Lemon Basil Quinoa from Super Seeds

Photo Credit: Bill Milne

It's so warm here, that I'm thinking about the foods I love in warm weather. Entree salads are perfect when the weather warms up, because they fuel you up without weighing you down. This vegan, gluten-free entree salad relies on protein-rich quinoa for its heft, and fresh veggies for crunch and flavor, topped off with a lemony zing, this salad is a winner!

 

Lemon Basil Quinoa Salad

Makes 5 Servings

Fresh lemon juice, basil, and capers give this hearty but light salad a bright Mediterranean f lavor.

1 cup haricot verts (French green beans), trimmed and cut into 1/2 -inch pieces

1 cup cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium dice

2 cups prepared quinoa

10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon capers , rinsed

2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl, toss all ingredients to combine.

You might also enjoy these other recipes from Super Seeds.

Massaged Kale Salad
Hemp Seed Hummus
Chocolate Chip Granola Cookies
Golden Corn Soup
Amaranth Stuffed Acorn Squash

  

Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book,  Ancient Grains: A Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Millet, Oats, Spelt, Farro, Sorghum & Teff (Superfoods for Life), is available for pre-order now. Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

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Hemp Seed Hummus

Photo Credit: Bill Milne

The Hemp Seed Hummus from Super Seeds: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Chia, Quinoa, Flax, Hemp & Amaranth (Superfood Series) is one of my favorite summer recipes. It's protein-packed, so it can fuel your summer fun. It's quick to come together and not too heavy, making it ideal for summer snacking. Serve it with cut veggies or crackers, spread on a sandwich or dolloped on a green salad.


Hemp Seed Hummus (vegan, gluten-free, allergen-free)
from Super Seeds by Kim Lutz (Sterling Publishing, 2015)Makes 1 ½ cups

Hemp seeds do double duty in this recipe.First, they take the place of the traditional ingredient in hummus, tahini (some people are allergic to sesame seeds). Second, they bring crucial phytonutrients, including zinc and magnesium, to this tasty, satisfyingly textured dip.


1 ¾ cups cooked garbanzo beans (or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons water


Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

Read More

Growing Up With Food Allergies: How to Survive a Potluck with Food Allergies or Other Special Diet

Fresh fruit is a safe offering for almost every guest at a potluck!

This is another post that I wrote about Growing Up With Food Allergies. With new people learning about the need for a special diet all the time, I though it would be good to bring it back.

Just when you think you have the hang of your special diet (whether it's vegan, gluten-free, due to food allergies, etc.) summer comes and throws a little wrinkle your way.

At least that's what happened to me.  I finally felt I had some mastery of what I could eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner when I changed my diet to address the needs of my nursing, food-allergic baby.  I wasn't eating the same one food over and over and over anymore.  I could make a dinner to serve guests that passed company muster.

And then came summer.

Summer means barbecues and potlucks and bringing dishes to share.  Ugh!!!

After figuring out a few tricks, I now look forward to the hot months with glee.

Here are some tips:

• If I'm only bringing one dish to share, I make sure that it packs a nutrition-filled punch.  It needs to be filling and nutrient-dense so that I can be sure to join in on the fun with a grumpy belly.
• If I'm bringing a couple of dishes, I make sure one of them is a delicious treat.  This shows the other guests that they, too, can provide a dish that's safe for others that is still going to taste great.
• My family and I never go to a party hungry.  It's a bonus if we can eat when we get there, but if we've had something before we leave the house, we're still ok if we don't have much to choose from.
• I separate out a few cookies or brownies from what I'm bringing and wrap them up separately for my boys.  It's easy for crumbs to mingle on a buffet table, and then all of my hard work to provide a safe treat can go down the drain.  If I have theirs set aside, I can pull them out when it's time to eat, and they will have a treat that looks like everyone else's.
• I ask if I can serve my family first, before spoons migrate from one bowl to another.
• Sliced fruit is always a good option to bring, too. 

 Need some potluck inspiration?

• Lemon Dill Pasta Salad
• Tomatillo Pineapple Guacamole
• Watermelon Nectarine Fruit Salad
• Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Happy Cooking!

