C & C in the Kitchen: Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

I was browsing Pinterest recently and pinned a recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod (if you don't know this site, it's worth visiting - she has great recipes). When it was time to plan our dinner for the week, I remembered the Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake and thought I'd give it a go.



 

This recipe is so easy AND delicious! Especially with some tortilla chips on the side. This would be a great Super Bowl dish or for casual entertaining for a large group. I'll definitely be making it again soon. 

Yield: Serves 8-10

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed,diced
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 cup corn frozen kernels
Juice of 1 small lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Toppings: Sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peppers and corn. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and black beans. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
5.Pour the black bean and quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with toppings, if desired. Serve warm.

Easy Like Sunday Brunching

On Sunday I had some friends over for brunch. I LOVE to entertain and host at our house. I HATE cooking during the week, but there's something so nice about having time to prepare a menu, set the table and enjoy a leisurely meal. 

The weather was perfection and we took full advantage with the first outdoor meal of the season.

Since I was the hostess, I was able to ensure that it was reboot friendly (minus the mimosas and coffee). And, I wanted something that wasn't too time consuming to throw together before 11 - aka I wanted to ensure I could still sleep in! 

Easy Like Sunday Brunching Menu

Fruit Plate 

(Costco & Trader Joe's)

Green Machine Smoothie

(recipe)

Veggie Scrambled Eggs

(Sauteed bell peppers, green onions,

mushrooms and garlic with avocado)

Katie's Energy Balls

(recipe below)

 Katie's Energy Balls (Dietitian on a Mission Katie)

Ingredients:
1 cup raw nuts (I used almonds and walnuts)
1 Tbsp peanut butter (or melted coconut oil - you could probably use any kind of nut butter)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (organic, reduced fat)
8 large dates
2 Tbsp chia seeds (I used hemp seeds instead)
1 Tbsp sunflower or pumpkin seeds (optional)
1 Tbsp cocoa powder

Directions:
In a food processor, blend nuts, nut butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and coconut until finely chopped. Add dates, chia seeds and continue to pulse until well blended. It's "done" when a ball forms and it should be slightly sticky. If it's dry, a a Tbsp of water at a time until lightly sticky (I added 2). Stir in sunflower seeds if desired.

Roll mixture into balls. I coated mine with coconut and cocoa powder.

Store in an air-tight container in the freezer (my choice) or the refrigerator. They will soften at room temp.

C & C in the Kitchen: Reboot Recipes

Earlier this month Regan mentioned that I'm doing a 6-week reboot run by a longtime friend, Katie of Dietitian on a Mission. It's too late to sign up, but I'm sure she'll do one again in the future - and we'll make sure to give you a heads up. Here's the Reader's Digest version (minus the awesome recipes, meal plans, and motivational Facebook Group) - week one you're a vegetarian and a vegan (but you can have eggs)(no alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and gluten all 6 weeks), week two add fish, week three and four add poultry, week four and five add red meat/pork and natural/unrefined sugar sources. I'm at the beginning of week three and it's going great so far. I've had 2 or 3 cheats (namely a glass of wine when visiting with friends), but I kept it at one, and that's success in my mind. I haven't succumb to sugar, which is my biggest win - if you know me, I have a killer sweet tooth. Overall I feel really good and it's getting me in the kitchen and meal planning/prepping a lot more. I thought I'd share a few of my favorite re-boot friendly recipes.

This Chickpea Coconut Curry from Oh My Veggies was delicious and Dr. B approved. I added spinach at the end before serving to give an extra dose of veggies. This went on the Pinterest "made and loved"board, and will definitely make repeat appearances.

This is my go-to butternut squash soup (I add apple as well). It's ridiculously good, easy to make, and reboot friendly. A win, win, win. We had it for dinner last night. 

Oh My Veggies freezer-friendly veggie loaded chili was also a huge hit. And just like the recipe says, I've got a bag stored away for one of those nights I don't want to cook. 

And just because you're rebooting doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself of a treat. This date-sweetened banana bread is perfect for fall. And if you're like me and LOVE everything pumpkin, this maple pumpkin custard will do the trick (I substituted dates for the maple syrup, but will definitely be adding it week 5 and 6). 

Happy healthy eating! 

C & C in the Kitchen: Labor Day Dining

While I may not love cooking during the week, I LOVE to entertain on the weekends. And on Saturday we had some friends over to celebrate the end of summer. With some of the season's best ingredients still at their prime, I made sure the menu took full advantage. Nectarines might be my favorite fruit. Add some Raincoast Crisps and pepper jack cheese and, voila, it's an appetizer plate.  I also grabbed some kale and spinach bites (I think they're a new product) from Trader Joe's, and they were awesome! Like little bundles of spinach dip popped right in your mouth. 

