Quinoa (a super food) recipes from Blonde Runner

In honor of nutrition month (March) and just in case you missed it before, I wanted to share with you some great recipes including one of my favorite super foods – Quinoa.  Enjoy.  ~ Coach

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa (Keen-wah) is often considered a “grain” or “seed” from South America and is quickly becoming more popular in America. Quinoa is very versatile and can be used in sweet or savory dishes and is packed with high quality protein/amino acids as well as other important nutrients like iron. Despite its higher carbohydrate content it is considered a low glycemic index and gluten-free food. It is also high in natural fiber.  Here are some recipes for this great super food.  Enjoy!

Coach Lora Erickson
“Blonde Runner”

www.BlondeRunner.com

Coach Lora’s Vegetarian Quinoa Salad

This is a salad I often have for lunch.  It’s quite tasty and healthy. My husband and kids like this “bird seed” salad too. Enjoy.  ~ Coach Lora Erickson

1 cup quinoa

3 cups water

Dash of lemon juice

Dash of vinegar (sometime I use white, other times balsamic)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large tomato dices (fresh from the garden – yum)

½ cup diced cucumber

¼ cup finely chopped white or purple onion

¼ cup fresh chives from the garden

Fresh herbs to taste, minced (cilantro or basil is good)

1 Tablespoon canola or olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa well  (*important) and add the water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cook uncovered for about 10-15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Rest and cool for a few minutes then stir in the garlic, onions etc and veggies. Enjoy. So yummy (and healthy)!

 

Lora’s Berry & Wild Honey Breakfast Quinoa

This recipe got two thumbs up from my taste testers (my kids). So, it will stay on our menu. They really like “bird seed” as they like to call it. LOL Enjoy.  ~ Coach Lora Erickson

½ cup quinoa
½ cup low-fat milk (soy milk works well too)
1 cup water
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
Dash of vanilla extract
Drizzle of wild honey
½-3/4 cup berries (fresh or frozen works – I like to use several different kinds of berries at once)

Rinse quinoa well (*important) and add the milk and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cook uncovered for about 10-15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Rest and cool for a few minutes then stir in the spices and vanilla. Top with berries and drizzle with honey and enjoy for a healthy and warm breakfast.

 

Note:  These recipes are great for those that have wheat allergies.  These Trio bars they sell at Costo also make great snacks.  Enjoy.  http://pinterest.com/pin/252905335296853541/

Running Form Clinic with Blonde Runner

Location:  Herriman area

Date:  October 9, 2012

Time:  5 – 6:30 p.m.

Fee:  $25   

Limited spots

We are all born with a certain running style and degree of efficiency. However, proper run mechanics can be developed and proper training techniques can be established to make running easier and make you faster.  Pacing and form inefficiencies can be identified and changes can be made to help improve overall running economy and prevent injury.  Get the direct in-person feedback from a professional coach through this running form clinic. Learn how to run smother, faster and stronger to stay healthy.

Come learn from an experienced runner and triathlete with over 27 years of experience.  Lora Erickson is a USATF certified running coach and nationally ranked triathlete.  To learn more about her background/race history visit www.BlondeRunner.com – click on the “Who is Blonde Runner?” link.

Pre-registration and payment is required to hold a spot.  Email Coach Lora Erickson aka Blonde Runner directly lora@blonderunner.com to learn how you can reserve a spot.  Limited spots.  Please include contact information and how you learned about the class.

Testimonial:

“Lora,  I just wanted to thank you for coming and doing the running clinic yesterday.  It was so helpful and I really appreciate how individual it was.  In my run this morning I tried to practice everything we learned, and I can tell that it is going to make a huge difference.  You even inspired me to start taking my asthma medicine again   I just wanted you to know how much I appreciated the clinic and your expertise.  I had a really fun time.  Thanks!  ~ Andrea, Class participant

“I had the privilege of attending Lora’s Beginner Running Class and just wanted to share how wonderful the experience was! I’ve always struggled with running and I need all the help I can get! I learned so much from these two classes, I had to bring a notebook to the second class to write everything down! She taught us some really helpful exercises to make our form more efficient and make running easier and then let us try the techniques and *what* a difference they make! Running felt faster and easier with just a few adjustments to my form! I really enjoyed how Lora takes an all-encompassing approach to her running coaching. We not only talked about running technique, but also about nutrition, hydration, heart rate training, stretching, recovery, and the different types of workouts runners need. I realized that I’ve been missing out on a lot of improvements by not mixing up my runs and always doing the same pace and distance, and this class has helped me formulate a good training plan to improve my running endurance and pace. But what I enjoyed the most is that Lora is very straight-forward, yet very encouraging and positive at the same time! She is *extremely* knowledgeable about all aspects of running and triathlon and she speaks from personal experience, which is the most valuable credential a coach can have! I would highly recommend this class to anyone who is just getting started with running, or even if you’ve been running for a while but can’t seem to get faster or improve your endurance.  As Lora says, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” “  ~ Megan Burt, Running Class Participant Sept. 2012 http://blonderunner.com/2012/09/recent-running-class-testimonial/

Lora’s Vegetarian Quinoa Salad

This is a salad I often have for lunch and I think it’s quite tasty and certainly is healthy.  My husband and kids like this “bird seed” salad too.  lol

Coach Lora Erickson

“Blonde Runner”

 

Lora’s Vegetarian Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa

3 cups water

Dash of lemon juice

Dash of vinegar (sometime I use white, other times balsamic)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large tomato dices (fresh from the garden – yum)

½ cup diced cucumber

¼ cup finely chopped white or purple onion

¼ cup fresh chives from the garden

Fresh herbs to taste , minced (cilantro or basil is good)

1 Tablespoon canola or olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Rinse quinoa well and add the water.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cook uncovered for about 10-15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.  Rest and cool for a few minutes then stir in the garlic, onions etc and veggies.  Enjoy.  So yummy (and healthy)!

