cheese—about 8 ounces or more if you’d like--cubed
2 bunches of Cherry Tomatoes—about 24 ounces, or substitute grape tomatoes or 5-6 Roma tomatoes cubed
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

BASIL SAUCE: Blend all until Smooth
1 cup Non-Fat Plain Yogurt
½ cup Pine Nuts
1 cup fresh Basil--about 25 large leaves
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Bake until they burst—about 10-15 minutes. Place slightly cooled tomatoes into bowl and smash with fork to desired consistency. Add in cubed cheese, and boiled pasta. Top with Basil Sauce. Garnish with basil and pine nuts. Serve warm or cold.

Creole Fish Marinade

Creole Style Tilapia with multi-colored Carrots and Wild Rice! Quick, Easy, Healthy, & Delicious!

Start with this:
Emeril's "Essence" Creole Seasoning
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Then do this:
With each Tilapia fillet, put one tablespoon of Essence and one tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a plastic bag . Marinade for at least 1 hour. Saute with a little butter and olive oil in a non-stick pan until fish is just cooked through. (about 3-5 minutes on each side) It's just that easy!