Super Saturday

Dear Sisters,

We had a great time at Super Saturday.  Thank you to all those who helped make this day happen.  And thank you everyone for coming. 

A special thanks to Sarah Allred for the beautiful pictures!

Sewing Class - November 15th

What: Sewing Class 

Where: Katie Waite's 4545 W. Beardsley Rd. #1007
When: Tuesday, November 15th 

Time: 7:30 pm 

What: Baby Legs

Katie Waite is having a sewing class to teach us how to make baby
legs. This is a easy and simple gift, or great to have for your own
kids/teenagers too. If you'd like to come, here are the things you'll
need to bring; women's or mens knee socks, any material you would need
for embellishments(optional), and sewing scissors(only if you have
them). NO sewing machine needed. Target or Walmart usually has socks
either on clearance or on sale so keep your eyes open.  If you are out
and about, Last Chance is also a great place to find inexpensive
socks. If you would like Katie Waite to supply the socks, email her so
you can figure out the details. If you'd like to just come and watch
and visit, feel free too. It will be lots of fun.

Quinoa Cooking Class with Amy Tenney

Thank you Amy Tenney for teaching us how to prepare healthy and delicious Quinoa.  The recipes below are simple and tasty. 

Quinoa

Basic directions for cooking quinoa:

Ratio: 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water

1.  Soak quinoa for 15 minutes (or more, can be done early) or rinse under cold water for several minutes to remove the saponins (which can leave a bitter taste).  Drain off excess water. 

2.  Bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa opens up revealing a little spiral and is soft and pleasant to chew. If there is any remaining liquid at this point, drain it off and set the quinoa aside.  Ready to use.

*You can also cook quinoa in a rice cooker.  Use the same water to quinoa ratio that you would use for white rice. 

Nutritional Benefits of Quinoa (http://bodyecology.com/articles/quinoa_benefits_guide.php)

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is not a grain; it is actually a seed and related to the spinach family. When cooked, quinoa is light, fluffy, slightly crunchy and subtly flavored. It actually cooks and tastes like a grain, making it an excellent replacement for grains that are difficult to digest

Some of the nutrients in quinoa include:

1.  Complete protein. Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles.

2.  Magnesium helps relax your muscles and blood vessels and effects blood pressure. Quinoa contains high levels of this vital nutrient.

3.  Fiber. Quinoa is a wonderful way source of fiber for digestive health. 

4.  Manganese and copper. Quinoa is a good source of these minerals that act as antioxidants in your body to get rid of dangerous cancer and disease-causing substances.

Compared to other grains, quinoa is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat, barley, or corn

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

Adapted from Heidi Swanson 101cookbooks.com

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 cup quinoa, soaked/rinsed

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup fresh pecans, toasted*

4 tsp agave nectar, or honey

2 cups fresh blackberries

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave over each serving.  Serves 4.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

*Low-fat soy milk may replace the low fat milk, blueberries may replace the blackberries, honey may replace the agave nectar, and walnuts may replace the pecans.


Pumpkin Pie Quinoa Bake

Makes 2 servings (we doubled this recipe for our cooking class)

2/3 cup milk (skim, almond soy etc) 

¼ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup quinoa, soaked/rinsed

1 T maple syrup

1 tsp coconut oil (or almond, olive)

¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

½ tsp ground cinnamon

pinch ground nutmeg

pinch ground ginger

Topping:

2 T coconut oil, melted

2 T maple syrup

3 T finely ground almond flour (or oat flour, or wheat flour etc)

½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped (can also add oats)

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly oil a 4 cup casserole dish. [I used a small dab of coconut oil].  In a small bowl combine all ingredients, minus the topping. Stir until fully mixed, and then pour into prepared casserole dish.

Cover and cook for about 30 minutes.

While quinoa bakes, combine all topping ingredients. After the 30 minutes are up, remove casserole from oven and sprinkle topping over top of the casserole.

Return to the oven and cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until golden.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

    Mark Bittman

2 ½  cups cooked quinoa

1 large or 2 medium (about 1 pound) sweet potatoes


1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced


1/4 cup minced red onion or shallot


Salt and Freshly ground black pepper


1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil


2 tablespoons balsamic, sherry, or red wine vinegar


1/4 cup minced fresh chives or parsley leaves

If you haven’t already, cook the quinoa or other grain. Drain in a strainer and rinse. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potato and dice it into 1/2-inch or smaller pieces. Cook it in boiling salted water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes; drain well.

Toss together the potato, quinoa, bell pepper, and onion; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk the oil and vinegar together and toss the salad with about half of this mixture; add all or some of the rest to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the chives and serve.

****You could also make wraps by using the above recipe and put it with lettuce/spinach into in a tortilla and wrap it up. 

Southwestern Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad alternate                                                                                        Add 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced, to the above mix, along with the sweet potato and quinoa; add 1/48 teaspoon cayenne, chili powder, or hot red pepper flakes. Add 1/4 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Use freshly squeezed lime juice in place of the vinegar and cilantro in place of the chives.

Quinoa and Black Bean Burritos

1 tsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn

¾ c. uncooked quinoa, soaked/rinsed

1 ½ cups water

1 ½ tsp. chicken bouillon

1 tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup cilantro

8 burrito size tortillas or corn taco shells

Optional Accompaniments

Salsa

Avocado/guacamole

Fat free sour cream

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until lightly brown.  Add the corn, quinoa, water, bouillon, cumin and cayenne pepper (optional) to the saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  

Stir the beans and cilantro into the pan and simmer until heated through.  Serve in warm tortillas and roll up into burritos.  You can also cool mixture, and freeze it in ziplock bags.  8 servings

Quinoa with ‘Magic Sauce’

2 or more seasonal vegetables, chopped

Quinoa, cooked

Magic Sauce(recipe to follow)

Grill vegetables in 1 T. magic sauce over medium high heat.  Add quinoa and magic sauce and cook till heated through.  Serve. 

Magic Sauce (makes everything it touches magic, can be used on breads, eggs, potatoes, salads, etc)

From Heidi Swanson

½ c. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp fresh oregano leaves

2 tsp sweet paprika

2 medium cloves of garlic, smashed into a paste

1 well-crumbled bay leaf

pinch of red pepper flakes

¼ tsp + fine grain sea salt

1 T. fresh lemon juice

Gently warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet or pan, until it is just hot. When hot remove from heat.

While the oil is heating, lightly pound the rosemary, thyme, and oregano in a mortar and pestle.

Stir the paprika, garlic, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and salt into the oil. Then add the bruised herbs and lemon juice.

You can use this now, but know - the oil just gets better as it ages over a few days. Keep it in a refrigerator for up to a week/ten days-ish. It thickens up when cold, so if you need it in a liquid state, place it in the sun or in a warm place for a few minutes.

Easy breakfast

Start with cooked, warm quinoa.  Mix and match any of the following add ins: nuts, fruit, dried fruit, milk, cream, yogurt, honey, agave, syrup, pumpkin or squash puree, coconut, cinnamon…..

Add Quinoa To….

Salads

Meat – add to seasoned ground beef/chicken etc. for tacos, burritos etc

Smoothies/cereals/yogurt

lasagna/casseroles- can substitute for meat or replace rice