Strawberry Limeade Frozen Yogurt

Strawberry Limeade Frozen Yogurt...because I want to.

 Recipe courtesy the Neelys, modified

• 4 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 lime zest
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions

A full 24 hours before you make your frozen yogurt, place your ice cream maker insert into the freezer.

Add all ingredients to a blender and puree.

Turn your ice cream machine on and pour in the chilled yogurt mixture. Churn until the mixture looks formed. about 20 minutes.

Place in the freezer for several hours until hard enough to scoop.

Moroccan Quinoa Salad

I started doing the Pintrest thing recently.  I only have recipes and ideas for first grade, but that consumes my life as is, so now it consumes my interneting.  I found this recipe that someone else had pinned.  I changed a few things, and will probably change things every time I make it, depending on what I have available.  It is really delicious, and extremely healthy.  I am well pleased.  I just won't mention that I have lemon cookies made and vanilla icecream in the works...ah well....can't be perfect all of the time!!!!  xoxo

Moroccan Quinoa Salad (slightly modified from Chef Dennis…who slightly modified it from someone else)

http://www.askchefdennis.com/2010/04/morrocan-quinoa-salad/

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Water

1 16 oz can of Chick Peas drained

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

A couple dashes cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 zucchini sliced and roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt for 10 minutes, until brown on both sides
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup spicy pumpkin seeds (I got mine at sunflower market)

Start by cooking the Quinoa, first sear the grains just a little before adding the water, almost toasting them…start with a little olive oil in your sauce pan then add your Quinoa (depending upon what brand you are using you may need to rinse it first), just let it saute stirring it around for a minute or two, then add your water let it come to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes. When Quinoa is done fluff with a fork and allow to cool fluffing with a fork while cooling.
While the Quinoa is cooking, start your chick peas. Take a saute pan add the olive oil and garlic, let the garlic saute briefly then add chick peas and all of the seasonings and mix thoroughly. Allow the chick peas to pick up some color while they are cooking, turning then occasionally. Saute the Chick Peas for 10-15 minutes reducing heat if necessary. Chick Peas should have a nice golden brown color.
Add Quinoa to Chick Peas, with the rest of the ingredients, mix well and taste. You may re season to your taste.

Savory Lentil Soup

I went to Sunflower market today to get some ingredients for a Moraccan quinoa salad I want to make, however I realized while I was there....close to food...that I was sooooo hungry.  Instead of buying everything in the store, I went and bought a lentil soup from the hot soup counter.  It was delicious, so I bought french green lentils and decided to make my own lentil soup.  I have tried before, but haven't really enjoyed them.  I am too stinking picky. However, I kept playing with this until I loved it.  I like using the french greens because they are less earthy tasting...(I must have eaten too much dirt as a girl.) I didn't take any pictures, because lentil soup is unphotogenic.  Seriously it is.  But here is what I worked with, based off a recipe from the Sunflower recipe site.  Enjoy!!

Savory Lentil Soup

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2  onion chopped very fine

1/3 cup prosciutto, shredded or shredded pancetta or unsmoked country ham

2 carrots chopped fine

2 stalks celery chopped fine

1 cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

8 oz Lentils, dry

 5 oz barley

5 cups canned beef broth, homemade beef broth

1 can v8

1 dash salt to taste

(some suggested spices I used, but you may or may not depending on your tastes;    ½ tsp curry powder, dashes of cumin, oregano, basil, marjoram)

1 dash Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

4252521Preparation

Put 2 tablespoons of the butter and all the oil in a soup pot, add the chopped onion and the pancetta, and turn on the heat to medium high. Do not cover the pot. Cook the onion, stirring it, until it becomes a deep gold.

Add the chopped carrot and celery. Cook at lively heat for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, and adjust the heat so that they bubble gently, but steadily. Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, wash the lentils and barley in cold water and drain them. Add the lentils and barley to the pot, stirring thoroughly to coat them well, then add the broth, a pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper and other spices. Cover the pot, adjust the heat so that the soup cooks at a steady, gentle simmer, and stir from time to time. Generally, it will take about 45 minutes for the lentils to become tender, but each lot of lentils varies, so it is necessary to monitor their progress by tasting them. Some lentils will absorb more liquid than others. If necessary, add more broth while cooking or, if you are not using homemade broth, add water.

When the lentils are done, before turning off the heat, add the remaining tbsp of butter and swirl in the grated Parmesan. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Serve with additional grated Parmesan for the table.