Clean Quinoa

Oh, clean eating. Can it be enjoyable?  After preparing some healthy quinoa last night and enjoying it today for lunch, I have hope that it can be.  The first time I prepared quinoa according to package directions I was NOT into it.  Bland, mushy, and completely unappealing.  But last night we put some real effort in to making it taste good, and I'm happy to report it paid off.  Today's lunch made our first day of the Clean program just a little more tolerable than expected.  Here's the basic recipe--and we used as much organic stuff as possible, by the way, to be extra virtuous.  I didn't really measure anything but you get the idea!

2.25 cups mixed quinoa (white, black & red from the bulk bins at Fairway, for us--I think it was about a pound)
1 quart carton vegetable stock
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (during toasting I added a bit of onion & garlic powder, too)
1 large red onion, sliced
1 large sweet onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic
3-4 small carrots, peeled, sliced thin & steamed quickly in microwave
2 small cans chickpeas, rinsed & drained
about 1/3 cup mixed olives, pitted & chopped--maybe a few more
olive oil, salt, pepper, various dried herbs & spices
Handful of chopped parsley

Dressing
Zest & juice of 2 lemons
Balsamic vinegar
Red wine vinegar
Agave nectar
Dijon Mustard
Olive oil
Various seasonings, salt, pepper

1) Soak the quinoa for 15 minutes. (Meanwhile, you can start prepping your sauteed veggies)
2) Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer for 2 minutes or so.
3) Toast the quinoa in some olive oil in the bottom of your quinoa cooking pot (use one with a lid). When it starts popping and has toasted for a couple of minutes, add the stock. I also added various seasonings here--some salt, pepper, and mixed dried herbs I have on hand and another bit of olive oil for flavor.  Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer & cover.  Simmer for about 30 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat & let stand, covered, 5 more minutes.
4) Saute the onions until soft. Add the steamed chopped carrots & garlic & cook a few minutes more.
Add the chickpeas, olives, pine nuts, and parsley along with seasonings to taste.
5) Mix the quinoa and veggies together.
6) Combine the dressing ingredients (I never measure dressing, just wing it) and pour over the quinoa, tossing together to coat.  Let sit overnight in the fridge to marry flavors.  Makes a big batch for clean lunches all week!  I like to heat mine up in the microwave but it tastes fine cold, too.

Meatloaf

I never really make meatloaf the same way twice, but here's an attempt to get a basic recipe down.  Last night we had it again, but the topping was a just a little bit too sweet and there were too many diced tomatoes in it, in my opinion. In fact, maybe it doesn't need those diced tomatoes at all.  I'm going to write this recipe as I think it should've been made, and next time we'll see if it's on target! Hopefully I'll get a picture on here one of these days...

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 finely chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves
2.25 pounds meatloaf mix (beef/pork/veal)
1 egg
3/4 cup tomato ketchup
3/4 cup oats
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1.5 teaspoons salt
      pepper to taste

Topping
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Heat the olive oil in and saute the onion until softened in a medium saute pan over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and cook a couple of minutes more. Set aside to cool.

2) Combine meatloaf mix with remaining ingredients and the cooled onion and garlic mixture and mix gently.  Shape into a loaf and place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Making the loaf on a baking sheet is preferable to making it inside of a loaf pan, because the crust will develop better and the loaf won't be as mushy.

3) Combine topping ingredients. Brush the loaf with half of the topping and bake for 45 minutes.  Brush with the remaining topping and continue to bake 10-15 minutes more, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.  Let the loaf rest, lightly tented with foil, for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.