Quinoa Pesto Bowl

Quinoa pesto bowls are versatile, nutrient-dense and delicious. Homemade pesto is quick and easy. You can use store-bought pesto for a quick dinner; as always read the ingredient label first.

Variations

  • Use snap peas, green beans, or asparagus instead of broccoli. What other vegetables could you use?
  • Use chicken instead of shrimp
  • Add edamame or garbanzo (chickpeas) and skip the shrimp to make vegetarian bowl
  • Serve over a bed of greens or shredded cabbage tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and lemon or a dash of apple cider vinegar

Double the recipe and use later in the week

  • Tossed with greens and goat cheese into a “meal salad”
  • Mash an avocado onto a tortilla, Swiss chard or collard greens, and add a big spoonful to make wraps.
Quinoa Pesto Bowl
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Quinoa Pesto Bowl
Print Recipe
Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Quinoa Bowl
Pesto
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Units:
Instructions
Quinoa Bowl
  1. Toast the quinoa in a medium saucepan over medium heat until is starts popping. Add water, bring to a boil. Immediately turn down, cover pot and cook 15 minutes.
  2. Add the broccoli to the pot of quinoa and cook 5 more minutes.
  3. While the quinoa is cooking make the pesto
  4. Cook the shrimp
  5. When the quinoa is cooked, carefully mix in pesto and half of the shrimp. When serving, top with additional shrimp and pumpkin seeds
Pesto
  1. Grind nuts in food processor or blender. Remove and set aside
  2. Put olive oil and water in blender. Add 1 cup chopped parsley, blend well. Add remaining chopped parsley and blend well.
  3. Add ground nuts and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste
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Crunchy Healthy Broccoli Salad

Some of the most nutrient-dense (nutrients per calorie) foods on the planet are:

  • Greens (including cruciferous like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage)
  • Beans
  • Onions
  • Mushrooms
  • Berries
  • Seeds/Nuts

Eating lots of these vegetables give us optimal amounts of immune-protective micronutrients that can fend of disease.

This salad combines 4 of those superfoods: broccoli, onions, nuts, and berries. It’s a delicious, nutritious way to eat more broccoli and change up dinner salad from leafy greens. Leftovers make a great lunch topped with some chicken and/or leftover grains.

Variations

  • Add leftover bacon, chopped
  • Add avocado, diced
  • Use pumpkin or sunflower seeds instead of nuts
  • Use raisins or other dried fruit instead of cranberries
  • Add 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
  • Mix in arugula or baby spinach for a more robust salad
  • Add leftover quinoa, brown rice or other grain for a “meal salad”
  • Top with leftover chicken
Crunchy Healthy Broccoli Salad
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Crunchy Healthy Broccoli Salad
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
White Wine Vinaigrette
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Instructions
  1. Toss, broccoli, green onions, half of cranberries and half of nuts with CMF vinaigrette.
  2. Put into serving bowl
  3. Top with remaining cranberries and nuts.
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Chicken and Veggies One Sheet Dinner

I found chicken one sheet dinners on Cooking Classy and have made innumerous variations depending on what vegetables I have on hand.

I prefer to cook the potatoes separately, to have the option of using just chicken and vegetables in other meals (such as tossed with pasta and pesto) so technically it becomes a 2-dish dinner.

Variations:
• Skip the potatoes
• Skip to tomatoes
• Use cauliflower instead of broccoli or both
• Use Brussels sprouts instead of broccoli, quartered
• Add 1 cup of green beans cut up
• Add fresh herbs after cooking, about 1/2 chopped basil, parsley or cilantro. Or 1/4 cup finely chopped rosemary

Check out Cooking Classy for many other Chicken and Veggie One Sheet Dinners.

Chicken and Veggies One Sheet Dinner
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Chicken and Veggies One Sheet Dinner
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place potatoes baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons. Toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss again and spread evenly onto baking sheet.
  2. Place in preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes. Toss and roast another 20 – 25 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile chop chicken and vegetables, cut the same approximate size to cook evenly
  4. Toss remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil with minced garlic
  5. Place chopped chicken pieces and vegetables on another baking sheet.
  6. Drizzle garlic olive oil over chicken and vegetables, sprinkle on hers and toss well. Spread evenly on baking sheet and put in oven.
  7. Roast 10 – 12 minutes, toss and roast another 10 – 12 minutes. Remove when chicken pieces are cooked through.
  8. Remove roasted potatoes when tender, test by piercing with a fort.
  9. Toss half of chicken and vegetables with potatoes, reserving the other half for another meal later in the week.
Recipe Notes

Modified from Cooking Classy: Chicken Broccoli Sweet Potato One Sheet Dinner

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Orzo with Garbanzo Beans, Goat Cheese and Basil

Quick and easy, this recipe is handy for weeknights.

Fresh herbs add exceptional flavor and are rich in nutrients.  Since ancient times they’ve been used for their health benefits. Now science is discovering their unique antioxidants, essential oils, phytochemical and other nutrients that help our bodies fight germs, toxins and boost our immune system.

Herbs are easy to grow even without a garden; put a pot of two in a sunny window.

As a general rule, I use three times as much fresh herbs as dried.

