Asian Sirloin and Warm Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a delicious grain from South America.  In our quest to eat healthier, I have been trying to figure out how to get out of our dinner rut (pasta, risotto, potatoes, etc).  So I decided to try quinoa, this "super food" everyone has been raving about. Amazingly, my first attempt turned out great and I've been craving that nutty, filling, nutritious grain.  We've had Latin inspired quinoa as a side to our usual fajitas (now with whole wheat tortillas) and in a salad with avocado and chickpeas.  Tonight's attempt is an accompaniment to steak, a little red meat indulgence for the week.  

Asian Sirloin Steak

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce 
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. sirloin steak

Directions:

1. Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Place steak in a plastic bag with the marinade and marinate for 4-6 hours.
2. Discard marinade and grill steak on medium-high heat, covered, for 5-8 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired temperature.  We like ours medium rare, which is 145 degrees on meat thermometer.  

Warm Quinoa Salad with Edamame
Adapted from Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchendaily/

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa (toasted and rinsed)
• 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 2 cups edamame (frozen, shelled and thawed)
• zest of one lemon
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp thyme (or any herb of your choice)
• 1/2 cup drained and jarred roasted red peppers
• spinach or greens of your choice

Directions:

1. Toast quinoa in a dry skillet for five minutes, until it becomes aromatic.  Rinse quinoa with water through a fine mesh sieve.  This removes the aftertaste quinoa develops.  
2. Bring two cups of chicken broth to a boil.  Add quinoa and return to a boil.  Cover and cook for 8 minutes.
3. Add the edamame to the quinoa (do not stir).  Cover and cook another 8 minutes.
4. Whisk the lemon zest, lemon, thyme, and olive oil together.  Add dressing and diced peppers to the quinoa mixture.  Serve on top of spinach or greens of your choice.  

Triple Berry Muffins

I have been slack on my blog updates, things have been busy, busy, busy.  It is berry season in Georgia, so every week we have been buying a ton of yummy berries.  Berries as snacks.  Berries in smoothies.  And to help satisfy my sweet cravings without eating a ton of artificial gunk and sugar, berry muffins!  Today we had blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries (all on sale!), so I put them all into a yummy muffin.  I've made a few adjustments to the original recipe (http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/blackberry_muffins/) to make them a bit healthier.

Triple Berry Muffins Recipe
Adapted from Simply Recipes
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour (I use half regular flour and half whole wheat flour)
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
•  2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 Tbsp. melted butter (1 stick)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• zest of one orange
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries (cut in half)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a standard muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour through cinnamon).
3. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl (eggs, yogurt, milk, sugar, butter, vanilla and orange zest).
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Do not over mix.
5. Add berries to the batter and lightly fold in.  
6. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cup.  (recipe yields 18 muffins).  Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out clean.