Quinoa Pilaf

I've made quinoa a couple times in the past and was never really crazy about it, but I wanted to give it another shot since it gets so much attention for its health benefits. Quinoa is a gluten free grain (technically a seed but we cook it and eat it as we would a grain) and it is a complete protein. It doesn't have much flavor so it can be easily sweetened up for breakfast porridges or desserts, or turned into a savory side dish or salad. I decided to make a batch by cooking the quinoa in a can of vegetable soup instead of water. Instant pilaf and awesome flavor! Naturally I added a ton of spinach, English peas (since they are in season and so tasty right now), chopped green onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper. I had it first for breakfast with a fried egg on top, and later as a side dish with some crumbled feta and ground turkey. I'm officially converted and I plan to keep this healthy alternative to rice in my pantry moving forward. (Thinking I'll probably give this variation a go next week) See below for my recipe, but don't be afraid to experiment and have fun with veggies and herbs that you like!

Quinoa Pilaf

• 1 14.5 oz can of vegetable soup
• A little less than 1 cup of dry, rinsed quinoa
• (the ratio to cook should be 2 parts liquid/1 part grain)
• 1 cup of peas
• 3 handfuls of spinach
• 1/2 cup of chopped green onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crushed red pepper or any other herbs you like to taste

Bring soup and quinoa to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes covered. Add in peas, spinach, and green onion or any other veggies you want in the last 3-5 minutes to steam and add flavor. Enjoy!

Playlisting

I've been thoroughly enjoying making playlists for my yoga classes. Some days it's actually hard to tell which I'm more excited about; sharing a carefully crafted sequence with my students, or revealing a purposefully designed playlist full of songs that speak to me, and will hopefully be well received by my fellow yogis. Either way, here's a glimpse of part of one of my playlists on Spotify. If you are a fitness instructor, or even just an enthusiastic playlister, I'd love to know some of your favorite songs that speak to you on a fitness level!

What's in My Bag

I don't think it's uncommon to be intrigued by what other women carry in their bags everyday, so I thought why not share mine? I'm always on the go so its safe to say that the items I keep with me can get me through work at the office, taking/teaching yoga, running errands, meeting with friends, etc. Here's a look...

1. Snacks: I almost always have a little something with me. Its not pretty when I get really hungry and don't have time to stop for a meal. I'm fairly active so its important to keep my energy levels up with healthy snacks when I need them. Oh and Cinnamon gum. I feel like people either love it or hate it. I love it.
2. Sunglasses and my regular glasses. Self explanatory.
3. My beloved iphone that I use to catch up on news, blog surf, make playlists for yoga, instagram, note my grocery list, and of course keep in touch with my friends and fam :)
4. Card case with my ID, a couple credit cards, and a little cash. Bulky wallets just dont work for me.
5. LuLu Lemon Gift card case that I use to store my vitamins. I keep the bottles in my desk at work and usually take my daily dose with lunch, but this little trinket comes with me on the weekends.
6. Misc: Eye drops (when my contacts get dry), hand sanitizer, and GABA Calm: an all natural supplement that really eases anxiety on stressful days.
7. Makeup Favs: Nars concealer, Nars Multiple (cheeks, lips, and eyes) in G-spot, BareMinerals pressed Touch-Up Veil, Mac lipstick in Angel, Brenda Christian brow pencil, Covergirl LashBlastVolume Mascara, Burts Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Pink Blossom, my favorite Michael Kors perfume rollerball, The Body Shop Wild Rose hand cream, and some bad hair day savers.  

Naturally there's always the occasional candy wrapper or receipt that makes it's way into my purse.. but I left those out for the sake of a decent photo. What are your daily essentials?

