Cait's Plate: Pineapple Fried Quinoa

Caitlin Grams of Caitlin Lives Well, brings us delicious recipes inspired by her New Year’s Resolution “to make one new recipe a week”.  This week, Caitlin takes on makes her favorite Thai dish a healthy dish! We are huge fans of quinoa and can't wait to try out this recipe.

My favorite Thai dish is Pineapple Fried Rice, but there's a reason why I rarely order it - huge portions, white rice, fried tofu...nothing about it is healthy. So I decided to try to make my own healthy version, using my favorite grain, and it turned out surprisingly well! This dish is light yet hearty and full of protein, carbs and healthy fats. 

Pineapple Fried Quinoa with Tofu - adapted from this recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, prepared according to package directions

1 head broccoli, roasted 

1 block extra firm tofu

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 eggs

1 tbsp peanut oil

2 shallots, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup pineapple, diced

1 tablespoon sesame seed oil 

1/4 cup cashews

While quinoa is cooking and broccoli is roasting, heat oil in pan and add shallots and garlic until heated through. Add eggs, cook and stir until scrambled. Remove  from heat. 

Press tofu to remove excess water and cut once crosswise, then into 1 inch squares lengthwise. Dip each piece into soy sauce to evenly coat and spread onto baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Toast cashews in small saucepan over high heat for 2-3 minutes until shiny. 

In a large serving bowl, toss quinoa, tofu, broccoli, pineapple and sesame seed oil. Top with cashews and enjoy! 

Cait's Plate: Turkey Burgers

Every other week, Caitlin Grams of Caitlin Lives Well, brings us delicious recipes inspired by her New Year’s Resolution “to make one new recipe a week”.  This week, Caitlin ventures into the land of meat with some savory sounding turkey burgers!

Turkey Burgers.  I don't eat meat very often - mostly I just don't love the taste or texture, and plant based meals are often much healthier. I've really been trying to be conscious of my protein intake lately, and every once in a while I will decide meat sounds good. Let's be honest, sometimes all you want after an especially hard workout is a burger. Lean ground turkey is SO much healthier for you than ground beef - for about the same amount of protein and B vitamins turkey has so much less fat and cholesterol. These burgers are easy to prepare, pack a great protein punch and taste as good as a beef burger, if not better. 

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 small onion, diced
1 egg
2 tbsp barbecue sauce
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 tbsp oats
2 tsp sweet & hot mustard
1 tsp Chipotle Tabasco
1 tsp garlic powder
Pinch of salt

Prep:  Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until blended (using your hands is kind of gross, but works best - it also works best if you have someone else to do it for you). Separate into 4 medium sized patties - I laid them on top of a sheet of Saran wrap to prevent them from sticking to a plate. 

Cooking Instructions: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a nonstick skillet and cook each patty for about 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Finish patties in oven heated to 350 degrees for an additional 10 minutes. 

Serve with veggies of your choice! I recommend lettuce, tomato, and avocado, with barbecue sauce. 

Cait's Plate: Spotlight on Smoothies

Every other week, Caitlin Grams 0f  Caitlin Lives Well, is bringing us delicious recipes inspired from her New Year’s Resolution “to make one new recipe a week”.  This week we learn about the deliciousness and nutritional value of smoothies! Enjoy!

Spotlight on smoothies

I'm on vacation this week, and while the hotel kitchen is not much smaller than the one in my New York apartment, it is really limited in that there is no oven or stove, so my meals this week have been a bit creative. One thing that has been consistent with my regular routine is my smoothies.

Smoothies are something I eat year round, for breakfast, a pre/post workout snack - sometimes even dinner or dessert. It is a quick, easy way to get in a ton of fruits and veggies, and I always make sure to up the protein content with chia seeds and/or nut butters. The ingredients change based on what I have in my kitchen, and lately I've taken to using a food processor instead of a blender - it makes the smoothies thicker so they have almost a sorbet like consistency.

Ingredients:
1 banana (I usually use frozen ones that have gotten old and I've stuck in the freezer - a great way to not waste old bananas)
1 cup frozen mixed berries (or fresh when they are in season)
1 cup frozen mango or pineapple
1/2 cup almond milk (or yogurt, or milk of your choice)

Optional:
2 tablespoons flax and/or chia seeds (for additional protein, fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, omegas, amino acids)
1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter (additional protein, healthy fats)
1 cup kale or spinach (I usually do this when I haven't had a ton of veggies and need an extra boost - you really can't taste it!) 

Directions:
With the food processor I  throw everything in and pulse until smooth - about 1-2 minutes. Then I pour it in a bowl and if I'm eating as a meal, I'll sometimes add 1/2 cup raw oats or cereal on top for a little extra staying power.

The best part about smoothies is that you can change it up and add whatever you've got in your kitchen. Go crazy!