Good morning, afternoon or night! It’s Friday morning and the frost is lining the trees.  A gorgeous start to the day. What a better way to start off your day than a balanced nutritious breakfast. Wow – that sounds like something from a parenting report or a TV commercial – but you know better.

I am really just making a glorious transition into today’s post. This dish is really not in need of a recipe but I thought I would share it with you as just a different option in the morning. Some folks have cereal, others do eggs and toast, maybe some oatmeal, yogurt and fruit, pancakes or waffles – which are all great choices.

Today, I wanted to share a quinoa breakfast as an alternative to oatmeal.  Before doing so, here are some quick facts on QUINOA

Quinoa Nutrition: The most protein of any grain, great source of vitamins & minerals – iron, magnesium, Vit E, potassium, amino acids, fiber – ideal for vegetarian or vegan diets.

Cooking Quinoa: Simple to cook, like rice. Cooked quinoa looks a bit like couscous, but is more substantial and slightly crunchy.

Prep & Cook Time: 5 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook time

For the dish below, I followed the instructions on the bag/box and topped it with some fresh fruit, a few almonds and a drizzle of maple syrup.  It was actually quite tasty.  I never realized the nutritional value in Quinoa until recently.  We bought a huge bag at Costco on the weekend so it is experimental time for me.

Question of the Day:

What s your favorite way to prepare Quinoa?

A couple of Frosty shots

I hope you have a great Friday, leave a comment or hit me up on twitter or even post it on my facebook.  Looking forward to hearing all the ways to prepare quinoa.  Have a fun filled weekend and I will see you on Monday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

US Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and you know I have been harping on brussel sprout side dishes that will make your mouth water.  Most recently I posted about the roasted plum and brussels and a couple of years back we had this classic!  One of my all time favs.  Roll out the cutting board for this one…. and try it next week.

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Have you ever had figs, maple and Brussels sprouts in the same dish?  If you remember from past thanksgiving summary, I gave you a heads up on some amazing vegetable creations.  I do not cook Brussels sprouts that often, however this dish was one of my favorites with Saturday’s turkey dinner.  The roasting flavor of the Brussels sprouts paired with the sweetness of the figs and maple was a great combination.

As far as simplicity goes, this dish is very easy to make yet packs that powerful aroma when serving.  You could serve this as a side dish for almost anything – fish, chicken, pork, beef – you name it.  It could also be served as the star of the show if you so desired.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Brussels Sprouts ( halved )
• 2 Figs ( Dried and chopped finely )
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
• Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
2. In a bowl, add halved Brussels sprouts and coat with olive oil and salt and pepper.
3. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread Brussels sprouts out evenly to prepare for roasting.



4. Roast for 20-30 minutes until done.



5. In a small sauce pan, add chicken stock and figs and bring to a gentle boil.  Then turn to simmer and let reduce.  Add maple syrup and continue to let it reduce for 10-15 minutes.



6. Once the Brussels sprouts are fully roasted, remove the pan from the oven and pour the maple fig mixture on top.  Toss to coat evenly and place back in the oven until ready to serve.





7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When making chicken stock from scratch – be sure to make it in large quantities and freeze it when you can.  You can store it in freezer bags, ice cube trays or even containers for a quick fix when you are in a pinch.  As for health benefits – it allows you to control the sodium content and customize it to your liking.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and try it if you enjoy Brussels sprouts.  Even Mrs. Zesty who had never tried a sprout in her life – attempted these and was pleasantly surprised.  Contact me through the comments and let me know what you think of this recipe.

Have an awesome Wednesday and stay tuned for Friday fun day with a movember update..

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Hey All,  Here is a simple pasta dish that you can make on a fall evening when you want to get warm.  I am just sitting in the airport waiting to fly home this morning and so far so good from a flight perspective.  Timing is a little bit tight so I wanted to go back to a post from almost 3 years ago that is a great dish to make as the leaves change and the temperature begins to cool down.

In looking back at this dish there is something missing… Can you guess what it is?  Protein!  Yes.  So to make these an even better balanced dish, I would recommend maybe some shrimp or chicken as well.  Either or will work but I really think some grilled or pan seared shrimp with a hint of chili pepper and lime would be a super match.  Such a match that I am kind of licking my lips at 6:45 am.  Strange I know… but True!

Comfort food…

This is a very rustic dish packed with a great flavor and texture combination.

Feel free to add your favorite vegetables for this dish; there is really no limit as to what you could add for variety.

Ingredients

• Organic Spaghetti
• 1 Acorn Squash
• 1 Medium White Onion
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 Cup Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
• 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Method

Sauce

1. In a medium sauce pan add a touch of olive oil and saute the garlic.
2. Cook gently for 4 minutes, then add maple syrup and soy sauce and bring to a boil.
3. Let reduce for 10 minutes on simmer.

Vegetables and Pasta

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
2. Prepare acorn squash and white onion and cut into small chunks, place on lined cookie sheet.



3. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.



5. Add tomatoes to cookie sheet.



6. Baste vegetables with the sauce at this point.
7. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and peel squash.
9. Cook spaghetti as per directions (reserve 2 Tablespoons of pasta water).
10. Once cooked, add pasta back to the cooking pot, toss in the vegetables, pour over the sauce and reserved water.
11. Mix gently.

 

12. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If at anytime you find your sauces to thin or runny, add a slurry to thicken the sauce.  A slurry is a tablespoon of cornstarch or flour to 2 tablespoons of luke warm water.  Mix that together without any lumps and add it to the sauce.  bring the sauce to a boil and watch it thicken.  adjust amounts of starch and water based on the quantity of sauce.

What is your favorite side dish to eat with pasta? Mine has to be fresh bread of any kind.  Park me in front of this plate with a slab of homemade bread and zesty is a happy camper.

Have a great Wednesday and I will chat with you on Friday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty