Fruity and Nutty Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

This is one of my most popular quinoa salads. It is a great dish for pot lucks and get togethers.  I also like it packed on the bottom of clear containers, pint or quart size canning jars and topped with your choice of salad greens and vegetables for grab and go salads and lunches.  When you are ready to eat simply dump on a plate and the grain salad with the dressing will fall over the greens.  The salad jars keep in the fridge for at least three days.

Click here for a Printable recipe 

Makes 6 x 1 cup (250 ml) servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dry quinoa - 250 ml

2 cup water - 250 ml

½ cup almonds - 125 ml

1 apple, cored and chopped

½ cup dried apricots, sliced - 125 ml

¼ cup sunflower seeds -60 ml

¼ cup dried cranberries - 60 ml

¼ cup raisins - 125 ml

2 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped - 30 ml

¼ cup maple syrup - 60 ml

¼ cup balsamic vinegar - 60 ml

2 Tbsp olive oil - 30 ml

2 Tbsp water - 30 ml

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard - 15 ml

METHOD:

1. Combine the quinoa and 2 cups (500 mL) of cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

2. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl. Add almonds, diced apple, slivers of dried apricots, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, raisins and chopped mint; toss to combine. 

3. In a jar, combine maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, oil and water. Seal and shake until well blended.

4. Pour in vinaigrette and toss gently to coat. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint. Serve warm or cold.

Note: You can store the vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to 1 week; shake well before use. Makes I cup (250 ml) dressing  and is so good on many things!

Nutrition Facts (per 1 cup or 150 g quinoa salad without the green salad): 260 calories, 10 g fat, 55 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 4 g fibre, 16 g sugar, 6 g protein.  % Daily Values are 20% vitamin A, 4 vitamin C, 6% calcium and 20% iron.

Yours in good taste,
© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
http://nancyguppy.com/

Cooking with Maple

Maple syrup is coming and so is spring!  Maple syrup is one of my favourite sweeteners. It is a local product that has been a source of pleasure and food energy for people living in the north for a very long time. I do imagine the early homesteaders relied on it and were shown how to make it by the native people. One tablespoon, or 15 ml, has 30 calories and 7 grams of carbohydrate/sugar with small amounts of nutrients such as 11 mg of calcium and 25 mg potassium. Like all sweet treats it should be enjoyed in moderation.

I use it in many dishes both sweet and savoury. My favourites seem to be in vinaigrettes, dressings and marinades but it also makes an awesome smoothie and a great glaze for vegetables and roast lamb and chicken.

Mark Saturday April 26, 2104 in your calendar as we hope to see you stocking up on maple syrup at the 17th Annual Powassan Maple Syrup Festival.  The day starts with 3 Pancake Breakfasts at 7am and the festival activities end around 4 pm. There will be many food and craft vendors in Powassan and the township reports their usual small population of 2,000 swells to well over 5,000 people on this one day. You can also listen to live music and enjoy fun events.  

I am leading three free cooking demos in the Sportsplex (arena, Main St.) during the festival.  Learn to make all things maple!  Come out and sample some great recipes listed below.  I'll also talk about using maple syrup in baking and how diabetics may use some maple syrup in their meals.

At the breakfast demo at 10 a.m. I'll be demonstrating:

• Maple Cranberry Chia Smoothie
• Hot Maple Thyme Tea (slow cooker)
• Maple Fruit Nut Rolled Oats (Rice Cooker)
• Layered Maple Yogurt, Fruit Granola Parfaits
• Two Bite Maple Buckwheat Pancakes

Lunch (noon) Demo:

• ·        Maple Pop
• ·        Maple Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette on Greens
• ·        Goat Cheese Appetizer with Maple Chipotle Glaze
• ·        Maple Syrup Teriyaki Tofu
• ·        Maple Baked Beans (Slow Cooker)
• ·        Fruity and Nutty Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

2 p.m. Demo:

• Maple Mint & Blueberry Tea
• Maple Cranberry Poppyseed Dressings over Greens
• Maple Syrup Teriyaki Tofu
• Slow Cooker Rhubarb with Ginger and Maple Syrup
• Strawberry Rhubarb Anise Maple Tapioca Pudding.

All maple syrup sold in Ontario has to be graded and you can find out more and see other recipes at http://www.ontariomaple.com. I liked the history of maple syrup shown at
http://www.canadianmaplesyrup.com/maplehistory.html

Hope to see you there! 

Maple Baked Beans (Slow Cooker)

Baked beans are a classic comfort food especially in the north.  Here's my vegetarian version I lived on during university when I wanted a wholesome meal and money was tight.  Pretty easy and economical to whip up. In this vegetarian version you can also add any hard dense vegetables like carrots, parsnips, potatoes and/or squash.   I think they are best made in a slow oven but here is my slow cooker instructions.

		Ingredient
2 cups	500 ml	Beans, navy, raw
12 cups	3 litres	Water, cold
2 each		Bay leaves
1 cup	250 ml	Maple syrup
½ cup	125 ml	Ketchup
1 Tbsp	15 ml	Mustard seed, ground/powder
½ tsp	2.5 ml	Thyme, dried, leaves
½ tsp	2.5 ml	Salt (optional)
¼ tsp	1.25 ml	Black pepper, freshly ground
2 each		Onions, raw, large, cut in half, peeled
8 pieces		Cloves (spice), whole
2 Tbsp	30 ml	Apple cider vinegar, natural

* you can sub 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup dark molasses for the maple syrup with good results

1.  Rinse beans and add to crock of slow cooker with the bay leaves.  Cover with 3 times as much cold water (about 12 cups).  Cover and cook on LOW overnight - 6-8 hours.  The beans should be tender but not falling apart.  Alternately, you can boil them on the stove for an hour or so until tender but not splitting.  I am using black eye peas for this batch in place of the navy beans.  Necessity is the mother of invention .... what I had on hand.