Kim 

Ancient Grains: A Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Millet, Oats, Spelt, Farro, Sorghum & Teff (Superfoods for Life), is available now! Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

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Lemon Dill Vegan Pasta Salad

Sometimes, simple is better. That's what this pasta salad is -- simple. Crunchy asparagus and juicy tomatoes shine brightly with a lemon dill dressing.

I think it's best to make gluten-free pasta salad the day you want to eat it. If you let it sit in the refrigerator over night, the pasta can get tough. If you do have leftovers, I think it's a good idea to let it come back to room temperature and toss with a little extra dressing to replace some of the moisture that got absorbed by the pasta.

The folks at Tolerant Gluten-free Foods sent me some of their single-ingredient pasta to try. It's naturally gluten-free, vegan and allergen-friendly because it's made from either red lentils, green lentils or black beans. I used the Red Lentil Rotini in my salad. I liked the flavor, color and the clean ingredient list -- organic red lentils. That's it.

For this salad, you could use any pasta you choose.

Lemon Dill Vegan Pasta Salad (Gluten-free, Food Allergy Friendly)
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces dry pasta, any short, chunky shape you like
• 8 to 10 stalks of asparagus
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• 1 to 2 teaspoons agave nectar (optional, but will help mellow the tartness of the dressing)

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. While pasta is cooking, break off tough ends of asparagus and discard.
3. Slice asparagus into one-inch chunks.
4. When pasta is done cooking, toss asparagus into pasta pot, then drain pasta and asparagus.
5. Slice tomatoes in half.
6. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, dill, and agave if using.
7. Toss pasta and veggies in dressing. 
8. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
9. Serve warm or cool down a bit in the refrigerator.

FTC Disclosure: Tolerant Gluten-free Foods sent me boxes of pasta to try. All opinions are my own.



Happy Cooking!

Kim 

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

Read More

Massaged Kale Salad from Super Seeds

Photo Credit Bill Milne

While cold weather calls for soup, warm weather sings out for salads. Cool, crunchy, nourishing salad.

This Massaged Kale Salad from Super Seeds is a lovely canvas on which to add the colors of spring and summer -- sliced fruit and vegetables add interest to this delicious and filling salad. How about adding some sliced strawberries, mango or nectarine, blueberries or pineapple chunks, or orange peppers and cucumbers? Delicious! And the hemp seeds add some protein along with their nutty earthiness. Yum!

Super Seeds is full of recipes that are quick to put together and summer friendly. Now's a great time to pick up a copy so you're ready for summer potlucks, al fresco dinners and cool breakfasts.

Massaged Kale Salad (reprinted from Super Seeds)

Makes 2 servings

You can add any vegetables or fruits that you like to make this basic kale salad more complex. There is nothing basic, however, about kale’s superfood nutrition profile, and its chewy, earthy taste makes it an exciting alternative to ordinary salad greens. This salad pairs beautifully with lasagna and makes a great meal to serve when you have company— it’s easy to pull together so that you can spend more time with your guests.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups raw kale, center ribs and stems removed, and torn into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  (or use 4 cups baby kale) 
• Juice of ½ lemon 
• 3 tablespoons shelled hemp seeds  
• 1 medium tomato, chopped  
• ½ ripe avocado, cut into medium dice 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, combine kale and lemon juice.

2. Massage the kale with your bare hands for several minutes, until the leaves are much

more tender. (If you’re using baby kale, you can massage the leaves just enough to coat

with lemon juice, as they are already tender.)

3. Set aside for 1 hour or longer.

4. In a dry skillet, toast hemp seeds over medium heat for 1 minute.

5. Toss together all ingredients and serve.

If you have Super Seeds and you're enjoying it, would you please help me get it to more people by leaving a review on Amazon ? Thanks so much if you can!

Happy Cooking!

Kim 

My new book, Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

Read More

Throw Together Rice & Bean Soup

Today is Earth Day. 

What could be better than a day dedicated to reminding us to care for the very planet that cares for us?

