Quinoa Salad with Mango and Black Beans

The last salad item in the South Arm Cooking Club for Seniors salad cook off was Quinoa Salad with Mango and Black Bean.   You can use quinoa as a substitute for rice, or mix it with chopped vegetables, nuts, or dried fruit for a salad.  One thing to remember when using quinoa is to wash it thoroughly before cooking.  This is because each grain has a naturally bitter coating called “saponin” that needs to be rinsed off.

Jane (also a new member of the cooking club) and Karen prepared this salad which serves 6.

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This yellow and red high protein grain is easy to cook and has a moist, fluffy texture.

Ingredients

Quinoa:

  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons rice, cider, or wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Salad:

  • 5 cups cooked quinoa (see above)
  • 2 mangoes, diced
  • 1 large red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 jalapeno, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup green onions, finely sliced
  • 1 can black beans

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Turkey Black Bean Chili

Minoo made a Turkey Black Bean Chili in the South Arm Community Kitchen. I had blogged about 3 other chili recipes here:

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Chili is a very versatile dish. You can serve it on it’s own or serve it with bread, noodles or rice. It’s an almost complete meal by itself as it has protein from the meat and beans, and fiber and vitamins from all the vegetables in it.

You can double the recipe to freeze the leftovers in single portion containers or ziplock bags for days that you dont feel like cooking. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on low heat on the stove.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can (28oz/796ml) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (19oz/540ml) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 small zucchini, cubed
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh coriander or parsley
  • sour cream and sliced jalapeno peppers (optional)

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This recipe is adapted from Canadian Living.

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Tex-Mex Bean Salad with Creamy Salsa Dressing

This is one of none Danish dish which the seniors made for the Christmas celebration. It’s called Tex-Mex Bean Salad with Creamy Salad Dressing. It’s kind of Mexican. Christina and June were in-charged of making this salad.

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The Tex-Mex Bean Salad is great for potluck but it is advisable to assemble the salad just before serving. This is especially so for the tortilla chips so that they wont get soggy by the salad dressing.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup salsa
  • 3 tablespoons light sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
  • 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or you can prepare your own black bean from dry ones)
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 3/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels (or can ones)
  • 1/2 avocado, peeled and diced
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
  • 24 baked low-fat tortilla chips
  • 1/2 cup cubed cheese (pepper jack or cheddar)

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To store the leftover half of the avocado, sprinkle the cut flesh with lemon or lime juice or white vinegar. Place it in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Click on Read More for the instructions.

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Kidney Bean Casserole

Andrea made two German dishes in the South Arm Community Kitchen. It’s been a while since Andrea demonstrated after she gave birth to a beautiful girl. It is so amazing that we watched Andrea’s tummy grew and now watching her little girl grows. One good thing about the South Arm Community Kitchen is that it provides baby sitting facility. Mums with young toddlers can still participate in this kitchen.

Andrea first dish is called Kidney Bean Casserole. This casserole is great for potluck. You may serve this casserole with a salad and you’ve got a complete meal.

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The top layer of potatoes has a glutinous texture. The Kidney Bean Casserole is very filing.

Ingredients

  • 500g potatoes, peeled (or thoroughly scrubbed), grated
  • 400g kidney bean in cans
  • 500g onions, sliced
  • 100g bacon, cubed
  • 300g ground beef or pork
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 egg
  • bunch of parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh or dried rosemary, finely chopped
  • butter to grease baking dish

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Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Quinoa is 100% whole grain and is close to being a perfect food source. Technically it’s not a grain but the seed of a leafy plant related to spinach. Quinoa is an excellent source of protein. A 1/4 cup of Quinoa has a nutritional value of 30g carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 1g sugar, 5g protein equivalent to 12 to 18%), 3g fat and 5mg sodium. According to the National Academy of Sciences, Quinoa is “one of the best sources of protein in the vegetable kingdom”.

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Quinoa contains the amino acid lysine which helps the body to produce protein. The World Health Organization has rated the quality of protein in Quinoa to be equivalent or superior to that found in milk products. Therefore, Quinoa is a good source of protein for those who are allergic to cows milk.

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Quinoa has been one of the primary foods of the Inca Indians for more than 5000 years. The Incas referred to Quinoa as “Mother Grain”. Most Quinoa is grown in the Andes in South America. Some Quinoa is now being grown in the Colorado Rockies. The fact that Quinoa will grow in extremely poor soil together with its great nutritional value makes it a true super grain to feed the world. However, it is still not a common food that you can find in the supermarket. Minoo bought this 1 kg pack of organic Quinoa from Galloway for $12. Someone in the kitchen told us that you can find Quinoa in the bulk section of Save-On-Foods.

