Still Having Fun with Healthy Cooking!

There is a plethora of articles out there about clean eating and so many healthy recipe options that we will never go bored! Pinterest is especially helpful for finding and organizing things that look interesting to you. I've already posted a few of my recent discoveries and wanted to share how I've taken those ingredients a step further.

First is Trader Joe's Organic White Quinoa. Pronounced "KEEN-wah", this is a protein packed alternative to rice, pasta or couscous. Read more about it on Trader Joe's website. It's only a few bucks at your local TJs and one bag will get you through several different recipes.

Last night I tried the Mushroom Risotto recipe that is on the back of the bag. It was delicious!! I actually found another blogger who added asparagus to her version. Details are here: http://godsavethefood.blogspot.com/2013/03/crazy-for-quinoa.html.

There is a great summertime pasta salad that I like to make with chopped bell peppers, feta cheese and Italian dressing. I replaced pasta with quinoa in this recipe and it turned out great! Less carbs and more protein! John loves this cold, refreshing salad for his lunch.

There is a similar variation on Pinterest that I tried and really liked: http://pinterest.com/pin/7036943140581773.

The opportunities for quinoa are endless...I've seen quinoa fried rice, quinoa black bean and corn tacos, pumpkin quinoa, breakfast quinoa, etc, etc, etc.

My second new favorite ingredient is Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. My last post was about the benefits of coconut oil so I've been trying to fit it into whatever I'm making. I was curious about how it would taste in coffee so I Googled it and, sure enough, there are TONS of articles out there about it! Everything I read said that it's best to blend the coffee and oil together. The first time I tried it, I decided not to blend, thinking that the heat of the coffee would melt the oil and I could just mix it. WRONG. It melted but the oil sat at the top and gave it a funny consistency.

The next time I tried it, I brewed from my Keurig directly into our Magic Bullet, then added a couple teaspoons of coconut oil and blended. It was delicious!!! You can add creamer if you want but it doesn't need it! It's frothy and tropical tasting, which I love. And they say it gives you even more energy. Here are just a few of the articles I found:

http://www.theiflife.com/2-meal-coconut-oil-coffee/

http://wellnessmama.com/5673/the-only-way-i-drink-coffee/

http://ourcrazyboys.com/put-coconut-oil-in-coffee-yes-its-a-coconut-oil-latte/

I recently discovered that Trader Joe's has a Coconut Oil Cooking Spray, so I'm going to try that next!!

Happy Eating and Happy Friday!!

By the way, you can follow me on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/brittkolbeck/boards/.