This makes us think about what can we do to make a difference? Obviously, we can walk or bike instead of driving, turn off lights in empty rooms, lower our thermostats in the winter, etc. 

What about food?

• We can buy food that is sustainably raised. I look for organic, bio-dynamic and sustainable labels on my food when I can. I shop at Farmer's Markets whenever possible to meet the farmers who are growing my food.
• I look to the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 to inform my purchases about pesticide loads in produce. 
• I eat a plant-based diet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, "According to a new report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent – 18 percent – than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation."

Some people think that eating a plant-based or vegan diet can be really hard, especially for busy families. There are plenty of recipes here and all over the Internet that show how easy it can be to eat vegan, whether for a meal here or there, or all the time.

When I'm busy, I love to throw together a nourishing delicious soup that can feed us for dinner and get packed in thermal containers for lunches over the next day or two.

This one is a variation of a dish I make all fall, winter and spring. This week, I used pre-chopped veggies from Trader Joe's, other times I use what's plentiful at the Farmer's Market.

Top your thickened soup the next day with fresh tomatoes.

Throw Together Rice and Bean Soup (vegan, gluten-free, food allergen free)
Makes approximately 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 5 cups chopped vegetables (carrots, cabbage, broccoli, celery, green pepper, red pepper, etc.)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 3/4 cups cooked beans)
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• 2 vegan gluten-free bullion cubes
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 8-10 cups water (depending on desired thickness)

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot .
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes, or until rice is cooked.
4. Soup will thicken as it sits. Eat it as a stew the next day or thin with more water.
5. Refrigerate uneaten portions for 3-4 days, or freeze for 3 months.

This recipe was shared with Allergy Free Wednesday!

Happy Cooking!

Kim 

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

Read More

PlantPure Nation Cookbook -- A Vegan Cookbook Review

Caribbean Quinoa Bowl recipe below.  Photo credit Brian Olson.

Twelve years ago I transitioned from a vegetarian diet to a purely plant-based diet (a vegan diet). I did this for my son, who was allergic to dairy and eggs, but I continue to follow a vegan diet for myself. My experience with going vegan included an increase in good health. My cholesterol went down and my lifelong asthma pretty much disappeared. I have maintained these health gains over the years. 

Because I have had such a great experience with changing my diet, I was really excited to receive a copy of a new vegan cookbook, The PlantPure Nation Cookbook. This cookbook is a companion to a new film, PlantPure Nation. The book and the film document the changes that people experience when they transition to a plant-based diet using the Jumpstart program created by Kim Campbell and her husband Nelson Campbell (son of T. Colin Campbell, PhD, coauthor of The China Study). 

The PlantPure Nation Cookbook is a great starting point for anyone who wants to try a plant-based diet for the first time. It contains over 150 easy-to-follow recipes that will ease you into eating familiar foods that just happen to be plant-based. The book also has helpful on how to stock your pantry and some highlights from the film. Many of the recipes include gluten, soy and/or nuts, so it might not be the best fit for someone with multiple food allergies or intolerances.

Check out the trailer for this movie, then visit the PlantPure Nation website to see how you can support getting the word out! 
 

Caribbean Quinoa Bowl (courtesy of PlantPure Nation Cookbook by Kim Campbell, BenBella Press)

This recipe is easy to make for any meal. Black beans, salsa, and pineapple give it a sweet Mexican flavor.

½ cup quinoa

1 cup water

4 cups chopped kale

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

¾ cup salsa (medium heat)

½ cup diced pineapple (fresh, canned, or frozen)

¾ cup corn (fresh or frozen)

1 cup diced avocado

¼ cup sliced green onions

Yields: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

1. Rinse the quinoa, which can have a bitter taste if not rinsed thoroughly. Add the quinoa and the water to a pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

2. Lightly steam the kale until bright green. Add to the bowl with quinoa.

3. Add the beans, cumin, chili powder, salt, salsa, pineapple, and corn. Toss until the ingredients are well mixed.

4. Top with the avocado and green onions and serve immediately.

Want more plant-based recipes? I've got hundreds here to get you started, plus more in my books.

Happy Cooking!

Kim 

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

 

Read More