Kaniwa from Roland Products, pronounced “Ka-nyi-wa”, is a staple grain of the ancient Aztec and Incan cultures whhich has been cultivated for thousands of years throughout South America.

The crunchy, earthy grain is loaded with protein and makes a complete meal when mixed with vegetables.

Kaniwa Plant

Roland Foods offers a wide variety of specialty foods from around the globe and was kind enough to send me this box of Kaniwa to try at home.

I have cooked with Quinoa in the past and I love it.

Kaniwa is similar to quinoa but seems to feel hardier and denser.

I gathered all the vegetables I could find and chopped them to equal size.

1 package of Grape tomatoes cut in half, 7 green onions, 1/2 of a red onion, 1 can of pinto beans, 2 cups of corn, 1 red pepper, 1/2 of a English cucumber, 1 bunch of cilantro,the juice of 3 limes, 1/4 cup of olive oil and salt to taste.

I garnished with avocado.

I put all of the chopped vegetables in a bowl, cooked the 12 oz. box ( about 2 cups ) of Kaniwa and added to the veggies.

I added it hot to the vegetables to bring them to peak flavor.

I find that adding hot grains to the veggies gives off just enough heat to liven the flavors.

I mixed everything then added the olive oil and the lime juice.

Serve and garnish with half an avocado.

Add salt to taste.

This was fantastic.

Everyone loved this vegan, protein rich meal which could also be great as a side dish with grilled salmon.

Super easy and so delicious!

Whole grain spinach spirals and red pepper are perfect paired with a creamy goat cheese sauce.

I roasted the pepper in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes then chopped them and threw them into the boiling pasta water for abot 10 minutes.

This infused the flavor a bit and softened the peppers.

I started with about 2 tbsp. of butter, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 1/2 cup of half and half, and 1 cup of sour cream.

Let this simmer for a few minutes then add a half a cup or more to taste of soft goat cheese.

Drain the pasta and mix in the goat cheese with the red pepper and stir.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

This is a great meatless meal, nutritious and filling.
Enjoy!

These roasted vegetables have become a must have staple around here.

They are super easy to prepare and simply bake in the oven on 425 degrees fahrenheit for 20 minutes.

Use restraint with the olive oil.

You don’t want to fry the veggies, just coat them lightly for a little flavor and so they won’t dry out.

Also, try using a fancy salt for more exotic taste and texture.

Cut them evenly so that they all cook at the same time.

Don’t overcook; you don’t want them to be too soft or mushy.

Salt and pepper is all you need for seasoning.

The beauty of this dish is it’s simplicity!

These veggies go with everything, are healthy and filling!

Make big batches and keep them in the fridge for an always ready snack, side dish or meal.

Add a salad or soup and you have a meal.

You can add some feta cheese or even put them between two slices of toated wheat bread for a sandwich.

There are so many ways to use these.

They can be your new “fast food”.

Having stuff like this on hand keeps your snacking healthy and helps cut down on preparation time for meals!

This is not so much a recipe as one woman’s quest for a fresh and spicy meal on an unusually warm and sunny winter day!

A trip to the neighborhood grocer yeilded fresh ginger, avocados, limes a jar of green curry paste, soba noodles….
You get the idea.

This dish is quick and easy to prepare.

I can’t get everything cleaned, cut, chopped and sauteed before the noodles are finished cooking.

You will want to time it so that you don’t overcook them.

I sliced some ginger with the red pepper and asparagus and added a little coconut oil to lightly sautee the veggies.

You can put this together pretty fast.

Squeeze fresh lime juice over everything before serving, it really brightens the flavors!

Toss chopped cilantro into the draining noodles to gather just enough heat to bring out the herb’s pungent aroma!

Fresh avocado is creamy and perfect with the spicy green curry and coconut sauce.

I also made a batch of whole wheat linguine but the soba were slightly better.

Not in flavor but in texture.

Try this for a nice meatless meal that is flavorful and filling.

These roasted vegetables are the perfect dish for a sunny Autumn afternoon lunch.

Beautiful Donna, from Italy, made this light lunch for me and my BFF.