 

Health Benefits of Quinoa:

 

Quinoa (Keen-wah) is often considered a “grain” or “seed” from South America and is quickly becoming more popular in America.  Quinoa is a very versatile and can be used in sweet or savory dishes and is packed with high quality protein/amino acids as well as other important nutrients like iron.  Despite it’s higher carbohydrate content it is considered a low glycemic index and gluten-free food.  It is also high in natural fiber.

Healthy Recipe: Lora’s Simple Kale

So, the kale I made last night for dinner was a big hit – even with the kids. All but one of my four children asked for seconds of the “kelp” LOL

Here’s what I did.

I took a few pounds of kale and removed the ribs and then coarsely chopped them and sautéed them lightly in canola oil and steamed them covered in about a cup of water for a few minutes (just until they turn a bright green). I think it took about 2 or 3 minutes. Then I thinly slices about 5-6 peeled cloves of fresh garlic and added a dash of salt and pepper. I continued to steam them covered over low heat for 13 or so minutes and added a splash of red wine vinegar just before I served them. The only trouble is I should have made twice as much. My kids LOVED it – and the best part is – it’s healthy!

Keep Cookin’ Healthy,

Coach Lora Erickson

aka “Mom”

Health Benefits of Kale

Kale is knows as one of the superfoods because of its great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as its cholesterol-lowering benefits. Kale is considered a cruciferous vegetable (as is cabbage and broccoli) and should be part of your weekly diet. Most people steam it which enhances its cholesterol-lowering ability. Kale is packed with vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin C along with many other nutrients such as manganese, calcium, and potassium. It is also a really good source of many B vitamins along with providing natural fiber. Kale is also well known for its anti-cancer nutrients in the form of glucosinolates. Be sure and include it in your diet weekly.

Blonde Runner Recipe: Onion-Mustard Seed Sauce

Blonde Runner Onion- Mustard Seed Sauce

Last night I made a pretty yummy sauce that I wanted to share with you. I thought I better get it recorded before I forget how I made it. I am an experimental home chef so I like to make up stuff as I go and it turns out that sometimes it turns out pretty “nummy.” I have to apologize – I don’t really measure things when I cook so everything is to-taste but here are the basics of what I did to create this yummy sauce.

Heat up a little canola oil in a medium-sized sauté pan. Then add 2-3 medium sized yellow or white thinly sliced onions (I used a mandoline for this). Add a little dark brown sugar, and 4 or 5 minced cloves of garlic and sauté down the onions until they are clear. Then I added whole dry mustard seeds (I’d guess about 2-3 table spoons), a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (throwing in a little zest too if you’d like), prepared horseradish mustard (probably a quarter cup or so), a touch of butter for flavor, and then add about ½ to ¾ cup of milk and stir it well (you could use cream here but I like to make my sauces a little lighter). Then I seasoned the mixture with dry parsley, a bay leaf, and salt & pepper to taste. After tasting it I felt like it needed a little acidity so I gave it a splash on distilled white vinegar (a huge staple in the Erickson household – my kids could drink the stuff straight – they love it. It’s crazy. LOL). Then I added a little flour to thicken it up and make it the consistency I wanted. I served the sauce over meat but it could easily be spooned over whole grain pasta and be pretty tasty. The seeds give it a little crunch. It’s so yummy. You will need to double the recipe if you wanted to use it for a pasta sauce. Enjoy.

Stay Healthy and Keep Cookin’,

Coach Lora Erickson

“Blonde Runner”

www.BlondeRunner.com

Note: As you let the sauce simmer (30-45 minutes) on low heat the flavors get better and better. If I were making this sauce just for me I might have added in some fresh ground horseradish since I like my food spicy, but I didn’t since it was a family meal. (My husband tells me I have an “iron gut.” LOL).

Lemon Sauteed Asparagus Spears

A tasty side to any main dish, especially fish (try Lemon Pesto Tilapia Fillets).

Ingredients

- 1 Bundle of Fresh Asparagus Spears
- 1/2 T. Butter (may use Olive oil)
- 1 to 1 1/2 t. freshly grated Lemon Zest
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash and prepare asparagus by snapping the spears, removing the tough part of the stem.

2. Steam Asparagus for 3 minutes if you like your asparagus slightly crisp, or 4 minutes if you prefer it more tender (thicker asparagus will need 4-5 minutes). You can do this by placing a little water in a skillet; add asparagus when water is boiling; place lid over skillet, and steam.

3. Drain Asparagus and set aside.

4. Heat butter or olive oil in skillet over medium heat.

5. Add lemon zest to butter and sautee for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Be careful not to burn.

6. Add asparagus spears and toss well to coat. Add freshly ground salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Total Time

8 min

Number of Servings

4-5

This post was submitted by isaacandruth.