Variations:

  • Replace orzo with other short whole-what pasta (penne, fusilli etc)
  • Use feta or shredded Parmesan instead of goat chase
  • Use other herbs  ( such as mint, cilantro, parsley) instead of basil
  • Use asparagus or green beans instead of broccoli
  • Add cooked shrimp or leftover chicken (chopped)
Orzo with Garbanzo Beans, Goat Cheese and Oregano
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Orzo with Garbanzo Beans, Goat Cheese and Oregano
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add orzo, cook 5 minutes; add broccoli and cook another 3 – 5 minutes just until orzo is tender. Be careful not to overcook orzo or it becomes mushy
  2. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic and cumin to blend in large serving bowl.
  3. Add garbanzo beans, cooked orzo, broccoli and chopped fresh oregano; toss until mixed.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Gently add crumbled goat cheese and olives (if using).
  6. Serve orzo salad warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes

Modified from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Orzo-with-Garbanzo-Beans-Goat-Cheese-and-Oregano-242471#ixzz2priVLJgg

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Crunchy Cruciferous Salad

Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) have more micronutrients than any other food. Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber) are essential for our survival and longevity.

This salad is great on its own, but I often make a double batch to use as a base for different salads throughout the week.

Variations:

  • Exchange the broccoli or cauliflower with shredded cabbage or Brussels sprouts
  • Replace carrots with beets
  • Toss some Crunchy Cruciferous Salad  with leafy greens (spinach, arugula, mixed greens  – whatever is on hand).
  • Mix with leftover grains (rice, quinoa) for a quick meal
  • Or make a tortilla wrap adding greens and an extra drizzle of salad dressing.

 

Crunchy Cruciferous Salad
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4 servings
Crunchy Cruciferous Salad
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4 servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
  1. Whisk together lemon juice mustard, garlic, salt, olive oil and 2 tablespoons water until thoroughly blended. Adjust flavor by adding water (1 tablespoon at a time), salt and pepper to taste.
  2. In a bowl mix broccoli, carrot, green onion.
  3. Add salad dressing, mix well. Add 1 tablespoon of seeds/nuts, toss.
  4. Serve with remaining seeds/nuts on top.
Recipe Notes

Variations

  1. Use other cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage) instead of broccoli
  2. Use raw beets instead of, or in addition to carrots
  3. Toss with leafy greens (spinach, arugula, romaine etc)

A Color My Food original recipe

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Steamed Broccoli with Avocado and Sesame Seeds

Broccoli belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family. Named for their flowers, which have four equally spaced petals in the shape of a cross (Latin word crucifer means “cross-bearer”) these vegetables include kale, cabbage, collards and broccoli, cauliflower and turnips. I try to incorporate at least one cruciferous vegetable into our meals regularly.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”right” source_author=”Joel Fuhrman, M.D. ” source_title=”Super Immunity” full_quote=”Cruciferous vegetables are twice as powerful as other plant foods. They have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer benefits. Studies show that they detoxify and/or remove carcinogenic compounds. A 20% increase in cruciferous vegetables intake corresponds to a 40% decrease in cancer rates. ” short_quote=”Cruciferous vegetables are twice as powerful as other plant foods.”]
Steamed Broccoli with Avocado and Sesame Seeds
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Servings Prep Time
4 servings 15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Steamed Broccoli with Avocado and Sesame Seeds
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Trim off tough end of broccoli stem. Peel remaining stem and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut broccoli into 2-inch florets.
  2. Steam broccoli, covered, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. While broccoli is steaming, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl, mix in minced garlic.
  4. Peel avocado and cut into bite-size pieces.
  5. In a bowl toss broccoli and avocado with oil/garlic mixture. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve.
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Spinach, Grated Broccoli, and Grape Salad

With the current enthusiasm for the health benefits of kale, spinach seems to have been pushed into the background. But it is to has stood the test of time as an incredibly nutritious food. Medical research continues to demonstrate its value.

[su_expanding_quote_without_link source=”SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods that Will Change your Life”full_quote=”In epidemiological studies, it’s been found that the more spinach consumed, the lower the risk of almost every type of cancer…There are a number of different flavonoid compounds in spinach working to prevent different stages of cancer development. Spinach contains two vital antioxidants—glutathione and alpha lipoic acid. The first is the primary antioxidant in all cells where its critically important job is to protect our DNA. It repairs damaged DNA, promotes healthy cell replication, boosts the immune systems and reduces chronic inflammation. Alpha lipoic acid not only boosts glutathione, it helps stabilize blood sugar…Lutein, another powerful antioxidant in spinach, works to enhance the body’s immune system, thus warding off many types of cancers.” short_quote=”In epidemiological studies, it’s been found that the more spinach consumed, the lower the risk of almost every type of cancer…There are a number of different flavonoid compounds in spinach working to prevent different stages of cancer”]
spinach broccoli grape salad
Spinach, Grated Broccoli, and Grape Salad
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spinach broccoli grape salad
Spinach, Grated Broccoli, and Grape Salad
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Ingredients
CMF Vinaigrette
Salad
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
CMF Vinaigrette
  1. Place salt and pepper in a small bowl, add vinegar and water, stir until salt is dissolved
  2. Whisk in extra virgin olive oil
  3. Season to your taste by adjusting salt and pepper, and also another tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil
Salad
  1. Mix all ingredients in a salad bowl
  2. Drizzle vinaigrette on top and toss until combined
Recipe Notes

[su_original_recipe]

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