All tagged Cumin

Mexican Fiesta Quinoa Salad

Mexican Fiesta Quinoa Salad

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

This recipe is a crowd-pleaser! Colorful and delicious, Mexican Fiesta Quinoa Salad is the perfect recipe for healthy meal prepped lunches, quick weeknight dinners, or part of a festive summer BBQ!

Serves: 6-8

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth

1 15.5 oz can black beans

1 cup fire roasted corn

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

How (your directions):

Add quinoa and vegetable broth to a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then cover, lower heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add black beans, corn, olive oil, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, and salt to a large bowl.  Stir to combine.

Once quinoa has finished cooking, turn heat off and allow to sit, covered, for another 5 minutes. 

Add quinoa to the black bean and corn mixture.  Top with thinly sliced spring onions.

Enjoy warm, room temperature, or cold!  Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Why (the science):  Quinoa and black beans are rich in protein, making this a satisfying lunch throughout the week!

Easiest Vegan Chili

Easiest Vegan Chili

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

Easiest Vegan Chili is so easy and quick, you can make it on a weekday in 30 minutes!  It requires 5-8 minutes of hands on dicing or stirring, but the rest of the cooking time is leaving the chili to simmer.  Leftovers are wonderful, so this Vegan Chili also makes a nutritious meal prep recipe for lunches or dinners.  Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for 4 days.

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

What (your ingredients):

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

½ teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon tomato paste

24-oz. can diced tomatoes

2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup water

How (your directions):

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven.

Add yellow onion and salt, and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, and tomato paste.  Sauté for 1 minute.

Add black beans, white beans, and water.  Bring to a low boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve immediately with your favorite chili toppings!

Why (the science):  Beans are an excellent source of protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied, while garlic and onion have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties to boost your immune system.

Red Lentil Stew

Red Lentil Stew

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

Red Lentil Stew is the ultimate cozy comfort food that is incredible for your immune system- between the garlic, ginger, leek, and lemon, Red Lentil Stew has several health boosting vitamins and antimicrobial properties!  It also makes a great meal prep recipe, as it stores well in the fridge for 3-4 days.  Inspired by my favorite food blogger’s (Sarah Britton’s) Four Corners Soup, this Red Lentil Stew is something to look forward to after a long day’s work 😊

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 leek, sliced into half-moons and rinsed

Pinch of salt

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 tablespoon cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

1 cup red lentils, rinsed

3 cups veggie broth

½ lemon, sliced into thin rounds

1 tablespoon maple syrup

4 cups spinach

To serve: slices of avocado or grated parmesan cheese and good olive oil

How (your directions):

Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add coconut oil, sliced leek, and pinch of salt to the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes.

Add minced garlic, ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper, sautéing for 1 minute.

Add crushed tomatoes, lentils, veggie broth, and lemon slices to the leek mixture.  Bring to a boil, then cover, lower heat to low, and simmer for 30-40 minutes until lentils reach desired texture.

Add maple syrup and taste for seasoning.  With the heat turned off, stir spinach into stew until wilted.

Serve hot with either sliced avocado, or a grating of parmesan cheese and drizzle of good olive oil.

Why (the science):  Lentils are a plant-based protein powerhouse, with 20 grams of protein per 1 cup!  That’s equivalent to about 3 oz of chicken breast.

Cheesy Mexican Squash Casserole

Cheesy Mexican Squash Casserole

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

Perfect for summer entertaining, Cheesy Mexican Squash Casserole serves 4-6 as a main course, or 8 as a side dish.  You can make this casserole in advance, then bake in oven right before serving.  The Cheesy Vegan Sauce is scrumptious, and your non-vegetarian friends will never know that there’s no cheese 😉

Serves: 6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

What (your ingredients):

Vegan Cheese Sauce:

1 yellow onion, quartered

10 mini sweet peppers

¼ cup raw cashews

½ cup nutritional yeast

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon salt

Squash Casserole:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, sliced thinly

3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 large yellow squash, sliced into half-moons

2 cups sweet corn

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cooked brown rice

Parsley or cilantro for serving

How (your directions):

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Make Vegan Cheesy Sauce by adding all ingredients to a high-speed blender.  Blend on high for 60 seconds until smooth.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and sauté for 1-2 minutes.  add garlic and a pinch of salt, sautéing for 30 seconds.

Add cumin and chili powder to the oil. Hint: This allows the spices to “bloom” and become fragrant.

Add sliced squash and sauté for 5 minutes.  add corn, black beans, pinto beans, stirring for 2 minutes until warmed through.

Add rice and Vegan Cheesy Sauce and stir to combine.

Pour casserole mixture into a 2-qt. baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Garnish with snipped parsley or cilantro.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy hot! 

Why (the science):  Dairy can be inflammatory in the body, causing bloating, gas, acne, and many other symptoms.  This Vegan Cheesy Sauce incorporates vitamin C rich peppers and anti-inflammatory onion!  The nutritional yeast provides B12 and that signature cheesy flavor. 