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The Quinoa and Black Bean Salad is absolutely great. The Quinoa has a nutty, smoky flavour and is less filling than other grains and pastas.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked black bean, rinsed if canned (you may substitute black bean with red asuki bean)
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked corn
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
  • 1 jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander or parsley

Dressing:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

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Click on the link below for the instructions.

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Turkey Chili

The second dish which Minoo demonstrated from the book Deceptively Delicious was called Turkey Chili with red pepper and carrot. Minoo substituted the lean ground turkey with lean ground beef as she was not able to find ground turkey when she did the groceries shopping for the ingredients. Minoo also used the real pepper and carrot instead of puree as in the original recipe as there is no children in the community kitchen.

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 lb ground lean turkey or beef
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (15 oz) can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 (26 oz) carton reduced fat low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup red pepper puree (we used 1 cup chopped red pepper)
  • 1/2 cup carrot puree (we used 1 cup chopped carrot)
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed
  • 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

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Click on the link below for the instructions.

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Kale and White Bean Soup

Minoo shared this Kale and White Bean Soup in the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen. Minoo told us that she got the recipe from a friend who got it from a chef in a restaurant in Stanley Park after trying it out at the restaurant.

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The Kale and White Bean Soup is loaded with fiber and complete with protein. Here are some nutritional values of Kale:

  • Kale is a good source of vitamin C as do all dark green vegetables do. Vitamin C can boost immune system and protect against colds, flu, asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Kale contains vitamin B6 and riboflavin which can protect against heart disease.
  • Kale is a great source of calcium; it is a good alternative source to dairy products for calcium. Calcium is good for healthy bones and teeth.
  • Kale in considered to be one of the most highly nutritious vegetables, with powerful antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory.
  • The high fiber content of kale is good for lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar levels, preventing constipation and protecting against colon cancer.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried navy beans or canned ones
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups finely chopped onion
  • 2 cups finely chopped carrots
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped bacon or prosciutto
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
  • 5 cups water
  • sea salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoons finely ground pepper
  • 1 lb trimmed and cut into one-inch pieces of kale (remove tough stalks)
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

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Click on the link below for the instructions.

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Chili in Indian Sauce

Karen made a Chili using some Indian Sauce she got from the food bank. It is a good way to introduce new flavour to your family to expand their culinary experience. This is a vegetarian dish. Karen served the chili with basmati rice and salad greens on the side.

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The Chili in Indian Sauce is so simple and quick to prepare. The sauce is sold in microwaveable pouch which is ready to eat.

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The sauce Karen used is Baingan Bharta which is roasted aubergines in a tangy sauce infused with rich Indian spices. The sauce is not too spicy. (more…)

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Chili Con Carne

At the Gilmore Park Church community kitchen, Jean paired up with Tanni for this week’s demonstration. Sharing the load makes it easier for members as one do not have to come up with at least 2 dishes to fill the time slot.

Jean made a pot of Chili Con Carne, commonly known as Chili, is a spicy stew like dish with meat (beef or pork), chili peppers (if you prefer spicy), tomatoes, onions, beans other vegetables. The vegetarian version of Chili is known as Chili Sin Carne. Chile Con Carne in Spanish means “chili with meat”. Chili Con Carne is the official dish of the state of Texas in U.S.

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Jean served the Chili Con Carne with whole wheat spaghetti. You may served it on rice or garlic toast too.

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Even though Jean just prepare a dish for this week, she also brought homemade pumpkin raisin muffins to share with us. Thank you, Jean for your generosity.

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Ingredients for Chili Con Carne

  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 large can of tomato soup
  • 1 large can of chopped tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes
  • 1 large can of kidney beans, drained
  • 1 can of sliced button mushroom or fresh ones
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar, to tenderize the meat

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Minestrone Soup

For the second dish, Jean made a Minestrone Soup. Jean specifically made this dish for Tanni who had requested to learn how to make Italian dishes.

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Minestrone is an Italian soup made with fresh seasonal vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice and beans which make it into a complete meal by itself. Minestrone soup is also known as the poorer people’s cuisine in Italy. It is very filing and cheap to make and yet nutritious.

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 fresh tomato, diced
  • 4 or 5 bunches of baby bok choy, chopped
  • 1 28oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 15.5oz can beans (Jean used white kidney beans)
  • 1/2 cup long grain rice
  • 2 cups tomato juice
  • 4 or 5 cups water
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon summer savory leaves
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • salt to taste

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There is lots of slicing and dicing to do but with so many helping hands in the cooking club, its done in a jiffy.

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Click on the link below for the instructions.

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