Roasted sweet potatoes, red peppers and zucchini with olive oil and salt and pepper in a 425 degree oven for about an hour is all it takes.

These were fantastic and tasted great with the mozzerella cheese fritatta with a hint of sauteed onion.

A light touch is the perfect ingredient.

Arugula salad with walnuts and dried cranberries is herb and berry freshness.

Eggs make a great light but protein and nutrient rich meal when you’re trying to eat light or stay on a tight budget.

Although I am not a fan of “fake meat”; TVP, or any other ersatz animal products I must admit that Texurized Vegetable Protein works really well in this chili.

The secret to this amazing chili is the copious use of fresh cilantro! Added at the end of cooking to ensure fresh and intense flavor.

I also soaked the TVP in vegetable broth for and hour or so before adding it to the chili. This adds flavor to something which basically tastes like cardboard. The good thing is that it soaks up the flavors of everything around!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 green peppers
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 sweet onion
5 cloves garlic
4-5 Tbspns chili powder
2 cups TVP soaked in broth or water then drained
1-1/2 cups fresh cilantro chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
4 cans dark red kidney beans
Salt and pepper to taste

This recipe provided chili for a crowd. You can always adjust the amounts and vary the beans to include your favorites.

I also missed an opportunity to add fresh corn!

Method:

Soak the TVP in 2-4 cups of broth or water
Sautee the veggies in 1/4 of olive oil until soft
Add the tomatoes, beans, and TVP
Allow to cook for about an hour on medium heat and add the fresh cilantro
Allow to cook for about another hour then serve with cornbread or rice or anything you like!

Sauteeing the TVP with the veggies adds more flavor.

Not only is my BFF Anna is a great cook but she is the hostess with the mostest!

We invade her lovely home for long weekends and she manages to entertain us like royalty!

One of her specialties is this casserole, of sorts, or breakfast scramble.

She par cooks potatoes in the microwave

Chops and sautes any vegetables on hand, usually: red peppers, asparagus, leeks, and mushrooms and sets those aside

Then dice the potatoes and combine in a large skillet the cooked veggies, potatoes, some cheese then crack a few eggs on top

Turn the heat down to low and cover to allow the eggs to cook.

You’re finished!

You can also do this in the oven in a lovely casserole dish for a more elegant presentation.

Or cook the eggs seperatly and serve on top.

Either way it’s delicious!

I eat steamed veggies everyday, usually kale, broccoli, spinach and whatever else may be fresh that day.

Keeping it interesting is sometimes a challange.

The last thing that I want to do is add more empty calories.

I have been in the habit of keeping homemade pesto in my fridge and freezer.

I make mine with basil. olive oil, garlic and pine nuts. Real simple; real fast and real food.

I plop about 1 tablespoon on steamed veggies and it is a meal.

Another tip that I like to share is that I always slice garlic into the vegetables while they are steaming. It adds rich flavor.

This meal is filling and will keep me going all day!

This arugula is my new favorite! Just greens with some fresh squeezed lemon and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

So delicious, full of healthy fats, high in fiber and low in calories.

I am always looking for really yummy fast food that I can cook and store in the fridge for those times when I know I’ll be pressed for time to eat.

In order to try to avoid eating a bag of potato chips I like this really satisfying, gourmet’ish dish that I can throw in a wrap, or, let’s be honest, I do a quick heat on the stove and eat standing up!

This is too good for that. I like it over brown rice or some spinach fettuccine. I also like this quesadilla style with vegan cheese.

Anyway you choose, it’s healthy and delicious, nutritious and satisfying.

Ingredients:

6 large Portabella mushrooms
2 pkgs. Baby Portabella mushrooms
4 large cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ white onion
½ red bell pepper
2 -3 stems of fresh Tarragon
5 dried figs
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Start with the olive oil and garlic in a deep sauté pan on low heat.
Add onion, pepper, and mushrooms and figs.
Let everything cook for about 45 on medium heat.
Add Tarragon the last 15 minutes for maximum flavor.
Salt and pepper to taste.