Chickpea Quinoa Pilaf

I was looking for something easy and nutritious to make for dinner last night and got side-tracked looking through a newsletter from the local health and nutrition store. I found a recipe for Chickpea Quinoa Pilaf. It sounded good (and easy, and nutritious) so I gave it a try. My husband and I loved it. The kids liked picking out the chickpeas. :)

We started dinner out with this salad:

Romaine Lettuce, torn

Carrots, sliced in discs

Avovado, diced

Mix in bowl and top with favorite dressing. I like to drizzle a little balsamic vinegar and add a bit of agave. Yum!

We ate the Pilaf with steamed broccoli.

This recipe originally comes from Veganomicon but I made a few changes. Here it is the way I prepared it.

Chickpea Quinoa Pilaf

2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped finely (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cups vegetable broth

In a small stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions in coconut oil for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Add the tomato paste, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Saute for another minute. Add the quinoa and saute for 2 miutes. Add the chickpeas and broth and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat to very low, cover, and cook for about 18-22 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water; stir occasionally. Fluff with a fork and serve.

End of Summer

I'm going to miss summer

and fresh tomatoes.

Fresh Tomato-Basil Pasta

1-2 tsp olive oil

1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

3-4 tomatoes, diced

handful of fresh basil, chopped

salt

pepper

favorite pasta (vegan depending on pasta used)

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Combine drained pasta and tomato mixture. Serve and enjoy.

Pizza

I grew up eating my mom's pizza.

Now my kids love it.

It's not gourmet, but it is cheap, easy, and yummy.

Mom's Pizza

Yield: 1 pizza

2 1/4 tsp yeast

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tbls melted shortening or oil

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp garlic salt

italian seasoning

mozzarella cheese

pizza toppings of choice

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Add oil, flour, and salt. Stir together, knead a little. Roll to fit pans (grease/flour pans). Mix tomato sauce and seasonings. Spread on dough. Add toppings and cheese. Bake 425 degrees for 18-20 minutes. (I cook it on the lowest rack until the cheese is melted and turning brown.)