Quinoa-Roni :)

I have had some quinoa sitting in my fridge for about a month now, and I wasn't yet adventurous enough to try it until today. I am so glad I did. This is great to add into the rotation instead of rice, polenta, or potatoes. It kind of reminds me of couscous...I'm just imagining it now with parmesean and sauteed spinach...that'll be next! Anyway, the flavor of this kind of reminds me of rice-a-roni, but much healthier, considering quinoa has the highest amount of protein of any grain and also is a complete protein at that!

1 small onion diced small

2 cloves garlic chopped (about 2 tsp)

1 tbl coconut oil, olive oil, or butter

1 Cup Quinoa, rinsed(I used a coffee filter)

2 Cups water, plus 2 tsp beef/chicken Better than Boullion,

OR 2 cups broth

thyme to taste, I used about 1/4 tsp dried

2 tbl fresh chopped parsley, or more if you like

1 tbl lemon juice

saute onions in fat of choice, add garlic and saute for a minute more. Add quinoa and toast. Once toasted add water plus boullion or broth and thyme. Bring to boil stirring a few times. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice. Enjoy!!

Sherry Potatoes

From elise.com
1 lb russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick), melted
1/4 cup dry sherry
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Preheat oven to 375°F.
2 Arrange potato slices in layers in a gratin pan or baking pan, sprinkling salt and pepper over each layer. Pour sherry over the potatoes. Pour the melted butter over the potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are well coated.
3 Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked, but not mushy, and they are slightly browned on top. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
Serves 4.

Martha's Chinese Chicken Salad

from elise.com
1/2 lb. white chicken meat, cooked and shredded
1/4 cup soy sauce (use wheat-free soy sauce for gluten-free version)
1 teaspoon sherry
1 Tablespoon sugar
High smoke point cooking oil, such as grapeseed oil, corn oil, or peanut oil
2 oz. bean threads (one bunch)
4 green onions, shredded lengthwise
1 small head of lettuce (romaine works), shredded
2 Tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Sauce:2 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
3 Tbsp vinegar

1 Using two forks, shred the cooked chicken (if you don't have any already cooked, poach chicken pieces in simmering water until no longer pink inside). Mix soy sauce, sherry and sugar in a bowl and add the chicken. Let soak for 10 minutes. Remove chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Fry the shredded chicken in a little cooking oil on medium high heat to make it a little crispy and to bake in the seasoning. Set aside.

2 Put 3/4 inch of high smoke point cooking oil (such as grapeseed oil, or peanut oil) into a small saucepan. Heat on high heat until when you flick a drop or two of water into the oil it sizzles. Take one bunch of the dried bean threads and gently break them up a bit. Test the oil by putting one bean thread into the oil. If the oil is hot enough, the bean thread will almost immediately sizzle and puff up. That's when you know the oil is hot enough. Working with a few bean threads at a time, put them in the hot oil. As soon as they puff up, remove them carefully with tongs and place them on a paper towel to cool. The paper towel helps remove any excess oil. Set aside.3 Cut your green onions, shredding them lengthwise as shown. Toast your chopped almonds, or chop your toasted almonds; toast your sesame seeds. (Heat a thin skillet to medium high heat, add the seeds - or nuts, don't do them both together - stir frequently until they begin to brown, remove from heat, they will continue to cook. Let cool to room temp.)
4 Mix all of the sauce ingredients together, in the order listed. Just before serving the salad, mix all of the salad ingredients together - lettuce, chicken, bean threads, almonds, sesame seeds, and sauce.
Serves 4 to 6.