2.  Remove 2 cups (500 ml) bean water from crock.  You may use this later if beans are dry.  Keep in fridge.  Discard it later if you don't use it.

3.  Stir maple syrup, ketchup, dry mustard powder, dry thyme, salt and pepper into beans.  If you don’t like sweet beans add less maple syrup.  Also, I don't usually add the salt as the ketchup is salty.  You can always adjust later.  

4.  Cut onions in half and peel.  Push two pieces of whole cloves into each of the four halves.  Add to bean pot.  Push down to cover with beans.

5.  Cover and cook on LOW heat 4 hours.  Then cook one hour with lid off to evaporate liquid.  How you want the beans is a matter of preference.  At any time if you want them saucier you can add some of the reserved bean liquid.

6. Remove onions to cool and discard cloves.  Dice and add back to the pot.  Stir in the cider vinegar (optional).

You can also bake them in a bean pot or 16-cup (4 L) casserole. Cover and bake in 300°F (150°C) oven for 2 hours. Uncover and bake until thickened and beans are coated, about 1 hour.

Dehydrated zucchini I added to my veg baked beans

Makes approximately 15 x ½ cup -125 ml servings 
Nutrients (per 1/2 cup - with the salt)

Calories	170
Protein (g)	7
Total Fat (g)	0.5
Saturated Fat (g)	0
Carbohydrate (g)	36
Fibre (g)	5
Cholesterol (mg)	0
Sodium (mg)	180
%Daily Value
Calcium	8
Iron	10
Vitamin A	2
Vitamin C	6

Maple Thyme Tea

Maple syrup, fresh thyme and green tea are a winning combination for a hot drink.  If you don't have fresh thyme on hand the dried will work but not taste quite as delicious.  Often we don't think of adding fresh herbs to our tea.  

I am finishing up this thyme I bought in the store.  I freeze the fresh herbs that I know I won't use up entirely before they start to go bad in the fridge.  Below are packages of thyme and chives I have in the freezer.  I have also saved these plastic packages and filled with my garden herbs and frozen for use during the winter months.

I had dried a fair amount of thyme from last year's garden but have used it all.  Now that spring is here my garden thyme is making a come back and I look forward to using it.

		Ingredient
2		Green tea bags (or mint)
6 cups	1.5 litres	Water, boiling
1 Tbsp	15 ml	Fresh thyme (about 3 sprigs if using whole)
1 Tbsp	15 ml	Maple syrup

METHOD: 


1.  Add tea bags and fresh thyme to tea pot.   Pour boiling water over.  Leave to steep 10 minutes.

2.  Sweeten with maple syrup to taste.

SLOW COOKER: Pour boiling water over tea bags and thyme.  Keep the brew on LOW until ready to serve.  Remove tea bags and thyme before serving if you wish.  


The tea below was in the slow cooker about 6 hours.  Open the lid and the aroma of thyme wafts throughout the room.  I didn't remove the bags or sprigs in the batch below and it had a nice rich colour and flavourful.

Nutrients (per 1/4th recipe – 1 ½ cup or 375 ml)

Calories	15
Protein (g)	0
Total Fat (g)	0
Saturated Fat (g)	0
Carbohydrate (g)	4
Fibre (g)	0
Cholesterol (mg)	0
Sodium (mg)	15
%DV
Calcium	2
Iron	2
Vitamin A	2
Vitamin C	4

Chocolate Quinoa Pudding with Fruit and Nuts

I just made this "hard to believe" so delicious chocolate quinoa pudding.  Sweetened with frozen bananas and maple syrup.  Not entirely local food but a good use of excess bananas that became too ripe that I had frozen.  Added some frozen berries I had on hand.  A great quick dessert reminiscent of tapioca pudding.  

I put these together four or so hours before serving and was pleased to see the liquid from the bananas etc. didn't separate out.

		Ingredients for 8 servings
2 cups	500 ml	Milk – your choice
1 cup	250 ml	Quinoa, dry
1 tsp	5 ml	Cinnamon, ground
3		Bananas, medium, frozen
3 Tbsp	45 ml	Maple syrup
3 Tbsp	45 ml	Cocoa, dark, dry
1 tsp	5 ml	Cinnamon
½ tsp	2.5 ml	Vanilla
		For the garnish
2 cup	250 ml	Berries, frozen
3 Tbsp	45 ml	Walnuts, chopped
64 pieces		Dark chocolate chips (who’s counting)
8 tsp	40 ml	Coconut, dry, unsweetened

METHOD:

1. Pour milk into a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in quinoa and 1 tsp cinnamon; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Cut the frozen bananas into chunks and add to bowl of food processor.  Add maple syrup, cocoa and the other 1 tsp cinnamon.  Process until smooth.
3. Stir banana mixture into cooled quinoa.  
4. To serve, spoon into serving glasses.  Top with frozen berries, sprinkle of nuts, dark chocolate chips, sprinkle of dried coconut... whatever you come up with.  

Used some antique glasses out of the china cabinet

Nutritious and delicious!

Nutrients (per 1/8th recipe – 220 grams)

Calories	270
Protein (g)	7
Total Fat (g)	7
Saturated Fat (g)	3
Carbohydrate (g)	48
Fibre (g)	8
Cholesterol (mg)	5
Sodium (mg)	35
%DV
Calcium	10
Iron	15
Vitamin A	4
Vitamin C	25