Salad recipes are one of my favorite things to make over the summer. I normally refrain from using the oven and cook top when hot weather arrives. Today I decided to have a fun outing with my kids so I figured I would make something light like this Cauliflower Quinoa Salad and have it ready upon our return.

We love to hang out in the backyard after coming home from bike riding. Today, because it was raining on and off we decided to just stay in the yard and have some fun on the trampoline instead.  No matter how the weather turns out we always find a way to have fun.

For days like this, I always make sure that I have some light, healthy and refreshing to have later on when the kids get hungry and tired. I served the Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Santa Cruz Organic beverages, which was perfect for my thirsty kids.

There are actually different flavors to choose from so make sure you pick a favorite of yours. You can find a store near you where Santa Cruz Organic Beverages are sold at this link.

• From the iconic Lemonades to the lightly sweetened Agua Frescas and the new Carbonated Tea Lemonades, Santa Cruz Organic offers the perfect way to refresh your summer with unique flavors.
• Whether you’re spending the day by the pool, or prepping for a family picnic, Santa Cruz Organic’s line of organic, non-GMO lemonades and fruit juices are an easy way to beat the summer heat.
• Made with 100% organic fruit juice, Santa Cruz Organic lemonades are a summertime favorite we can all feel good about drinking.

Staying busy when there is no school and finding fun activities for the kids to enjoy is sometimes a challenge. My trick is to always try to keep it simple. Bike riding, exploring the neighborhood and having fun on the trampoline are always activities that are a success. I always try to emphasize this for my friends that are busy working out of the home and still want to spend quality time with their kids.

Keeping activities simple and getting the kids moving, even if it is just a simple game of basketball they will enjoy for sure. Whatever it is just, finding ways to spend quality time with the kids is always important.

Well, I hope you like this cauliflower Quinoa Salad. Santa Cruz Organic beverages were the perfect combo to keep the kids hydrated and happy. One of our favorites was the Cherry Lemonade – I hope you will like it too.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower quinoa salad

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked red quinoa
• 12 oz of cauliflower florets
• 9 oz shredded cabbage
• 7 oz fresh arugula
• 2 large cucumbers, cut into small chunks
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 3 tbs sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp celtic salt

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to package instructions and set aside.

Microwave the cauliflower florets until they are tender but not super soft and mushy. I do about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl add the arugula followed by the chopped vegetables, sunflower seeds and cauliflower. Add the vinegar, oil and salt and combine.

Serve.

The post Cauliflower quinoa salad appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

For this peanut chicken stir-fry you can add any protein of your choice as well as your favorite veggies. The combinations are endless, so if you prefer to use fish, tofu, or beef in place of chicken, go ahead.

When it comes to Asian flavors, I like to try different sauces and experiment with them to add my own twist. This peanut chicken stir-fry sauce is very indicative of Asian cooking. If you haven’t tried peanut flavor dishes yet, you are truly missing out. It is one of my greatest discoveries when it comes to preparing Asian food.

When making the peanut sauce I normally make 2-3 extra batches so that when ever it comes time to make this recipe again I can throw it together even faster. The sauce will keep in the fridge for at least 1 week so don’t be afraid to double the batch.

This peanut chicken stir-fry is a recipe I recently chose to cook at the Bon Appétit kitchen for a Samsung project. I used Samsung’s cook top and wok ring to make this stir-fry that was nothing but sensational. The wok grate aids positioning the wok to make sure it stays in place.

I love Samsung’s new cook top. With the power heat-boosting feature it allows the chicken’s cooking time to be reduced to about 3 minutes rather than 5-7 minutes when cooked on a conventional cooktop.

The veggie mixture will also cook much faster due to the heat-boosting feature, making this step shorter as well. A win-win situation when I am busy taking care of other things.

If, like me, you like quick, healthy, tasty dinner recipes, you will enjoy this peanut chicken stir-fry. It is one of my family’s favorites.

Enjoy!

Peanut chicken stir-fry

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
• 4 oz carrots, julienned
• 1 red pepper, julienned
• 5 oz snow peas (or sugar snap peas)
• 1 red pepper, julienned
• Peanut sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp pepper flakes, optional

Sauce

• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3 minutes or until no longer pink.

Reduce temperature to medium heat and add the carrots and red pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until vegetables are tender but still crunchy.

Add the snow peas and green onions and pour Peanut Sauce into the wok.

Toss sauce, chicken, and vegetables until sauce is thoroughly incorporated. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and pepper flakes if desired.

Serve over rice.

Note: If the sauce is too thick for your taste, add water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

 

The post Peanut chicken stir-fry appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

If you are like me and love curries you are going to love this chickpea spinach curry not only for its flavor but because it is super easy to make.

I was able to make this recipe in my pressure cooker. You can use your own pressure cooker or get this one that is is just the bomb. I have never had a pressure cooker before because I was really afraid of them but this one not only is super easy to use but you can cook a multitude of things since it is also a rice cooker, slow cooker and much more.

Come May, when I start my physician assistant program, I am taking it with me so that I can make easy, healthy recipes.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker you can also do this recipe in the stove top, however, it will take you longer. I used pre-soak chickpeas and in the pressure cooker it takes only about 20-25 minutes. In the stove top I anticipate that it will take at least double if not triple the time.

