the unprocessed life

Combine 2 cups of quinoa with 4 cups of water in medium pot and heat until boiling.  Once boiling, lower to low heat and let simmer while covered for 15 minutes.  Once the quinoa is cooked, mix in 1 cup of sliced almonds, 1 cup of dried cranberries, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Sautee one large chopped white onion and 1/4 teaspoon ground garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Separately cook 2 cups dried white rice according to the rice instructions.   Drain and rinse two 15 oz cans of black beans.  Once the rice is cooked and onion is sautéed, mix everything together in a bowl.  Add one teaspoon salt and as much cooked broccoli as you want!

Ever since my kids started reading Garfield comics they beg me for lasagna.

1 16 oz box lasagna noodles

1 jar pasta sauce (I try to buy one with no sugar, just tomatoes and spices)

1 16 oz bag of chopped frozen spinach

1 15 oz container ricotta cheese

1 8 oz bag of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 5 oz container of grated parmesan

Boil the lasagna noodles as described on the box, and then drain them.  Cook the frozen spinach in a pot on the stove and drain it.  In a large bowl mix the cooked spinach with the ricotta cheese and the mozzarella cheese.   Cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch glass pan with a thin layer of the pasta sauce and then lay three strips of the lasagna noodles down to cover the bottom of the pan.  Cover the noodles in the pan with 1/2 of the spinach & cheese mixture.  Lay three more noodles down and then spread the remainder of the spinach and cheese mixture on top.  Lay a final layer of three more noodles on top.  Cover the top with a thick layer of the pasta sauce.  Then sprinkle all the parmesan cheese on the very top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Makes 12 slices of lasagna, each of which is 300 calories.  Enjoy!

It’s been a challenge to get my kids to enjoy salmon as much as I do, so I made these patties today and they loved them.

Follow the broiled salmon recipe on my website to make 4 8 oz pieces of salmon.  Then take all the edible salmon meat and mash it up in a bowl with 1 cup of dried whole wheat bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 eggs (beat the eggs in a separate small bowl first).  Then form large patties and put them onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.   Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, flipping over half way.

My kids enjoy the patties alone with ketchup on the side, or in a burger.  I enjoy the patties on a bed of lettuce with some avocado added in!

Enjoy!

The whole family loves this vegetarian dish!  Many people eat this with plain yogurt on top.  My husband and kids like eating vanilla yogurt with it!

Ingredients:

1 large white onion

2 16oz packages frozen spinach

6 tablespoons olive oil

8oz crumbled feta cheese

1 5.3 oz container of plain or vanilla greek yogurt

3 eggs

1 cup milk (pretty much any type of cow milk, soy milk, or almond milk will work)

1/2 cup water

1 package of 13 x 18 inch fillo dough sheets (these are sold frozen, so remember to thaw it – ideally by putting it in your refrigerator the night before you make the recipe)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

On the stove in a pan sauté 1 chopped onion with 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Heat up 2 packages of 16 oz frozen spinach (in microwave or on the stove — I prefer the stove).

In a large bowl mix the sauteed onions, cooked spinach, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 8oz of crumbled feta cheese (you can increase or decrease the amount of cheese based on how cheesy you want it).

In a medium bowl mix the yogurt, milk, water, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add in 2 of the eggs, and then just the white part of the third egg.  Keep the yolk from the third egg in a separate bowl.  Mix everything together.

Take the thawed filo dough (if you forgot to thaw it, you can thaw it in the microwave. It’s not ideal — it will likely break apart while you lay it on the pan, but you do your best).  Grease a large 13 x 18 inch pan with olive oil.   Lay three layers of the filo dough on the pan.  Using a spoon, cover the filo dough on the pan with a thin layer of the yogurt mix.  You want to cover it enough that the filo dough is all wet.  Then lay another 3 layers of filo dough.  Cover it with the yogurt mix.  Then lay another 3 layers of filo dough.  This time, instead of the yogurt mix, cover the filo dough with the spinach mix.  Lay another 3 layers of filo dough.  Cover it with the yogurt mix.  Lay the final 3 layers of filo dough.  Mix the egg yolk you had set out with the remaining yogurt mix and then pour that all onto the top of that final layer of filo dough.

Burek is similar to lasagna that you can be flexible about how many times you put 3 layers of fillo dough on the bottom and the top.  The main point is that you have the spinach mix in the middle.

Place in the oven for 25 minutes and then start checking it. Once it is golden brown you can take it out.  Let it cool before cutting it.  One tip for cutting the burek is to put a wood cutting board on top of the pan, flip the pan over, and let the burek fall out onto the cutting board.  Then you can cut it easily without worrying about scratching the pan.

One alternative to greasing the pan is you can line the pan with parchment paper.

Enjoy!

 

Easy to make, healthy and a hit with the whole family!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook 1 cup of quinoa in chicken broth (follow the quinoa instructions).  Mix 2 eggs, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder in a large bowl.  Add in the quinoa, 2 cups of chopped broccoli florets and 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.  Mix together.  Pour into a greased muffin pan.   Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  100 calories per quinoa bite if you make 12 of them.  Enjoy!