Beet It!

So, one of the things I love about being Little Sister's mom (besides the hugs and kisses) is she is making me get in the kitchen and step up my culinary game.  As a health educator by training (GO BULLS!), I know all about eating my 5 A Day, the importance of regular exercise and how important it is to brush and floss.  I also know that health habits that stick with us are established early in childhood and are influenced largely by our parents' behavior.  So, now faced with the heady responsibility of helping Little Miss start off on the right foot, I am trying to model health behaviors that I have struggled with in the past.

As a single woman, nights like tonight would have found me swinging in to Chick-Fil-A, ordering pizza from Varasano's or talking a girlfriend or two into meeting me over at Tamarind Seed for dinner and drinks.   Now that I'm a mom, I have to be diligent about carving out time to prepare healthy and yummy food for Little Sister.  I must admit, I do long for the days when all I had to do was pop a bottle in her mouth or pop open a jar of baby food, but with 12 teeth (including 4 molars), home girl is ready to E-A-T!  So, I've been whipping up meals like never before.  One of my "go to" foods is still quinoa.  I wrote about my love of quinoa before and I'm happy to report the love affair is still going strong.  I've come to appreciate it even more because I found it was the PERFECT food to give Little Sister as she transitioned from baby food to solids.  It has texture, but the grains are so small, they're not likely to pose a choking hazard.  Luckily, she's an adventurous eater and loves her veggies.  It warms my heart every time I pull out a head of broccoli and she squeals in excitement and claps.  I mean, who claps for broccoli?!?  So, we're making good headway on the culinary front, now if someone could help me get a little more energy to take daily walks, we'd be good.  Alas, one step at a time...literally and figuratively.

Curry Essence Quinoa & Mixed Veggies

Curry Essence Quinoa & Mixed Veggies

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large vidalia onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cup sliced fresh beets
2 cup thinly sliced kale
2 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage
salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring quinoa, curry powder and water/broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2.  While quinoa is cooking, chop onion into thin slivers.  Mince garlic.  Sautée both in olive oil until the onions are translucent and the garlic is starting to brown. 
3. Add the beets and sautee until they begin to soften.
4. Add kale and napa cabbage to the beets.  Sautee until all the veggies have cooked to your desired softness.
5. Once quinoa has absorbed all of the water, stir in sautéed veggie mixture.  You may have to transfer to a larger pot or possibly add the quinoa to the sauteed veggies.

I was inspired to make this dish after enjoying Quinoa Paella at Cafe Sunflower.  It is delicious!  I have not been able to replicate their yummy goodness perfectly, but I do think I've captured it's spirit.  I have made this recipe in various iterations:

• with curry or without curry
• with different veggies (regular cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, bell pepper, kale, potabellos)

...and it has never disappointed.  Experiment with your favorite vegetables and see what happens.  Regardless, it's a filling and healthy side dish.