Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

Another healthy recipe that I tried and really enjoyed was a quinoa tabbouleh salad.  Vivek and I used to order tabbouleh salad from our favorite Mediterranean restaurant in Burlingame, CA called Taste In.  This dish originated in Lebanon and is traditionally made with tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, mint and onion and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.  To increase the heartiness and protein content of this salad, I added quinoa and feta cheese.  It became a meal in itself!

Recipe for Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

INGREDIENTS
1 cup dry quinoa
1 large bunch parsley, finely chopped (remove long stems)
1/3 cup mint leaves, chopped
1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 of a yellow or white onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook quinoa with 1.5 cups of water.  Allow the water to boil then reduce the heat, cover and let cook for about 10 minutes.

2. While the quinoa is cooking, mix all of the other ingredients except for the feta cheese in a large bowl.

3. When the quinoa is finished cooking, combine it with the other ingredients in the bowl.  Allow it to cool.

4. When the salad has cooled, mix in the feta cheese and serve!

Chickpea Curry Wraps

In 2015, I'm looking to eat healthier and exercise so that we all can be more fit (and I can lose some weight)!  So, I have been looking for quick and easy healthy recipes that taste good, and I found one that both Vivek and I enjoyed!  It is a wrap that is high in protein because of the chickpeas, and the tortilla I used was a sprouted grain tortilla (you can find it in the freezer section at the grocery store), which also increases the protein content of the dish.  It has a little bit of spice, citrus and sweet, which makes it a delicious and healthy lunch!

Recipe for Chickpea Curry Wraps

INGREDIENTS
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
Sprouted wheat tortillas
2 cups baby spinach
1 small lime, juiced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large bowl, mix together chickpeas, red bell pepper, cilantro and raisins.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together lime juice, curry powder, honey, olive oil and salt and pepper.

3. Add the dressing to the chickpea mixture and stir well.  Let sit for 30 minutes to develop flavors or refrigerate to eat at a later time.

4. Add about 1/2 cup of the mixture to a tortilla and top with baby spinach.  Roll tightly and enjoy!

Vegetarian Muffuletta

I love making different types of sandwiches, and one of Vivek's favorites is a twist on the New Orleans special Muffuletta!  This type of sandwich originated among Italian immigrants in New Orleans and traditionally contains an olive salad, mortadella (an Italian sausage), salami, mozzarella, ham, and provolone cheese.  It was easy to modify this sandwich to make it vegetarian: I simply took out the sausage, salami and ham!  I also substituted cheddar cheese for the mozzarella to add some saltiness.  The flavor really comes from the olive salad, and it is so good grilled so the cheese is melted inside!

Recipe for Vegetarian Muffuletta

INGREDIENTS
Round french bread or hoagie buns
4 carrots, diced into small cubes
1 onion, diced into small cubes
10 oz jar of green pimento stuffed olives
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's)
Sliced sharp cheddar cheese
Sliced provolone (not smoked)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Scoop out some of the bread from the inside of the top bun to make a little "boat" to hold the olive salad.

2. To make the olive salad, mis the carrots, onions, olives, vinegar, olive oil, basil, oregano and creole seasoning in a large bowl.  For the best flavor, cover the bowl after mixing well and put it in the fridge for at least one hour.

3. To assemble the sandwich, scoop the olive salad into the bread "boats." Then layer with 1-2 slices of sharp cheddar and 1-2 slices of provolone (depending on how cheesy you like it).  Place the other bread on the cheese and flip over.  You can eat it cold or grilled to melt the cheese slightly.