Veggie Stew and Corn Quinoa Muffins!

If you can't tell by now....I LOVE QUINOA! I LOVE IT...I LOVE IT....I LOVE IT!

I was so excited to try these new quinoa muffins from mynewroots.com. They were the perfect compliment to my stew that I adapted from ohsheglows.com.

Here you go:

Black Quinoa Corn Muffins

Ingredients:

1 C. organic corn meal

1/4 C. organic flour (aka masa harina..Bob's Red Mill sells it in a bag)

1 C. cooked black quinoa (I used white cause that's what I had)

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. sea salt

1 C. almond milk

3 T. chia seeds + 9 T. water

1/4 C. sunflower oil

1 T. raw honey

1/2 cup diced cilantro leaves

1 chili, minced or 1/2 t. ground chipotle

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line metal muffin tins with muffin papers (this batch made 12 muffins for me)

2. Mix chia seeds and water in a bowl and set aside to gel up (this will be used in place of using an egg). In about 10 minutes, it should look thick and almost gel like

3. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together and add the cooked, cooled quinoa.

4. In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together, including the chia gel

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in cilantro and minced chili

6. Pour batter into muffin papers and bake for about 25 minutes until edges are brown.

Note: These were a little crumbly, but I really liked the texture, flavor and how dense they are. IT tasted great heated up for lunch today! Next time, I will use less cornmeal and more corn flour. Great gluten-free recipe!

Veggie Stew

adapted from: www.ohsheglows.com

Ingredients:

1-2 T. olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, pressed through the garlic press

4 green onions, diced

2 bay leaves

3 small zucchini, chopped

4 celery ribs, diced

2 C. baby carrots, chopped

4 C. organic, free range chicken broth

1 28 oz. can diced Italian blend tomatoes

2 small cans, no salt added, tomato sauce

1/2 C. uncooked green lentils

1/2 C. uncooked wild rice blend

1/2 C. frozen Edamame

1.5 T. fresh lemon juice

2-3 T. fresh minced parsley

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. onion powder

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1 t. sea salt

pepper to taste

2 C. chopped spinach

Directions:

1. In large pot over lower heat, add olive oil, onions and garlic. Heat for a few minutes until softer

2. Add bay leaves, the chopped veggies and cook for 5 or 6 more minutes

3. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, lentils and wild rice. Simmer over low/medium heat for 20 minutes.

4. After 20 minutes, add in the lemon juice, parsley, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, Edamame and spinach.

5. Cook until rice and lentils are tender. Discard bay leaves before eating!

Lots of flavor...my kids ate it over extra plain quinoa. I broke up my muffin and put it on top of my stew! YUMMY!