lean & green quinoa with maple dijon vinaigrette

Lean & Green Quinoa with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Last week, my sister Bollie left a comment on the blog asking me to do something with brussels sprouts.  This may not seem like a big deal, but I almost picked up the phone to make sure her Google account hadn't been hijacked.  You see, Bollie used to the pickiest eater on the face of the planet.  She was the kind of kid who ate waffles drowned in syrup as often as my mother would let her.  Her ideal dinner was three dinner rolls and half a stick of butter.  Okay, so maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but she really did make other “picky eaters” look like Anthony Bourdain.  Her diet included a steady rotation of peanut butter and cheetos sandwiches (yes, together), unseasoned chicken breast, Easy Mac, American cheese & butter sandwiches (not to be confused with "grilled cheese"), and very little else.  Luckily, she always had a clean bill of health, so we never worried too much about her.

Somewhere between 1994 and today, Bollie's tastebuds have matured.  She now eats "lots of vegetables", though she's "still not ready for tomatoes."  This in particular is amusing to me because Bollie is an aficionado on all things Italian and spent an entire summer studying, cooking, and eating in Rome.  I also don't understand how someone who eats eggplant and zucchini would find the little tomato offensive, but whatever.  So when she asked for something featuring brussels sprouts, the quintessential villain of the vegetable world, I was confused....but happy to oblige.

This dish is kinda an ode to my lil' sis - it includes green vegetables she likes (asparagus, green onions, and apparently, brussels sprouts) and is topped with a sweet maple and dijon dressing.  The maple pays homage to her favorite breakfast and the sharp zing of the vinegar and dijon combination reflects the one-two punch of her personality.     

The brussels in this recipe are roasted.  In my humble opinion, the only way to cook brussels is to pan-sear them or roast them.  Boiling or steaming them renders the poor brussels sprouts completely deserving of their reputation as a pile of sour mush.  However, the carmelization that results from roasting or sauteeing them gives the humble brussels an extreme makeover, elevating them from ugly duckling to belle of the ball.

Enjoy!

Lean & Green Quinoa with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
Serves 2 as side dish, 1 as main

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa + 3/4 cup vegetable stock (yields about 1 1/3 cup cooked quinoa)
1/4 cup green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
1/4 pound skinny asparagus
handful spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1/3 pound brussels sprouts, halved

for the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons grainy dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Chop asparagus into bite-sized pieces.  Additionally, prepare brussels sprouts by removing outer leaves, if necessary, and cutting the sprouts in half (perpindicular to the base).  Toss sprouts in 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons of the maple dijon vinaigrette.
3.  Roast the asparagus and brussels (cut side up) 20 minutes, or until golden.  If your asparagus are very skinny, they will roast in less time, and you may want to remove them halfway through.
4.  Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa according to package directions or read my method for preparing quinoa here.
 5.  Mix roasted brussels sprouts and asparagus with the quinoa.  Top with green onions and drizzle vinaigrette overtop the salad (you may have some left over).  Toss to combine.

friday breakfast: round 2

Asparagus and goat cheese frittata

Spring is the season for one of my favorite vegetables - asparagus.  I've learned the hard way that it's silly to pay $4.99/pound for the fat, flavorless spears in December, so I am always thrilled come March and April when the fresh, skinny variety becomes available for less than half that price.

Today's Friday breakfast special features my favorite green vegetable paired with my favorite breakfast food - eggs.  I already waxed poetic about eggs in my last breakfast post (even though I wasn't feeling them that day) - I just love them.  And frittatas are a great way to eat eggs - fast, super easy, and a great way to up your vegetable intake (just like salads!)

This morning's Friday breakfast was an asparagus and goat cheese frittata.  I've made countless other vegetarian frittatas, most all of them delicious.  Some of my favorites are spinach, artichoke, and goat cheese, tomato-basil, sundried tomato and mushroom, spinach and feta, and mexican cheese and bell pepper, but the permutations are endless.

The best way to make a frittata, in my opinion, is in a cast iron skillet.  I think eggs taste better when they are scrambled or fried on cast iron, and similarly, I think frittatas cook better when they are prepared in cast iron.  There's no one way to make a frittata, but there is a fool-proof one!  Give this method a try - it's easier than scrambled eggs! 


How to make a delicious one-serving frittata in 10 minutes:
1.  First, decide on your filling.  You can make an empty-your-fridge frittata, but I would stick with just two or three vegetables to start out.  This excludes garlic and onions, which are freebies if you would like to include them.  You may also pick a cheese, if desired.
2.  Chop the veggies so that they are similar sizes.  This will help them cook more uniformly.  Set aside.  Separately, crumble or shred the cheese and set aside.
3.  Generously coat your skillet with several sprays of Pam.  This will help the finished product slide out more easily.
4.  Saute the garlic and onions on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes, taking care not to brown the garlic.  You don't even need to use oil if you use an adequate amount of spray.  Add the rest of your veggies and continue to saute until the veggies are cooked through.  This will depend on the vegetable and the size, but a good rule is another 3-4 minutes. 
5.  Meanwhile, make your egg mixture in a cup or small bowl.  I usually use two eggs - maybe two whole eggs, or maybe one egg and one egg white.  Personally, I never eat just egg whites....but if that's what you like, go for it.  Consider adding an extra egg white, in that case.  Season eggs with salt, pepper, and other seasonings, if desired.  Add a splash of milk (or water), and whisk thoroughly with a fork or small whisk.
6.  When your vegetables are cooked through, pour the egg mixture directly over the vegetables.  Turn the heat down to medium and turn on your broiler.  Leave the skillet alone for 4-5 minutes while the frittata cooks.
7.  When the egg has begun to set (you can tell because the sides will look hard, not runny, and the eggs will still be uncooked on top), add your cheese.   
8.  Transfer to the oven and put right under the broiler.  Let it sit under the broiler for 2 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
9.  Remove from oven and invert onto a small plate.  The frittata should slide out with minimal shaking and wiggling, but if it doesn't, use a small, narrow spatula or knife to loosen the egg from the rim of the pan.  

IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you only have non-stick pans you will need to bake your frittata instead.  Most non-stick pans are oven-proof up to 450 degrees but they are not broiler-proof, as the high heat and proximity to the flame can damage the non-stick coating.  Follow steps 1-5, but after you pour the egg over top of the veggies, transfer to a preheated oven and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. 


Now that I've had breakfast, it's off to put in some laundry and get to work.  But first, random thought of the day.  Remember when Matt Bomer hosted the last hour of the Today Show (the irritating segment with Hoda & Kathie Lee) last week?  Unfortunately, he's been replaced, and this week's co-host will be none other than....

Kris Jenner. Who Matt Lauer just referred to as Kris Kardashian-Jenner.  Has she picked up her ex-husband's name again to ride the coattails of her daughters' success, or did Matt just want everyone to know that she was Kourt, Kim, and Khloe's mom (and thereby reinforce that America loves the famous sisters more than her current, has-been hubby)?  Don't get me wrong - I LOVE Bruce.  He rules a wild roost.  And coming from a house of all girls, I can confidently say that any man who has to deal with that much estrogen deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. (Love ya, Dad. Thanks for being such a trooper.)  But Bruce has had a weeee bit too much plastic surgery, and I mean really, who do you prefer?

 

or....

That's what I thought.  (For the record, Bollie, Jamie, and I look like that when we have sister photo shoots too.)

Have a great weekend!!