Atria Del Sol National Nutrition Month Seminar

We had a great time hanging with our friends at the Del Sol Community today. Merrily & Jane provided a nutrition talk highlighting the first 3 of the Natural Way steps. Denise, Director of Food Services, provided us with a fantastic lunch spread that was enjoyed by all.

(Raw) Quinoa Tabouli Salad

Quinoa

2 cups white quinoa, rinsed well
4 scant cups water
1 teaspoon salt

Rinse Quinoa & drain. Bring the quinoa, water and salt to a boil in a large thick-bottomed pot. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa opens up revealing a little spiral and is soft and pleasant to chew. If there is any remaining liquid at this point, drain it off.. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.

Optional RAW Quinoa directions

To sprout the seeds, soak quinoa for overnight or at least like 4 hours. drain soak water and let sprout for several hours. rinse if sprouting longer than 3 hours. tails should grow pretty quick. it’s ready when tails sprout.

Tabouli Salad

2 cups Quinoa
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced mint leaves
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
1 tomato, diced
1 cucumber, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
Pepper to taste
Pinch allspice

Add the Quinoa, chopped vegetables & herbs and toss to mix. Combine Olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and allspice and add to the mix. Serve & enjoy.

Red Pepper Hummus

2 red bell peppers

1 tablespoon Mary-Ann'sOrganic Garlic Salt

3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 15oz can drained)

1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)

2 tablespoons cummin

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt & black pepper

Roast the Red peppers & garlic, turning occasionally in a pot on the stove, on the grill, or in the oven until completely charred about 10 minutes.

Place the garlic, peppers, chickpeas and lemon juice in a food processor or blender process until smooth. Add the tahini sauce, and cumin. Process until smooth. (Tahini sauce will thicken the mixture.) Season to taste w/salt & pepper. Set aside (serve at room temperature).

Grilled Vegetable Pitas

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 roasted garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tablespoon chopped fresh mint, or 2 teaspoons dried

1 medium size eggplant peeled and sliced 3/8 inch thick

1 sliced zuchinni

1 onion sliced

1 green bell pepper sliced

1 yellow bell pepper sliced

1 orange bell pepper sliced

4 pita pockets

Prepare a medium hot fire in the grill with a lightly oiled vegetable grill rack in place.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, and mint in a small bowl. Brush on the eggplant. Combine the zucchini, onion and pepper in a large bowl. Add the remaining live oil mixture and toss to coat. Cut the pitas in half to form 2 pockets and wrap in foil. Grill the vegetables turning occasionally until tender and grill marked 10 to 15 minutes for the eggplant slices 8 to 10 minutes for the zucchinin, onion and pepper. Warm the pitas off to the side of the grill turning occasionally

Serve the warmed pitas hummus and grilled vegetables at the table and allow diners to assemble their own sandwiches.

Baked Apples

4 apples

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

¼ cup Agave Nectar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ Raisins or currents

1 tablespoons butter

1 Preheat oven to 375

2 Wash & slice apples removing core & seeds. Keep the skins on.

3 Place sliced apples in a baking dish

4 Combine the walnuts, raisins Agave Nectar & cinnamon in a small bowl & mix well. Pour the mixture over the apples and coat well (toss apples in mixture).

5 Dot the baking dish with pieces of butter

6 Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, until apples are tender.

Optional

2. Wash and cut apples in half lengthwise.

3 Using spoon, remove and discard cores, making at least a 1-inch indentation in each apple half.

4 Arrange apple halves, cut sides up in baking dish. If needed, cut thin slice off bottoms to keep halves from tipping.

5 Fill each apple half evenly with raisins mixture. Dot with butter.