Sesame-Crusted Tuna Sushi Bowl

If I could snap my fingers and be instantly transported to another country, I’d visit Japan. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with this country and its incredibly rich culture. Be it art, architecture, food, landscapes and gardens… everything is aesthetically pleasing! From the outside, it is refinement at its finest. It is perfection and sophistication in every detail, and it is incredibly interesting to me.

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Three-Tomatoes “One-Pot” Grain Bowl

Hi all!

Long time, no post. I just got back from an amazing trip to Turkey and brought back a ton of recipes and inspiration for delicious dishes with me. I didn’t want to spend too much time cooking today, since I had plenty to catch up on at home, so I decided to dive into that “one-pot” frenzy that’s been going around the web.

(Post) Winter Quinoa Salad

Though it’s officially spring season, the weather here in Philly is still on the wintery side. It seems fitting to celebrate this new season with a wintery dish. Quinoa bowls are always amazing when it comes to warming you up. They’re hearty, healthy and make you feel good inside. This specific bowl is amazing thanks to the refreshing apple cider vinaigrette. It adds a nice fruity taste to the delicious caramelized vegetables. As per usual, I roast my veggies in big batches over the week end so that this type of recipes only take me 10 minutes to prepare on week days. This recipe is perfect if you want to indulge in a wintery dish on this cold spring beginning, or if you feel like trying a new quinoa dish. Bon appétit!

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Prep Time: 15 minutes (with pre-roasted veggies) or 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cauliflower
• 1/2 cup butternut squash
• 1/2 carrot (sliced in ribbons with a vegetable peeler)
• 1/4 cup diced pancetta
• salt, pepper to taste

Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. If you haven’t pre-roasted your vegetables, preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cauliflower, butternut squash and carrot ribbons with olive oil and roast until tender and caramelized (about 40 minutes for the cauliflower and butternut squash, and 4 minutes for the carrot ribbons).
2. Cover the dried quinoa with ½ cup water, and cook until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender (about 15 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, cook the pancetta until brown and slightly crispy, in a dry pan over medium-high heat. This should take about 5 minutes.
4. Make the apple cider vinaigrette by mixing the mustard and apple cider vinegar together first. Then add the olive oil and mix until homogeneous.
5. When the quinoa is ready, add it to the bowl, and toss with the dressing, crispy pancetta and roasted cauliflower, butternut squash, and carrot ribbons. Adjust the seasoning and enjoy!

“Red Quinoa” with Brussel Sprouts and Prosciutto

As you already know, I recently discovered the joys of homemade Pesto Rosso. Since I made a little extra for the Caprese recipe I posted last week, I thought I’d use the rest in a batch of quinoa. Hence the “red quinoa” title. This recipe came together unexpectedly, as I used random ingredients that were sitting in my fridge. I’ve been so busy since last Friday that I haven’t had the time to go grocery shopping once (which further explains this “melting-pot” type of dish). It turned out to be delicious though! The onions, brussel sprouts and prosciutto were so good together that they could easily be eaten as a separate side dish! You can also omit the Pesto Rosso altogether and it’ll still be a great bowl of quinoa with veggies and crispy smoked ham. All in all, this dish made for a perfect quick and easy lunch. Bon appétit!

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Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quinoa
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup brussel sprouts (sliced)
• 1/4 yellow onion
• 1 slice of prosciutto (or bacon)
• 1 serving of pesto rosso
• crumbled feta cheese (optional)
• fresh basil (optional)
• salt, pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cover the dried quinoa with ½ cup water, and cook until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender (about 15 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, heat up olive oil in a pan. Roughly chop the onion, slice the brussel sprouts and let everything cook on medium-high heat until lightly brown. Add a splash of water and let it evaporate to further soften it all. Add the strips of prosciutto and let it cook for another minute.
3. When the quinoa is cooked, toss with the pesto rosso, prosciutto and caramelized brussel sprouts and onions. Top with chopped fresh basil, and some crumbled feta cheese.

Chickpea Curry with Coconut Rice

Let me talk about my dad for a second. I feel like it’s important, because he’s the one who’s taught me how to cook/love to cook, and has been a major source of inspiration for many of my recipes. Not only are his dishes always really good, but they’re also extremely diverse. He’s the type of chef who’ll try recipes from around the world on a regular weeknight. Just because. Just so that cooking doesn’t get boring. Being in college, I’m always tempted to open a box of pasta, heat up some marinara, and call it a night (or most likely go back to the library). But as I’ve told you before, every now and then I want to try something new. Sometimes I cook with a new ingredient (like an acorn squash), or else I try a recipe that I’ve never done before. In that case, I just pick something from Pinterest and tweak it with whatever ingredients I have on hand. Tonight, I chose chickpea curry with coconut rice! And I discovered two things: 1) coconut rice tastes AMAZING! It’s “creamy”, flavorful, easy, and basically perfect. 2) You don’t miss the meat in chickpea curry. And I was really skeptical about a curry without a tender piece of lamb…
Finally, this dish leaves you full and packed with energy, as chickpeas are an excellent source of protein (and fiber!). Don’t be intimidated by the long list of spices, I found them all at the grocery store down my street. Bon appétit!

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Cook Time: 35 min

Ingredients for the coconut rice: Note that this recipe serves 2

• 1/2 cup dried jasmine rice
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water

Ingredients for the chickpea curry:

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained if canned)
• 1/2 small yellow onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Start by cooking the coconut rice. In a small pot (or a rice cooker), put the dried rice with the coconut milk and the water. Give it a good stir, and let the rice cook until it has absorbed all the liquid. This should take between 10-15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil, over high heat. When it becomes brown, add a splash or water, turn the heat to medium, and stir until the liquid evaporates. This should take about 5 minutes.
3. Next, add the cooked chickpeas and all the spices. Give it another stir for about 1 minute.
4. Add the coconut milk, water, tomato paste, salt (to taste), and stir until everything is combined. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the curry thickens and reaches your desired consistency (add water if it gets too thick, or let it cook for longer if it’s too liquid). Adjust the seasoning.
5. To serve, put the coconut rice in a bowl and top it with the chickpea curry and a good amount of sauce.

TIP: You can use a mix of chickpeas and cauliflower for added flavors and texture.