Crunchy Curry Salad with Farro

Crunchy Curry Salad with Farro

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

Crunchy Curry Salad with Farro is filling salad, heart enough to be a meal on its own, but light and crunchy and crisp.  Refreshing for a hot, summer day!

Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

What (your ingredients):

½ cup farro

¼ teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon paprika

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 lemon

1 head of kale

5-7 radishes

½ large seedless cucumber

1 orange bell pepper

1 shallot

How (your directions):

Heat 5 cups of water in a large pot with 2 teaspoons salt.  Once boiling, add the farro and cook for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to a large bowl, add curry powder, cumin, paprika, lime juice, and lemon juice.  Stir to combine.

Finely chop kale and add to the bowl with spices.  Massage 2 minutes to soften kale.

Dice radishes, cucumber, and bell pepper and add to kale. 

Mince 1 shallot and add to kale salad.

Once farro is cooked, drain farro, then add to kale salad.  Mix to combine.

Enjoy immediately or store in refrigerator for the next day’s lunch or dinner!

Why (the science):  Spices have anti-inflammatory powers, so combine spices to flavor your meals in replace of adding salt.  If the salad needs salt, add a pinch, but you won’t need a lot with the flavors of curry and cumin 😊 

Shakshuka-Eggs Poached in a Tomato Stew

Shakshuka-Eggs Poached in a Tomato Stew

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

Shakshuka is the fancy name for a one-skillet dish of eggs poached in a tomato stew or sauce.  While shakshuka originated in North Africa, it is now a breakfast favorite in Israel.  While you can certainly wow your friends and family at a weekend breakfast or brunch, I prefer to make it as an easy weeknight dinner.  Shakshuka is warm and comforting at the end of a workday 😊  Serve with crusty bread, or my favorite way, over brown rice with a drizzle of good olive oil!

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

What (your ingredients):

1 tablespoon avocado oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 zucchini, diced small

1 yellow squash, diced small

1 bell pepper, diced small

5-6 Roma tomatoes, diced small

1 head of kale, roughly chopped

 Salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

½ cup water

4 eggs

How (your directions):

In a medium cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and cook 3-4 minutes until translucent.

Add diced zucchini, squash, pepper, tomatoes, kale, and salt.  Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to brown slightly.

Add garlic and cumin and sauté for 1 minute.

Add tomato sauce and ½ cup water, then simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Using the back of a wooden spoon (or just a spoon or ladle), create four wells for the eggs.

Crack an egg carefully to keep the yolk intact and gently allow egg to slip into one of the wells.

Repeat for remaining three eggs.

Cover and allow to simmer until eggs are cooked to desired doneness (about 10 minutes).

Serve hot over brown rice with a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkle of salt!

Why (the science):  You may know that tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is protective against prostate cancer, but did you know that the more processed the tomato is, the more lycopene there is?  Canned tomato sauce and tomato paste have a higher lycopene content than raw tomatoes!

Mexican Veggie Hash

Mexican Veggie Hash

Chelsea Gloeckner
Blog

One of my favorite brunch items to order is a potato hash with eggs, so when I decided to make hash at home, I was surprised at how easy it is to create!  What makes a hash extra awesome is that you can use any combination of veggies you have in your kitchen 😊  I like to serve mine with a squeeze of lime, half of an avocado with sea salt, and a perfectly fried egg.  Hash makes great leftovers for work or school the next day- just serve over rice, or fill a few tacos with the hash and a sprinkle of cheese.

What (your ingredients):

4-5 Yukon gold potatoes

1 large sweet potato

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 red onion

1 green bell pepper

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon cumin

Pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper

Toppings: avocado or guacamole, salsa, lime, fried egg, cilantro, cheese, etc.

How (your directions):

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Grease 2 large baking sheets with oil or line with a silicone mat.  Set aside.

Using the dicing blade on a food processor, or using a sharp knife, dice the potatoes into a small dice, keeping the dice size consistent for even roasting.

Toss potatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil and evenly distribute between the 2 baking sheets.

Roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large fry pan, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add diced red onion and sauté for 5 minutes.  add bell pepper and sauté an additional 5 minutes.

When potatoes have finished roasting, add potatoes to the fry pan.  Add black beans, cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Press mixture firmly so that a golden crust can form on the hash (like making a crunchy paella).

Serve hot with your favorite toppings- I highly recommend avocado and a fried egg so that the yolk can act as a sauce!

Why (the science):  Potatoes and beans create a complete protein, meaning that this dish can be vegan (skip the egg) and you still get all 13 of the essential amino acids your body needs!

Mexican Cauliflower Rice Bowl

Mexican Cauliflower Rice Bowl

Team Compass
Blog

I regret not getting on the cauliflower rice bandwagon sooner, because it really is so easy and so delicious! The great thing about cauliflower rice is that it acts as a base for any flavor profiles you want to add. My cauliflower rice dish is a play on a burrito bowl, using lots of smoky cumin with refreshing lime zest and juice. Top it with avocado slices, salsa, and sriracha hummus, or perhaps grilled chicken or fish! Serves 2 generously