Warm Autumn breakfasts: Pear Cinnamon Quinoa

I tried this recipe for breakfast this morning, and it was so delicious! A perfect spicy warm dish for a chilly rainy autumn day like today. It's very healthy too - quinoa is high in protein and gluten-free. I substituted a packet of stevia instead of agave to create a sugar-free version.

Pear and Cinnamon Quinoa
Adapted from Pikelet and Pie. (Check out the link for beautiful pics of this recipe!)

serves 2 or 3.
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 pear, cut into small cubes.
1/2t ground cinnamon
1 packet of Stevia
handful of toasted almonds.

Rinse quinoa well. Carefully shake as much water as you can off and place in a pan with the water and milk. Cook covered over medium heat, stirring frequently until quinoa is cooked, about 15 mins. When the quinoa is ready, stir in the pear, cinnamon and sugar and heat through. Serve sprinkled with almonds.

Greek Spinach Balls

I have been recently trying different recipes in the "Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites" cookbook, and found a winning recipe the other day for Greek Spinach Balls. These health-filled balls were relatively simple to make, and tasted delicious! They were great to bring with me for lunch, and I imagine they would also be a great appetizer to bring to a potluck or dinner. I did not use bread crumbs because I try to eat a low-gluten diet, but they were just fine without the bread crumbs.

Greek Spinach Balls

2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and large stems removed
1 cup chopped scallions (I didn't have scallions so I used chives instead)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (2 teaspoons dried)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup feta cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup plain or herbed bread crumbs

In a large covered pot, steam the spinach in the water that clings to the leaves until just wilted, 2 or 3 minutes. Drain and chp the spinach and set it aside. In another pan, lightly saute the scallions in the oil for about 5 minutes or until softened and slightly browned. (I did not saute the chives, I just added them into the rice mixture fresh).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, scallions, rice, cheese, dill, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, mashing the rice mixture against the sides of teh bowl with the back of a large spoon until the mixture holds together.


Prepare a baking sheet or large baking dish with cooking spray or a very light coating of vegetable oil. With dampened hands, back a heaping 1/4 cup of the rice mixture into a firm, round ball (like making a snowball). Roll the ball in the bread crumbs and place it on the baking sheet. Continue making balls until all of the rice mixture is used, arranging the balls on the baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the balls are heated through and crsip on the outside.

Makes about 24 ping-pong sized rice balls.

Cooking -- my story

One of the best things about having more free time after finishing grad school is having more time and energy to cook. I must say, I do not miss the days of unhealthy, unappetizing cafeteria food, or grabbing sugar or caffeine-laden food for late night brain sustenance. Perhaps it is because my mom was a foods and nutrition major, or because I have several friends passionate about organic eating and cooking that this has become a great area of interest to me. I find it challenging and fun to find nourishing recipes that are both tasty and healthful, and then try them out in my kitchen. My theory is, who wants to eat healthy food if it's bland and boring, right? But trying new recipes with unusual ingredients, fresh spices, and lots of flavor provides an outlet for culinary creativity that I very much enjoy. It's very satisfying to be able to discover recipes that are both healthy and delicious. One of my approaches to exploratory cooking is to find one or two new recipes each time I make a weekly shopping trip to try. I figure that now is the best time for me to begin experimenting with recipes, since I am generally only cooking for myself, and don't have to incorporate multiple food likes/dislikes/allergies as many wives and mothers do. This way I can learn how to become a better cook and hopefully develop skills that I can use if/when I am cooking for others in the future.

Of course, even now it is most fun to be able to share my dishes with family and friends at brunches, potlucks, and dinners. Many of my friends also enjoy cooking, and it's lovely when they share their delicious new recipes at these events, and then we end up swapping recipes and all expanding our culinary repertoires. Home cooking is a wonderful gift to be able to share with those you love!

So, in recognition of the important place that cooking has in my life, I would like to share my favorite recipes here as I discover them.