For the main course we had beef shish kabobs, corn salad (recipe below), and orzo salad (brought by our guests). 

And a dinner party isn't complete without dessert. And I knew molten chocolate cakes would be a crowd-pleaser. I'd never made these before, and they were SO easy, and SO good. The recipe makes 12 little cakes, so I'd definitely half the recipe if you aren't entertaining a large number of people - although they're pretty good the next day too. What I also love about this recipe is that you can make the batter well ahead of time, which is a hostess's dream. 

Bon Appetit!

Corn Salad (serves 6)

4 ears of corn cut off cob

4 green onions (separate the white bottoms and green tops)

3 tomatoes chopped

1 avocado chopped

Cilantro 

1 lime

Cut the corn off the cob (put it on a cookie sheet and it won't go everywhere). 

Saute the corn, white parts of the onion in olive oil for 3-5 minutes). 

When cool, add to the avocado, tomato, cilantro, 1/2 the green onion tops, and juice of the lime. 

Add salt and pepper and you're ready to go! 

Got Recipes?

Happy Monday! Katie here...

It's summer, and that means Mother Earth is in all her glory, delivering the most delicious ingredients for your eating pleasure. So where do you go for good recipes? Here are my three favorite sites, along with some recipes on my "to make" list.

Three Many Cooks

Regan and I met Pam and Maggie, two of the three many cooks, at Rancho La Puerta (aka Heaven on Earth) almost four years ago where Pam was the guest chef. Ever since, their blog has been a staple in my cooking regiment (I'm obsessed with their chicken noodle soup). Right now I'm dying to make this recipe for eggs baked in chickpea tomato sauce with baby spinach. 

Dishing Up the Dirt

I've shared recipes for smoothies, brunch, and dinner from Dishing Up the Dirt and if you haven't tried Andrea's dishes before, this is your chance. Not only does she have some mean cooking skills, she and her husband are farmers - growing most of their own ingredients. This beet pesto pizza with goat cheese would be perfect for a hot and humid summer evening. 

barre3

I know we probably sound like a broken record here, but barre3 is kind of the place to be - both for food and working out. I'm a regular on the barre3 iphone app for recipe ideas - especially during the week - quick and healthy is the name of the game. This summer gazpacho with grilled shrimp packs a veggie punch with the added bonus of protein. With the summer humidity in full effect here in D.C., this recipe is on my short list. 

What are your go-to recipe sites? Share the love with us on Twitter (@CardiCouture) or on our Facebook page! 

C & C in the Kitchen

In last week's "My Favorite Things" post I promised to share what I baked for the sweet swap. You know we're big fans of health treats, but this was no occasion to keep it healthy. And Regan found me just the indulge-worthy recipe - dark chocolate, pistachio, and sea salt cookies from Two Peas & Their Pod. This cookie delivers big time. They have all the components of pure baked goods bliss. 

One of my friends is gluten free, so I had to make sure she could indulge in the sugar mania. If this is your first introduction to The Detoxinista, consider your life changed. She has awesome recipes and the raw brownie bites are no exception. All you need are walnuts, cocoa, vanilla, dates, sea salt, and water! I put mine in the freezer after I made them giving them that little extra je ne sais quoi. 

And finally, while I didn't bake these...they are worth the mention - i.e. a trip (or order) to Baltimore. Hilary brought the most delicious salted caramel brownies from Charm City Cook. I'm not really a caramel fan....until now. These are hands down the best brownies I've EVER had. No joke. 

I saved one for Dr. B...but didn't have enough self control to leave it until he got home. Now I've got an excuse to have them again!

I hope you try out some of these treats! You won't regret it. 

Products We Love: Zico

I've got a wicked sweet tooth - more like a mouth full of sweet teeth. And it's definitely an effort of crazy self-restraint to keep it in check. A friend recently introduced me to Zico chocolate coconut water, and let me tell you, my sweet teeth and I, we're SOLD. 

It's like chocolate milk…but not…it's better! It's the perfect solution to my 3:00 craving to raid every candy jar at work. I buy mine at Trader Joe's, right by the almond milk. I'm hoping Costco has it too! Make sure to drink it well-refrigerated. 

Next up on my list, try this delicious smoothie recipe from their website. I think I'd substitute the vanilla protein powder for some spinach. Gotta get your greens! 

Any Zico drinkers out there? 

Products We Love: Dang

My husband, Dr. B, recently brought these toasted coconut chips home. A patient brought them in for him. The name says it all. Dang, these are good!! 

You can eat them plain, put them in oatmeal (my favorite), bake with them, use as an ice cream or frozen yogurt topping....the list goes on. They've even got a coconut chip cookbook you can download with some really awesome recipes. The roasted coconut brussels sprouts look amazing!