I have also made a video to show you how super easy this recipe so make sure you take a look.

I have made this a multitude of times and I have been able to freeze it no problem. The only thing I have to do is re-heat it and make some rice for it. So easy and quick. Great for a meatless dinner.

By the way, I am currently in Thailand for cooking school. I am learning the best recipes. Thai flavor is just simply out of this world. I will be posting a couple of recipes upon my return so if you like Thai food you are in for a treat. I will also show you the places I visited so that if you ever have a chance to come you can experience these amazing places as well so stay tuned!

Anyhow, I leave you with this chickpea spinach curry that is nothing but easy, delicious and healthy.

Enjoy!

Chickpea spinach curry

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Total Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 14 oz coconut cream
• 1 lb pre-soaked chickpeas
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 lb frozen chopped spinach
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 cups water
• Celtic salt
• Ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to your insta-pot or pressure cooker and set for 20-25 minutes. Serve with brown rice.

You may freeze leftovers.

Note: If you would like to make this recipe on the stove top the chickpeas will take double the time if not triple. I also set my instapot to 30 minutes because I used 1 1/2 lbs of chickpeas.

The post chickpea spinach curry appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

You see, I have never owned a pressure cooker because for some reason I was afraid of them. Not anymore. I have had my InstaPot in the box for over 3 months and I really don’t know why it took me so long to put it to work.

Canned beans are going to be out of the picture from now on. I have already bought enough beans where I don’t have to buy any canned variety. I just have to make sure to soak the beans overnight and then just cook them for a mere 20 minutes.

If you pre-soak the beans, this recipe will only take you about 20 minutes to make. While pre-soaking the beans is optional I prefer to do so since the cooking time gets cut by half so instead of taking about 40 minutes with dried beans it will take you just 20 for them to cook.

I am going to post the other chickpea curry recipe I made twice already in the blog. Super easy as well. I also wanted to make a video of this recipe so that you can see how easy it is to make. If you don’t have a pressure cooker I urge to get one. This brand that I have is rather easy to use and does different things.

I hope you like this caribbean black beans. I couldn’t believe how delicious it was since the recipe was so simple.

Enjoy!

Caribbean black beans

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Total Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb black beans, pre-soaked over night
• 14 oz coconut cream, or coconut milk
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 large peppers, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbs tomato paste
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp celtic salt
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• 4 cups hot water

 

 

 

Directions:

In your InstaPot, or any pressure cooker, add all the ingredients. No need to mix it through. I did a bit but no need.

Close the lid and set the pressure cooker to 20-25 minutes. Enjoy with some brown rice or by itself.

NOTE: You can serve this with brown rice, I did!

The post Caribbean black beans appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

I know this is a typical recipe that uses chicken but since we hardly ever eat chicken I figured I just make it with the veggies instead. This mushroom and asparagus marsala pasta turned out great and while you can use chicken I thought just with the veggies was perfect.

What is your favorite pasta recipe? I am making another one tomorrow. This one will include meat, which we eat very sparingly. I would say perhaps once a month since I am the cook at home and I am not to fond of it.

With all the sweets and cakes that I have been eating lately, making savory dishes is going to be my theme for the following days. Surely I won’t stop eating sweets but I will be making just very few in the next weeks to come.

Well, I hope you like this mushroom and asparagus marsala pasta, you can use any type of pasta you like. It will also take just about 20 minutes to make so it is perfect for any quick dinner recipe you are looking for.

Enjoy!

Mushroom and asparagus marsala pasta

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 16 oz whole wheat spaghetti
• 20 oz sliced mushrooms
• 12 oz asparagus, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup marsala wine, or dry white wine
• 2-3 tbs butter, or 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp celtic salt
• Pinch crushed pepper
• Parsley

 

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

In a saute pan add the olive oil and mushrooms and stir. Add the asparagus, garlic and salt. Stir for about 5 minutes until the veggies are soft. Add the wine and let it reduced for about 2-3 minutes. Add the butter and stir.

Turn the heat off and add the cooked pasta. Combine and serve. Sprinkle some pepper flakes and parlsey if desired.

The post Mushroom and asparagus marsala pasta appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

Brussels sprouts are currently in season so if you like this vegetable I suggest you take advantage of it. It is great for many things. You can prepare it in a multitude of ways. For the most part I have added it to rice dishes, however, today I just pair them with caramelized onions and they were the bomb.

I have seen them prepared with bacon, which I am sure it is really good, however, I don’t like bacon that much so I figured caramelized onions will give the brussels sprouts the flavor they deserve.

All in all the prep time for this Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions is just about 5 minutes. It is rather a quick and simple recipe that you can make to pair it with your main protein over the holidays.

Anyways, I leave you with this Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions recipe that is sure to satisfy any veggie eater.

Enjoy!

Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb brussels sprouts, cut into halves
• 2 large red onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tbs dried cranberries
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Celtic salt
• Pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large skillet, over medium to high heat, add the olive oil and onions. Cook stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes until you see them they are starting to brown.

Add the brussels sprouts and salt and continue to cook until they are tender. About another 5 minutes. Add the almonds, cranberries and stir.

Serve.

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