Mini Crustless Quiches

Eggs. I love them. And I usually only take the time to cook them on Saturdays and Sundays. Last week I tried something new. I made mini crustless quiches on Monday that were easy to grab and go for breakfast during the week. I was skeptical about re-heating eggs, but they were actually quite delicious and possibly even tastier after the flavors had a chance to soak in (and tapatio was added.) I went with a Greek theme to utilize my basil plant, and was really happy with the outcome. You can try this recipe with anything you normally like in your eggs. Bacon + cheddar, kale + parmesan, sausage + peppers, etc. I think these mini quiches would also be a great h'orderve for a party, or eaten for dinner with a salad. Enjoy!

Mini Greek Crustless Quiches

1. 4 whole eggs and 6 whites
2. 1 tomato chopped (sundried might be better for less liquid)
3. 1/2 an onion chopped and sauteed with 3 big handfuls of spinach
4. 8 chopped leaves of fresh basil
5. 1/2 cup of feta
6. crushed red pepper to taste
7. salt and pepper to taste

Mix the eggs really well in bowl, and stir in all the rest of the ingredients. Scoop evenly into greased muffin tins, top with a few black olives, and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350. This recipe yeilded 10 for me.

Life Lately.. According to my iPhone

Life's been awesomely busy ... here are some pictures to show for it.

 "Chakra" jello shots from our yoga teacher training potluck

 Im a certified yoga instructor now!!!

 Thats me .. happy.. at Coachella

 I've been reading outside on my lunchbreaks..

and making friends with critters like this guy and a praying mantis or two

 My Easter Sunday was spent right here. It was perfect

 I've been eating pretty clean and feeling amazing as a result.

I enjoy putting energy into preparing good fuel for my body.

This was home made tuna salad in butter leaf letuce wraps

Greek yogurt, flaxseeds, granola, and a little honey.

 I'm addicted to these little treasures from Trader Joes.

 I bought a mint plant (and rosemary and thyme).

And now I have extra refreshing ice cubes for cocktails.

Mojito anyone?

Radiohead at Coachella. I love them. I love Thom Yorke. They were so good live

"Almost Stuffed" Bell Peppers  

Ground turkey, onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, brown rice, and a lot more Italian seasoning than the recipe calls for.  

I'll make this one again for sure



Green Chile Chicken and Sauteed Peppers

For a super lean and easy dinner tonight, I made green chile chicken and sauteed peppers with spinach (truth is I add spinach to almost everything I cook.) I had the chicken cooking in the crock pot while I was at work, and while it may have tasted like I slaved in the kitchen all day, the recipe is beyond simple. You ready for this folks?..

1) 1 Jar of green chile salsa

2) 2-4 Chicken breasts (I like organic, free-range)

- Cook on low for 6-7 hours, shred the chicken one hour before serving to mix in the flavor, and enjoy.

For the veggies I just sauteed a few garlic cloves in coconut oil, added 1 red, yellow, and green bell pepper chopped and a few handfuls of spinach and some cilantro and voila! Nutritious dinner that required about 10 minutes of prep. The best part is the leftovers.... which are highly likely to end up in soup, tacos, nachos, a salad, an omelet, etc.. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!



Curried Tofu with Tomatoes and Spinach

In my efforts to eat less meat, last night I cooked tofu for the first time. I'm sold. It was way cheaper than cooking with poultry, fish or beef, super versatile because tofu takes on the flavor of whatever you decide to cook with, and no animals were harmed to feed me :) This was also my first time cooking with curry and I was pleasantly surprised by the flavorful result. Do you have any favorite tofu recipes? If so, please share!

Organic Ingredients from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods

Finished Product!

Ingredients: 

1 Tbs. Coconut Oil
1 tsp. Curry Powder
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Turmeric
1 package of extra firm tofu crumbled or diced into small pieces
Salt and Pepper to taste
Approximately 1 onion and 3 garlic cloves
Approximately 3 large handfuls of spinach
3 Roma Tomatoes

Preparation: 

Saute the onions, garlic, and coconut oil in a large skillet for 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the spinach and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, until the tofu is hot and cooked. Add the spinach and cook for a few more minutes, just until wilted, stirring often. Eat alone or serve over rice. Enjoy!