Spiced Quinoa with Red Peppers in a Curried Apple Dressing

Had I SO much parsley left from the falafels I had made a few posts ago and really, really needed to use it up. I also had my favorite dinner guest over, and wanted to create a warm meal for the Mrs. when she came on over to my humble home for eats and beats (MUSIC! Not smack-downs..fyi.)

The Curried Apple Dressing is REALLY good too. I wanted the quinoa to have a nice dressing, and wanted an excuse to use the glass bottle I bought months ago in the summer.

Quinoa, like couscous is a grain and very easy to cook.

What You'll Need: (easily serves four)
3 cloves garlic
1 cup Qunioa
1 Red Pepper RAW
Curry, Thyme, Cayenne Pepper, Turmeric- to taste

1/2-1 cup corn

1 medium onion
1 cup parsley

Get a start cooking the quinoa and garlic together in pot.

How to Cook Quinoa:
I feel very safe telling you that unless you BURN it, quinoa is FOOL proof to make. But it is IMPERATIVE TO RINSE YOUR QUINOA BEFORE YOU COOK IT! SOAK it in some water and strain it a few times while you're getting the kitchen started for this feast. I cook my quinoa by bringing together my water (1 cup for every cup of quinoa) with my spices and garlic. Bring this to a boil-reduce heat, add veggies and cook covered for 10 minutes.

In a food processor combine parsley and 1 medium onion, add to the qunioa-combine your spices&corn and simmer simmer.

Curried Apple Dressing

What You'll Need:
1 sauteed onion until translucent
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp water
Curry-to taste (I'm NOT SHY w/my curry!)
1/2-1 tbsp cilantro
pinch of black pepper

Throw it all together in a food processor and BAM you're good to go! Drizzle a little bit on the quinoa once it's cook to moisten, serve the rest for your guests to put on themselves.

I made this dressing up as I went along and was really, really pleased with it. VERY refreshing-makes about 1 cup. Easily serves two (it was gone after dinner guest and I had dinned, while there was plenty of quinoa leftover)

Heavy Metal Couscous

Finally have the chance to sit down and blog, upload all my pictures (I HAVE been cooking!!)-went to go cook dinner and have managed to burn my hands with HOT coconut oil. OUCH. So I am typing to you know with only my two middle fingers and both thumbs. ALWAYS WEAR OVEN MITTS NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF A HURRY YOU'RE IN!





Couscous is a grain and cooks very easily like rice. It is the perfect base to ANY dish and it depends on YOUR TASTE BUDS how you want to dress it up-what you want to make it do. I whipped this baby put when I had to feed some guests and zip across town to see Motley Crue in concert. Hence the name.

Heavy Metal Couscous

What You'll Need:
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup water
- 3 carrots
- 1/2-1 cup corn
- 5 cloves garlic
-1/2-1 cup parsley
thyme, tarragon, curry,cloves,salt, black pepper to taste (I forgot to write down my own measurements, did this all to personal taste)
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil

Chop your carrots and boil them in some water so they're soft. Lightly saute diced onions in pan. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil with garlic and other seasonings. Add tender carrots and onion, add couscous, stir everything all together-reduce heat and cover for ten minutes.