These are so dangerous, yet so good to have around the house! Yet another way to put my Amazon prime membership to use. 

C & C in the Kitchen: Strawberry Milkshake...But Not

I love finding new smoothie recipes. This one is like a strawberry milkshake (at least in my mind) and I knew it was worth sharing. 

Here's what you'll need (give or take - I usually eyeball the ingredients).

1 cup almond milk (I use Almond Breeze)

4 or 5 large frozen strawberries (I like to use frozen fruit, because it gives it that milkshake-like quality)

1 frozen banana

1/4 cup cashews (you could also substitute it with almond butter or sunflower butter - I've done both)

2 or 3 dates (depending on how sweet you like it)

1/4 cup oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

A dash of vanilla

Blend and enjoy! It's the perfect sweet and refreshing treat. 

C&C in the Kitchen

It's been a while since we shared a new recipe, so I thought I would share with you one of my new favorite smoothie recipes...it's kind of like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a jar. 

"Peanut Butter and Jelly" Smoothie

1 banana

1 cup strawberries (frozen or fresh)

1/4 cup oats (or less, depending on how thick you want it)

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp honey or agave

1 Tbs chia seeds

1 cup almond milk (or any type of milk)

4-5 pieces of ice (if not using frozen strawberries)

C&C in the Kitchen

A few weeks ago I came upon this recipe for overnight oats! What exactly are overnight oats? Well, the name pretty much speaks for itself. You put oats and other healthy and delicious things into a jar, pop it into the fridge and overnight your breakfast "makes" itself!

The end result is a jar full of yumminess!

After my first try with the recipe, I decided to create my own overnight oats recipe and share it with you! Since my first batch I have made countless jars of this stuff with a variety of ingredients including berries, raisins and coconut. This recipe is really just a starting point.

C&C Overnight Oats
- 1/2 cup oats (steel cut or rolled)
- 1 tablespoon nut butter (I used Wild Friends Almond Butter..see the post from last week)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds
- 4-5 almonds or walnuts
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave (you can use a date as well, but you will need to mash it)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze (you can use any type of milk)

Directions (it's really pretty simple)
Add all of your ingredients into a jar (I used a small mason jar), stir it up, put on the lid, now shake it up and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Here are a few photos of the very quick process! I prepare multiple jars at a time. That way I can just grab and go in the morning. These are great for kids, for working women, for breakfast on the road or to eat while you sit at your computer and read the latest post from C&C!

Here is what they look like before going into the fridge! Sleep tight little jars of healthy and yummy goodness!

And here is what they look like when they come out ready for you to enjoy. It's not the prettiest of breakfasts, but it sure does taste good! You can eat your overnight oats cold as is, or warm them up. 

Overnight oats recipes are all over the place. Apparently it's the latest fad in breakfast! Last week I blogged about my new favorite nut butters from Wild Friends. They recently posted their Overnight Oats recipe in a nearly empty nut butter jar! I will definitely be trying this one soon as well. I love the addition of the Greek Yogurt! 

Do you have a favorite overnight oats recipe? 

That's Entertainment

One of the best things about our new house is the dining room. I love entertaining, and condo living isn't really conducive to throwing dinner parties. Since we moved in almost eight months ago, we've thrown our fair share of fetes - including a very fun holiday party. But bringing friends together on a Saturday night is my favorite kind of entertaining. 

I thought I'd share my must-haves for a successful night with friends. 

First, good conversation. Our round dining room table is the perfect space to bring people together for some good old chatting...and believe me, this crew knows how to chat it up! 

What's good company without food and wine? Contrary to conventional wisdom, I always want to try new recipes out on my dinner guests. Thankfully they were all a success and everyone had clean plates - a few even went back for seconds (the ultimate compliment to the chef). We dined on a cheese plate, potato kugel gratin, soy-marinated flank steak, sauteed asparagus with Dijon vinaigrette, and the EASIEST, most delicious easy flourless chocolate cake. We also enjoyed some Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc from our visit to Napa Valley earlier this year. 

While I'm lucky to have some beautiful dishes and glassware that we received as wedding gifts, it's always fun to add a little something extra to the party. Since cherry blossom season is almost upon us, I thought these Caspari cocktail napkins fit the bill. If you aren't familiar with Caspari, they have the BEST paper products, and also make great candlesticks. Their products are sold all over, but there is a beautiful store in Charlottesville, Virginia, should you be in the area. 

And last, but not least, no evening is complete with out an ample amount of laughter. If you've played Apples to Apples but want something a little less PG, Cards Against Humanity is your game. It's aptly called "a party game for horrible people." We certainly had a horribly good time playing. 

Do you have any go-to entertaining tips?